Interpublic Group (IPG) and Creston have been named as the Holding Companies of the Year in their individual categories by the Recommended Agency Register (RAR) Awards 2016. IPG was named as Holding Company with GBP1bn + Turnover, while Creston won the corresponding category with less than GBP1bn Turnover.

This week both Facebook and Twitter revealed first-quarter results and their fortunes could not have been more different. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was left haling a "great start to the year," while Twitter was left lamenting soft advertising demand. In their earnings calls both companies revealed that they both see live video as a key battleground in the future, meaning that things could get messy.

ISBA's attempts to introduce greater transparency around media agency contracts with advertisers are unworkable and irresponsible, it has been claimed. The trade body for advertisers hit out at media agencies today by claiming that current contracts undermine trust with clients by leaving out essential detail "especially around digital matters."

Ogilvy & Mather has been named as the most effective ad network in the world by the Effie Index, while its owner, WPP, was named the most effective holding company for the fifth year in a row. The Coca-Cola Company retained top spot as the highest-ranked marketing company after toppling Unilever last year. Coca-Cola was also the most effective brand for the fourth consecutive year.

WPP, the owner of Group M and Ogilvy & Mather, has reported a 10.5% increase in revenue year-on-year to GBP3.08 billion for the first quarter of 2016. In yesterday's trading update, WPP reported UK revenue at GBP451 million, up 8.2% year-on-year in the three months to the end of March 2016.

Despite its "strong" start to 2016, advertising giant WPP, which owns agencies including JWT and Grey, says there is increased pressure on its clients as they find themselves having to compete with new disruptors like Airbnb and Uber as well as handling a potential Brexit.

While wearable technology is expected to see huge sales growth in the coming years, Telefonica's head of digital services James Richards says the industry is still struggling to create devices that fit consumer needs -- and that even Apple has yet to demonstrate a strong case for why people should buy its smartwatch.

With both iPhone sales and revenues falling in the second quarter, Apple is hoping a renewed focus on services such as mobile payments, apps and music streaming can cover the shortfall. Apple saw iPhone sales fall for the first time ever in the three months ending 26 March, causing it to post its first revenue decline in 13 years.

The UK's advertising watchdog has launched an inquiry into the prevalence of negative gender stereotyping in ads. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced they are commissioning new research on the topic and invited members of the public and interested organisations to contact them to share their views on the issue in a bid to gauge public opinion.

Ad blocking is not just a publisher issue, according to head of media and futures at Diageo, Isabel Massey, who believes that marketers aren't doing as much as other parts of the industry. Speaking on a panel at Marketing Week Live yesterday Massey said: "We need to be thinking about what we should be doing as marketers, [so it's] not just the publishers fixing the issue."