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The IPA’s latest Bellwether Report, for the first quarter of 2008, reveals that current budgets have been revised down for the second consecutive quarter. Weaker than expected sales, subdued consumer spending, and ongoing concerns about the health of the UK economy have driven this cost-cutting, said the report. The ‘All other’ category, which includes ‘below-the-line’… Continue reading Q1 2008 Bellwether: Marketing Budgets Cut For Second Consecutive Quarter

Ashley Highfield, the BBC’s head of online, is leaving the corporation to become chief executive at the planned on-demand service from BBC Worldwide, Channel 4 and ITV, codenamed Kangaroo. Highfield, director of future media and technology and a member of the BBC executive board, is to take over at Kangaroo from interim chief executive Leslie… Continue reading Highfield To Join Kangaroo

Google’s plans to scrap advertisers’ exclusive right to bid on key words for their own brands have been met with criticism from the IPA.From 5 May any advertiser or agency will be able to bid on trademarked single words in the UK and Ireland (see Google To Allow Keyword Bidding On All Search Terms). Previously,… Continue reading IPA Slams Google’s Key Word Search Plans

A new government inquiry into the “commercialisation of childhood” could lead to increased limits on advertising and marketing to children.Ministers are said to be concerned by research suggesting children recognise 400 brands by the age of ten and sympathise with parents who decry “pester power”.Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, said: “I want to know if… Continue reading Government Inquiry Could Lead To Advertising Limits For Children

GCap Media will no longer sell two of its three Xfm radio stations outside of London, following the company’s acquisition by Global Radio at the start of April.Fru Hazlitt, the GCap chief executive, announced in February that the Xfm stations in Scotland, Manchester and south Wales would be sold or their licences would be handed… Continue reading GCap To Hold On To Xfm Stations

Nielsen Online has announced continued investment to support its growth in the UK and EMEA with the addition of four senior staff.Stephen Brooks becomes the new managing director for the UK, joining from EMAP Communications, where he was digital director for magazines. Prior to that Stephen spent seven years as the publisher in charge of… Continue reading Nielsen Online Recruits Wealth of Talent

Digital publishers saw an increase in total revenues of more than 50% in 2007, according to the Association of Online Publishers. The AOP said that 31% of publishers had also predicted growth in the coming year, despite a worsening economic outlook. The association found that the dominant theme of its 2008 Census of members’ businesses… Continue reading Digital Publishers Boost Revenues By Over 50% In 2007

More than 42 million programmes have been accessed on the BBC’s online catch up TV service, the iPlayer, in the first three months of 2008.The total number of requests for downloads and streams of BBC programmes in March were 17.2 million, rising from 14 million in February and 11.2 million in January. There were 1.1… Continue reading Over 42 Million Shows Accessed On iPlayer

Sir Alan’s clutch of incompetents once again lured viewers to The Apprentice last night, with over 6.4 million adults tuning in to BBC One.The boys’ team made a pig’s breakfast out of their attempts at turning a north London pub into an Italian restaurant for the night, but thankfully they dismissed someone’s idea of fake… Continue reading The Apprentice Attracts Over 6.4 Million To BBC One

The advertising industry’s business model is outdated and must change as it faces increasing competition from the likes of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo!, according to Maurice Levy, chief executive of Publicis Groupe.Speaking at an advertising industry conference sponsored by the International Advertising Association, Levy said: “The very model of our industry is being called into… Continue reading Ad Industry Must Change, Says Maurice Levy