THIS WEEK: UK ADVERTISING IN THE MEDIA

In this weekly series we pull together, in one place, a selection of must-reads from across our industry media. Hope you find it a useful edit of another week in advertising!

Banning adverts on junk food can only ever be a sticking plaster

Our Chief Executive, Stephen Woodford, and ISBA’s Chief Executive, Phil Smith, have penned a joint op-ed on the Government’s plan to ban online HFSS advertising and why this is not the answer to the UK’s obesity problem.

John Lewis’ very different 2020 Christmas ad: ‘We nearly didn’t produce an ad this year’

Uniting once again, the hotly anticipated John Lewis and Waitrose Christmas ad is finally here – with a difference. Focusing on kindness rather than gift-giving, the ad is just one element of a much wider charity initiative that the partnership will push into 2021. Marketing bosses from John Lewis & Partners talk The Drum through ‘Give a Little Love’, billed as a ‘Christmas campaign like no other, for a year like no other’.

Brands put on-screen diversity centre stage this Christmas, but is it enough?

Unlike Christmases past, brands and agencies have made obvious efforts this year to feature much more diverse casts in their ads. But what’s being shown on the screen has yet to be matched behind it. Will 2021 be the year that changes, or will brands continue to treat diversity as a tick-box exercise?

Childline reminds kids that nobody is normal, with help from Radiohead

NSPCC children-support service Childline is showing that everyone is different, and therefore no-one is “normal”, in a campaign launched on 9 November.

McDonald’s urges people to find their inner child this Christmas

McDonald’s hopes its festive campaign will help families reconnect with each other this Christmas.

Disney tells heart-warming story about family traditions in Christmas campaign

Disney has created a heart-warming, animated Christmas film that tells the story of the special bond between grandmother Lola and her granddaughter.

Wallace & Gromit Sing a Comfy Carol for Charming DFS Christmas Spot

Furniture retailer DFS is launching its first Christmas brand campaign from krow, part of The MISSION Group. A reflection of the timeless celebration of Christmas, in the fantasy animated world of Wallace & Gromit.

Coca-Cola confirms 2020 Christmas ‘Truck Tour’ cancellation

Coca-Cola has confirmed that its annual Christmas “Truck Tour” will not be running this year because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Walkers on why the nation needs LadBaby and some ‘light relief’ this Christmas

Walkers is eschewing a TV spot and upping its investment in digital for this year’s Christmas campaign as it argues it is not appropriate to have “a big splash of celebrity” this year.

Ahead of 2020’s John Lewis Christmas ad launch, watch every film since 2006

Ahead of John Lewis’s much anticipated Christmas ad reveal, which as per tradition is expected this Friday (13 November), The Drum explores the retailer’s previous work.

Burberry ad celebrates creativity in partnership with Marcus Rashford

Burberry has enlisted Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford for a campaign encouraging the next generation of creatives to dance like no-one is watching.

Things are looking up for post-Covid economy

A wall of cash is waiting to be unleashed but better jobs training would guarantee a strong recovery.

Will Joe Biden’s win help improve public trust in the media?

The ‘fake news’ mudslinger may be about to leave the swamp, but what can the incoming US president do to restore trust in an increasingly fragmented institution like the media?

Small digital agencies – an endangered species that need our support, now

For digital agencies, there seems to be one factor above all others that’s determining their pandemic experience: scale. Chris Mellish, chief executive of TMW Unlimited and incoming Bima president, explains why protecting our smaller agencies is essential.

How agencies, brands and media owners are dealing with the second lockdown

As agencies and media owners once again prepare to deal with the fallout from client briefs changing, questions over whether they should keep their offices open and battling a bruised new-business market, there is a feeling that leaders are better prepared going into it this time around.

We must do our utmost to support future talent during pandemic

Covid-19 has shown how important it is for everyone in the ad industry to look out for one another and make sure the rising stars of tomorrow get their chance to flourish.

ITV, M&S, Guinness: Everything that matters this morning

Marketing Week’s round-up of news that matters in the marketing world.

S4 Capital Q3 earnings: growth in the ‘sweet spot of an otherwise stagnant industry’

S4 Capital, Sir Martin Sorrell’s agency holding group, is built on the belief that a “new age, [needs a] new era model”. On 9 November the group shared its Q3 earnings performance to evidence whether Sorrell’s business is delivering on its promise. The Drum shares what you need to know from the call.

Out-of-home industry supports Black British Network crowdfunding campaign

The Black British Network has launched an out-of-home campaign backed by a range of media owners and other businesses, to support a crowdfunder initiative from its founder, Cephas Williams.

Rachel Bristow and Charlie Parkin join Liz Jones and Daren Rubins’ talent company Conker

Rachel Bristow, former Sky Media partnerships director, has joined Conker, the recruitment business set up by Daren Rubins and Liz Jones in 2018.

Alibaba CMO Chris Tung on creating the world’s biggest shopping day

Alibaba’s 11.11 (Double 11) shopping sale is now the world’s biggest shopping event, eclipsing the likes of Black Friday. But how did a day originally designed to celebrate single people become such a global phenomenon?

WPP merges AKQA and Grey to form AKQA Group

Grey agency brand is to be dropped after 103 years as part of merger to create brand experience agency that combines digital and creative.

Broadcasters need a better story to tell

TV must deal with structural changes.

ITV not making a drama out of crisis

ITV says the advertising market is recovering steadily after the lockdown crash but social distancing rules continue to hamper its production division.

What Ozone Project’s threefold expansion means for advertisers

Damon Reeve, chief executive of The Ozone Project, explains why it has attracted the backing of the UK’s top publishers for a major expansion project.