Econsultancy
Internet users in the UK expressed little interest in sponsored content in a November 2016 survey conducted by YouGov. Over one in four in the UK said they ignore such content completely. In Germany, only 13% said they completely ignored it. Respondents in Germany were generally more open to sponsored content.
Campaign
UK consumers will need to face up to the fact that prices are rising, said Unilever chief executive Paul Polman, as the FMCG company announced its full-year results for 2016.
The Guardian
Sky will make its full TV service available without the need for a satellite dish for the first time, as it looks to stem customer defections to rivals, such as BT. The pay-TV giant, which had an 18% plunge in profits at its UK business in the last six months of 2016 due to spiralling Premier League rights costs, said it would launch the broadband-delivered service next year.
The Times
Growing advertising revenues from YouTube and mobile searches have powered Alphabet, the parent company of Google, to increased fourth-quarter profits. Company-wide revenues soared by 22% compared with the same quarter last year to $26 billion, of which $22.4 billion came from advertising, Alphabet said. Group profit was $5.3 billion, a gain of 8.3%.
Marketing Week
ISBA will be "upping its game" in 2017, according to new director general Phil Smith. Under his leadership the self-proclaimed "voice of British advertisers" plans to move from a "defensive" position of protecting advertisers' interests in the media owner and agency environment to addressing the issues that brand builders face in the digital world.
Campaign
Despite the perceived power of tabloids in Brexit Britain, a study earlier this month by Crispin Porter + Bogusky indicates that of all other media formats they are the least representative of populist views.
Campaign
The agency won the work after a competitive pitch supported by ISBA, beating Brothers and Sisters, FCB Inferno and Saatchi & Saatchi. The brand's previous agency, Creature of London, entered the process but was eliminated before the pitch stage.
The Telegraph
Microsoft has denied that Brexit could make it rethink its investment in the UK after an employee said it may choose to expand elsewhere in Europe. "As we have said both before and after the EU referendum vote, Microsoft's commitment to the UK is unchanged. In particular, those customers in our UK data centres should continue to rely on Microsoft's significant investment plans there," it said.
Campaign
Mondelez has appointed Karmarama as the lead creative agency across Europe for cream cheese brand Philadelphia. Karmarama, which was acquired by consulting giant Accenture in November, won the work in a competitive pitch against Anomaly and Havas London. The incumbent, J Walter Thompson, did not repitch.
The Guardian
Snapchat is tightening up its guidelines for publishers on its Discover service, banning the posting of risque images without editorial value, and clarifying guidelines intended to prevent the spread of fake news on the platform.