MediaCat UK

08/08/2025

In his final earnings report as CEO of WPP, Mark Read acknowledged the first half of the year had been ‘challenging’, blaming it on tighter client spending and a slower new business environment.

Still, Read looked to inject optimism, eager to protect his legacy as well as investor reaction.

He pointed to early signs of progress at the company, including: a 3.7% reduction in global headcount (down to 104,000), simplified operations, and restructuring within WPP Media — which replaced GroupM earlier this year.

It’s now being presented as the heart of a centralised, more responsive AI-driven business model.

WPP continued its painful 2025 with another set of disappointing results

07/08/2025

A sniff-able billboard with a QR code sounds like an overindulgence of advertising gimmickry, but...
..The decline of print readership and department stores has made it trickier to get people to sample fragrances. Elsewhere, the funnel is collapsing. Online, discovery and intent are increasingly being smooshed together by commerce media, auguring a shift in consumer habits.

In that light, scratch-and-sniff-and-scan billboards, like the one by Rare Beauty, might make sense.

Although, we'd like to see some research on people's propensity to smell OOH ads before we commit...

The brand combines scented ads and QR codes to drive perfume sampling

13/02/2025

AI is making its presence felt explicitly and implicitly in the latest round of earnings calls, as executives talk about using the tech to improve engagement, as well as alluding to efficiencies and shifting spend from non-working to working dollars.

Media and marketing insights from the latest round of brand earning calls

29/12/2022

Retail loyalty is earned, not owed https://buff.ly/3PWsLMC Go Inspire's Helen Godley on how brands can use data to deliver a fair value exchange for customers

Go Inspire's Helen Godley on how brands can use data to deliver a fair value exchange for customers

10/12/2022

Welcome to ‘The Symbiotic Age’ - the 3rd age of addressability https://buff.ly/3Fg8mgL The next era of media performance, addressable is both effective and welcome, argues Wavemaker's Emily Fairhead-Keen

The next era of media performance, addressable is both effective and welcome, argues Wavemaker's Emily Fairhead-Keen

05/12/2022

Are we overdoing it with the pushing? https://buff.ly/3B6cfDp As we leave the year behind, take a moment to pause and reflect, advises dentsu's Victoria Livingstone

As we leave the year behind, take a moment to pause and reflect, advises dentsu's Victoria Livingstone

02/12/2022

The value of happy accidents https://buff.ly/3UsQODw Plans are useful for businesses, but successful businesses must also learn to embrace life's surprises, argues Russ Lidstone

Plans are useful for businesses, but successful businesses must also learn to embrace life's surprises, argues Russ Lidstone

02/12/2022

How side quests inspire creative projects https://buff.ly/3UmuR9d Side quests allow the mind to enter a relaxed state and foster creativity, says Sledge's Becca Shanks

Side quests allow the mind to enter a relaxed state and foster creativity, says Sledge's Becca Shanks

01/12/2022

Having it all ‘figured out’ is overrated https://buff.ly/3FiPsXE Maybe just focus on what feels right, advises Célibataire's Amy Ramage

Maybe just focus on what feels right, advises Célibataire's Amy Ramage

13/10/2022

TikTok introduces new ad products https://buff.ly/3Mq7nOd With new tools like Comment Anchor, Gaming Anchor and Focused View, the social platform is leaning into the power of creators

With new tools like Comment Anchor, Gaming Anchor and Focused View, the social platform is leaning into the power of creators

03/10/2022

We are making new beginnings in our lives that were paused due to the pandemic. So, it’s Time to Reset now.

At Brand Week Istanbul 2022, we will talk about the major changes and innovations that are on the horizon.

🔎 From communications to trade, from culture to the economy, we will discuss the upcoming trends and developments that will shape the future, with inputs from experts and research results.

📍 The most inspiring week of the year, which will take place for the 10th time this year and brings together the creative leaders of the world, begins on November 7th!

For further information: https://brandweekistanbul.com/en/

23/09/2022

This November, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Brand Week Istanbul; the most inspiring week of the year. 🌟

It is time to rethink and re-design life with all its components. The digital transformation, which was accelerated during the pandemic, carried both communication and business models a step further in an irreversible way. Creativity is being tested once again with the practices of artificial intelligence and algorithms. In order to pick up an agenda-setting role, brands are in the search of ground-breaking strategies for a successful integration with the new trends that will shape the future. Global economic uncertainty has forced entrepreneurship into the grip of creative strategies and risk-free methods. All these sensational developments will reconstruct tomorrow.

For all these reasons, we are starting over again… We will make new beginnings in our lives that have paused in the pandemic. Therefore, now is the Time to Reset… At Brand Week Istanbul 2022, we will explore the big change and renewal that will be encountered in the upcoming period. From communication to trade, from culture to economy, we will discuss the trends on which we will build the future. And with experts and research outputs, all developments that will shape the tomorrow will be on the table.

You can visit https://brandweekistanbul.com/ or for further information.