The Media Leader

News analysis, opinion and insight for media and advertising professionals

UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

The UK digital ad market grew 13% year-on-year in H1 2026 to £21.6bn, according to IAB UK. The expenditure is greater than £5bn more than was spent on digital channels in all of 2020.

Consumers don’t trust AI assistants for product recommendations. Brands are investing anyway

According to Kantar, a net 75% of marketers plan to increase investment in AI assistants in 2027, even as just 23% of consumers say they trust their brand or product recommendations.

Because we’re worth it

Premium price point, premium brand? It depends on the media environments advertisers appear in, writes Center Parcs’ chief marketing officer.

Retail leads global programmatic DOOH spend as omni-channel buying gains ground

More than a third of programmatic DOOH spend is now flowing through omni-channel DSPs, according to the World Out of Home Organization’s latest report.

Global brands are shifting to paying for outputs, not time

A report from the World Federation of Advertisers has found that less than one-fifth of multinational brands now use labour-based remuneration models.

The Media Leader

Receive weekly round-ups of the latest comment, opinion and media news, direct to your inbox.

Opinion

Emily Fairhead-Keen

Emily Fairhead-Keen explains why she’ll be glad to see the back of September and how brands could reinvent this moment in the buying calendar.

Heather Dansie

Adding ‘cultural relevance’ through news brands to media plans sees a bigger impact on sales. Newsworks’ insights director has the data to back it up.

James Longhurst

Spark Foundry’s CEO, Nadine Young is in the hot seat for our probing and quick-fire Leading Questions.

Data Snapshot

Data-led charts from across the UK media landscape

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

Arrange a demo

22 Sep 2026

28 Jul 2026

Our next event

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

UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

The UK digital ad market grew 13% year-on-year in H1 2026 to £21.6bn, according to IAB UK. The expenditure is greater than £5bn more than was spent on digital channels in all of 2020.

Consumers don’t trust AI assistants for product recommendations. Brands are investing anyway

According to Kantar, a net 75% of marketers plan to increase investment in AI assistants in 2027, even as just 23% of consumers say they trust their brand or product recommendations.

Because we’re worth it

Premium price point, premium brand? It depends on the media environments advertisers appear in, writes Center Parcs’ chief marketing officer.

Retail leads global programmatic DOOH spend as omni-channel buying gains ground

More than a third of programmatic DOOH spend is now flowing through omni-channel DSPs, according to the World Out of Home Organization’s latest report.

Global brands are shifting to paying for outputs, not time

A report from the World Federation of Advertisers has found that less than one-fifth of multinational brands now use labour-based remuneration models.

The Media Leader

Opinion

Where’s my new pencil case?

Culture is everywhere. So why is it rarely planned for?

Leading Questions with Nadine Young – Spark Foundry

Industry News

What we learned from ‘the first digital-first’ World Cup – with The Guardian, Mirror, Sun and Daily Mail

Britain’s teens want safer social media, not an outright ban, finds Channel 4 research

Global launches Radio Plus: Should advertisers be worried?

Will ‘media planner’ still be a job title in 10 years? Nine specialists weigh in

PSBs and streaming giants: apples and pears?

What Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros Discovery means for global TV and cinema

Before the brief: Media owners on where planning conversations really need to happen

Strategic thinking is biggest skills gap in marketing, WFA-Mediasense report finds

Data Analysis

How spectacular advertising can hijack the algorithm

Has Origin failed?

Mapping the UK agency landscape

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

Data Snapshot

End of year cinematic treats

Podcast Ad Promo Position Plays A Part In Perception

Our next event

Upcoming Event

The Future of Media Manchester 2026