The Media Leader

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

Should media reinvest in ‘fun’? I raced 14 agencies across the UK to find out

Ocean Outdoor’s ‘Great ADventure: A race across the nation’ challenged teams to travel from London to Glasgow on a limited cash budget over two days.

The great Pride reappearing act?

As the rainbow flags flutter back into prominence in Cannes, could this be the moment the industry turns returning visibility into lasting support, asks Outvertising’s CEO, Chris Dunne.

What Cannes Lions can teach us about advertising’s most important customer

Trust was a major topic along the Croisette this year, but more conversation is needed about whether chasing attention at any cost is harming the industry’s relationship with the public.

Cannes as a catalyst for better business conversations

When the future of the industry comes down to agility, real trust, and delivering actual outcomes, independents are exactly where they need to be, writes Medialab’s MD.

Cannes Lions 2026: Rosé, reality checks and the trends worth taking home

Lisa Morgan reflects on her first visit to Cannes Lions and her takeaways from the week.

The Media Leader

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Opinion

Leena Vara-Patel

You cannot build modern media planning on unstable foundations. Data engineering fixes this, says Project 5’s MD for data and tech.

Matt Payton

Audio made its presence felt at this year’s Cannes Lions. Radiocentre CEO Matt Payton reflects on the festival and the latest findings from its new audio effectiveness research.

Steve Scaffardi

Stop apologising for being at Cannes and start enjoying the privilege and the opportunities to connect with people, writes Steve Scaffardi, global CEO of Adwanted’s content divisions.

Data Snapshot

Data-led charts from across the UK media landscape

Find out more about the UK's most comprehensive aggregator of media data.

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The Future of Media Manchester 2026 is the region's premier event bringing together media planners, strategists, and buyers to explore the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the commercial media landscape. Hosted by The Media Leader, the event features expert speakers, thought-provoking debates and research-led sessions designed to spark honest conversations about where the industry is heading. Taking place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on 17 September, the event will bring together 600+ industry professionals and 40+ speakers for a full day of insight, discussion and networking. Attendees can expect sharp debates, fresh perspectives and valuable connections with senior leaders across the media ecosystem — making it a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead of the industry’s next chapter.
17 September 2026

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

Should media reinvest in ‘fun’? I raced 14 agencies across the UK to find out

Ocean Outdoor’s ‘Great ADventure: A race across the nation’ challenged teams to travel from London to Glasgow on a limited cash budget over two days.

The great Pride reappearing act?

As the rainbow flags flutter back into prominence in Cannes, could this be the moment the industry turns returning visibility into lasting support, asks Outvertising’s CEO, Chris Dunne.

What Cannes Lions can teach us about advertising’s most important customer

Trust was a major topic along the Croisette this year, but more conversation is needed about whether chasing attention at any cost is harming the industry’s relationship with the public.

Cannes as a catalyst for better business conversations

When the future of the industry comes down to agility, real trust, and delivering actual outcomes, independents are exactly where they need to be, writes Medialab’s MD.

Cannes Lions 2026: Rosé, reality checks and the trends worth taking home

Lisa Morgan reflects on her first visit to Cannes Lions and her takeaways from the week.

The Media Leader

Opinion

The future of media planning depends on better data foundations

Cannes 2026 reflections: The year audio roared back

It’s time we stop apologising for Cannes

Industry News

BBC Studios launches advertising network to give access to its brands in one place

The Brief – Wednesday 1 July: Axel Springer completes Telegraph takeover, Zoe Ball joins Greatest Hits Radio, and JCDecaux renews Heathrow contract

IPA TouchPoints: Social media use holds firm despite misinformation concerns

Big is back – Global launches outdoor trade marketing campaign to drive OOH in media plans

Reddit an alternative to ‘sanitised and summarised’ AI search, says ads EVP

Fire TV, Alexa+: Amazon wants to turn every household device into an ad format

The Brief – Monday 29 June: ‘Careless People’ author sues Meta, AI takes Cannes, ITV to drop rugby in-game ads

Universal Ads is live in the UK. Now what? With Channel 4’s Rak Patel

Data Analysis

Mapping the UK agency landscape

The industry is calling it cross-media. It’s not

Campaign ROI is maximised when audio gets 25% of spend, finds Radiocentre report

Tech firms must enforce tougher age checks for social media platforms, regulator says

Data Snapshot

The ad-vantages of streaming

World Cup Wonders

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