The Drum
Adobe research indicates that 2016 will be the year that wearables become a mainstream concern for marketers, as over half of all smartphone owners have already used a household device connected to the Internet. Adobe Digital Index (ADI) Digital Trends Report examines the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and consumer attitudes toward "wearables." The report claims that 51% of existing smartphone owners have already interacted with a home-based IoT device.
The Drum
Almost one-third of Millennials have admitted that fast deliveries are a major factor in online shopping for them. Connexity studied the data of 6,500 global online shoppers with the majority -- across all age ranges -- admitting that delivery cost was their most important consideration (69% of Millennials, 80% of seniors). Studying the importance of same-day delivery, the study found that senior buyers were more patient than their younger peers, with only 5% who believed the feature was important.
Marketing Week
Consumer confidence among British shoppers remained strong for the whole of 2015, according to new figures -- the first time the Index has shown positive scores for an entire calendar year as the economy finally rebuilds. The overall Index score, compiled by GfK, increased one point to +2 in December. Consumer confidence around personal finances increased by two points this month to +3, nine points higher than December 2014. The forecast for personal finances for 2016 is 8 points higher than December 2014.
The Guardian
Channel 4 has swooped in to pick up the free-to-air TV rights to Formula One for the first time after a cash-strapped BBC moved to pull out of its deal three years early. The broadcaster has struck a three-year deal with Formula One World Championship believed to be worth as much as GBP35m per year to air 10 races a season from 2016. The TV rights are believed to have cost about GBPGBP25m annually, while television production, which Channel 4 will put out to pitch, will cost about GBP10m a year.
Marketing Week
More than two-thirds of the British public thinks charity fundraising should be more tightly regulated even if it means they raise less money, according to new research, following a year of criticism over some fundraising practices. The report by charity research consultancy nfpSynergy found that 71% of those surveyed believe greater regulation is needed, while 68% believe the Government should be doing more to scrutinise charities and their activities.
Campaign
Daily Mail & General Trust disclosed details of its "contract discount and rebate provisions" for the first time in its annual report in a section about its accounting policies for DMG Media, the consumer newspaper arm. The publisher of the "Daily Mail" has provided rare insight into the extent of rebates in the media industry as it set aside GBP25.6 million in cash and discounts for agencies and clients in the last financial year.
Marketing
Tesco slashed its ad budget for traditional media by 30% during the four weeks leading to 6 December, with year-on-year spend down to GBP6.8m, according to data from Nielsen. Sainsbury's dropped its budget by almost as much, cutting its spend 28.5% to GBP7.3m. Aldi, Iceland and Co-operative were the only top 10 supermarkets to see year-on-year hikes in ad spend for the Christmas build-up, with the German discounter's budget up 3.5% to GBP10.5m. Iceland saw the biggest increase at 74.2% to GBP7.1m.
The Sunday Times
Donald Trump has sneered at the half a million Britons who have signed a petition to ban him from the UK for his anti-Muslim remarks, insisting he could get twice the number of signatures to support him in minutes. "You know what 500,000 is? I have 10m. Much more. Between Facebook and Twitter I have much more than 10m," the billionaire Republican presidential frontrunner told the Sunday "Times." "I could get 500,000 with one click," he continued, clicking his fingers. "So it doesn't mean anything."
The Guardian
Netflix paid no UK corporation tax last year although it was estimated to have around 4.5m subscribers in the country, it has been reported. The video streaming service behind award-winning series such as Orange is the New Black and House of Cards charges customers a minimum of GBP5.99 a month to subscribe and has grown rapidly since its UK launch in 2012.
The Guardian
The BBC has hired the company chaired by former cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell to explore how to get over-75s to voluntarily pay the licence fee and examine how the GBP700m annual costs might be reduced in the future. The corporation has hired consultancy Frontier Economics to investigate how to decrease the GBP700m-plus costs it is taking on as part of the deal imposed by chancellor George Osborne in July.