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Postcards from Cannes 2026 – The Media Leader Live from Cannes

Postcards from Cannes 2026 – The Media Leader Live from Cannes

The Media Leader’s live blog is powered by Tickaroo and delivered in partnership with Channel 4.
Fewer than one in 15 pieces of creator content delivers both audience engagement and ROI

Fewer than one in 15 pieces of creator content delivers both audience engagement and ROI

The Creator Game Plan study was presented at Cannes yesterday and highlights the risk of over-reliance on engagement metrics.

OpenAI wants $100bn of ad revenue. But it can’t ‘guarantee’ brand safety

OpenAI wants $100bn of ad revenue. But it can’t ‘guarantee’ brand safety

Benji Shomair, OpenAI’s VP of monetisation, speaks to The Media Leader about how OpenAI is rapidly iterating its fledgling ad platform.
Nectar360 Pollen says quarter of sales driven by upper- and mid-funnel retail media

Nectar360 Pollen says quarter of sales driven by upper- and mid-funnel retail media

Early results from Sainsbury’s retail media platform claims campaigns deliver 2.5x higher incremental sales from omnichannel campaigns.
The smartest thing I’ve learnt is how much I don’t know

The smartest thing I’ve learnt is how much I don’t know

The IPA’s senior insight analyst, Molly Bruce, stands in for Simon Frazier’s regular monthly column to break down why reframing fragmentation can help us to more accurately reflect changing audience behaviour.
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Opinion

UK shows where trust holds strong

Despite the depressing global trends on trust in news, the UK picture provides hope, writes Newsworks’ insights director.

Well-calculated wrong decisions 

This London Climate Action Week, there’s promising news of progress in calculating media emissions. Just make sure we don’t mistake signposts for destinations, says Thinkbox’s Simon Tunstill.

Why agentic commerce media will be a parallel universe for human-facing advertising

Agentic commerce will not replace traditional marketing. Instead, it will create a complex parallel operating system alongside existing consumer marketing, adding another layer of fragmentation, co-ordination challenges and competing priorities for brands.

Industry News

Carat named Media Network of the Year

Carat named Media Network of the Year

Audio drives profit and trust when included in marketing mix, global study finds

Audio drives profit and trust when included in marketing mix, global study finds

The Brief: Wednesday 24 June – Government plans to boost PSBs on digital platforms; Omnicom partners with Disney Advertising; Forbes Top Creators list

The Brief: Wednesday 24 June – Government plans to boost PSBs on digital platforms; Omnicom partners with Disney Advertising; Forbes Top Creators list

Alliance of Media Independents partners with Evorra to bring audience capabilities to indies

Alliance of Media Independents partners with Evorra to bring audience capabilities to indies

Havas research finds 84% of brands are viewed with indifference by consumers

Havas research finds 84% of brands are viewed with indifference by consumers

The Brief – Tuesday 23 June: ESPN launches Fan House; new DOOH network across Cineworld; Snap finds audiences seek private connection

The Brief – Tuesday 23 June: ESPN launches Fan House; new DOOH network across Cineworld; Snap finds audiences seek private connection

Universal Ads goes live in UK, providing TV with ‘easy button’

Universal Ads goes live in UK, providing TV with ‘easy button’

Ad Net Zero updates sustainable tool to track 95% of global media spend emissions

Ad Net Zero updates sustainable tool to track 95% of global media spend emissions

Data Analysis

Mapping the UK agency landscape

Mapping the UK agency landscape

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

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

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

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

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

Data Snapshot

Data-led charts from across the UK media landscape

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The Future of Media Manchester 2026

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

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