More Weekly Columnists articles

Placing the Sun online behind a paywall is an all-or-nothing bet by News International, so you can be certain the company will be throwing a considerable amount of promotional cash at the platform to lure in and maintain readers says Dominic Mills. However, it’s the newsbrand’s competitors who have the most to get excited about – and whoever the first port of call for Sun readers is, the one thing they won’t be doing is putting up a paywall…

Agency teams that work in silos across their respective channels are out of touch with the way today’s consumers operate as shoppers increasingly look for tailored, personalised interactions from brands. So what needs to change? Colin Grieves from Experian’s Alchemy Social takes a look…

In the wake of ‘soda taxes’ – in which governments are seeking to address the huge rise in global obesity – the implications for the likes of Coke are huge – which is why it has launched a new charm offensive. But Coke’s latest campaign is yuck; pure corporate hokum says Dominic Mills, and the idea of it sponsoring a government health campaign is just as ridiculous.

Simon Andrews, founder of Addictive! this week talks about how mobile devices are being utilised across the globe and why brands should be embracing digital out-of-home advertising.

As Sir Alex Ferguson announces he is to retire as manager of Manchester United, Raymond Snoddy argues there are lessons business leaders can learn. Indeed, it is not even too fanciful to see comparisons in the way that Peter Fincham, ITV’s director of television, has built up an improving roster of programmes and executives. And after poaching BBC Four controller Richard Klein this week, his team is only getting stronger…

There’s a lot more to allocating ad budgets than just eyeballs, says Dominic Mills, and before any medium can increase its share of ad revenue it has to prove itself.

PepsiCo’s new Mountain Dew ad campaign has been described as ‘arguably the most racist ever’ by a leading black academic. The question is, asks Dominic Mills, how do such things happen? How can a savvy corporation like PepsiCo get it all so wrong?

After a trip to Las Vegas to take part in CinemaCon, Digital Cinema Media’s CEO Simon Rees shares his thoughts on the creative possibilities 3D technology is opening up for filmmakers and advertisers.

Two weeks before the Hacked Off Royal Charter goes to the Privy Council for a formal signing off, media lawyer Geoffrey Robertson has reminded us what a poor record British judges have in protecting free speech and has suggested that an ombudsman would be a better resolution. We should listen says Raymond Snoddy, because the concept might break the impasse over competing Royal charters. But is it all too late?

This week Dominic Mills looks at the striking opportunities presented by online video, from the geekboy fandom of Machinima as it ups production values to team up with Ridley Scott to the incredible rise of ‘social talent’, where non-celebs are reaching serious online stardom – and presenting brands with a whole new level of audience engagement.