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Why the current economic climate presents the perfect time to invest in marketing

Businesses have a unique opportunity to adapt, streamline processes, position themselves for future growth and stay ahead of the competition by investing in marketing, which can be a powerful driver of success.

How the market research industry can capitalise on Large Language Models

Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionalise market research as much as any other industry – but there are caveats to consider alongside the technology's powerful benefits.

How marketers can better streamline their advertising supply chain

Marketers who want to do more than merely survive the current high-pressure advertising battleground must think strategically.

Is Snapchat having a creator comeback?

Ex-Meta head explains why Snapchat is more ‘fulfilling’ for creators and its monetization opportunities. But does a shift towards creators mean that it will finally compete with the big dogs?

Why Amazon Ads is outgrowing its own shopping sales

As Google and Meta lose their grip of online ad dominance, Amazon is emerging as the biggest beneficiary – even as its own e-commerce business reports no growth.

“The ethos throughout 2023 is spend smarter, not harder”: 15 marketers on the AA/WARC adspend growth predictions

What should marketers be doing to reinforce value? What are the opportunities ahead? Our expert panel dissect the latest AA/WARC results and the implications for performance marketers in 2023 and 2024.

Making conversation: Charlie Cadbury on bringing the smart speaker revolution to CTV ads

Voice assistants are becoming a mainstay of UK living rooms – but what’s next for the audio ad industry in the age of connected TV and generative AI?

Media inflation and Meta: what are your adspend alternatives?

Advertisers need to stay agile as they seek alternatives to Facebook and to optimise their digital media buying as audience behaviour and media prices constantly change.

More measurement, fewer cowboys: CTV must learn from past ad tech eras

Consumer privacy, transparency and accurate measurement must be at the heart of any personalised, programmatic CTV activity as the technology advances further.

Wasted creative: 55% of media budgets were misspent on suboptimal ads in 2022

Some of the world’s largest brands are significantly undermining their ad spend budgets by developing below par creative for online ads, new analysis reveals.

#ChatGPT ad? What experts have to say on Microsoft plans to introduce ads on AI-powered search

The next commercial frontier for Microsoft Bing X ChatGPT may seem an obvious move but industry experts tell PMW why brand suitability and safety needs to be at the forefront of brands’ minds before jumping into Bing Chat ads.

Creative automation: How to scale more personalised content in an oversaturated ad space

Brands that cut out the back-and-forth of localisation by using dynamic templates to rapidly personalise assets will regain creative control and cut through to customers.

The ABC of brand advocacy: A is for Acquisition

Acquiring high-value customers isn’t easy, but in times of cutbacks, loyalty and brand advocacy is more valuable than ever.

Six things performance marketers need to know about Australia

Australia is now the world’s 12th largest economy with just 0.3% of the global population. But a thriving digital (and DOOH) economy is about to face a new set of stricter data privacy laws. Read PMW’s bluffer’s guide to the region from our experts inside the country.

Weaning insurance marketers off their TV addiction: insights from Ifty Kerzner, Kissterra

Insurers still top the list for linear TV ad spend, despite a high level of personalisation required for each customer. But with State Farm recently ditching a Super Bowl commercial for TikTok, is this rather slow-moving industry ready for a performance marketing revolution?

Three factors that will change the role of marketers in 2023

What marketers should prioritise to avoid wasting millions on ineffective adspend this year

Are you a performance marketer… or a ‘Chief Dot Connector’?

Last week, an 800-strong audience at PM Unlocked welcomed a new type of event for London – with a rallying cry that performance marketing is breaking out from the bottom of the funnel.

Is AI like ChatGPT ultimately detrimental to the future of marketing?

Marketers need to understand how to work with generative AI to derive the greatest possible value from it while retaining the all-important human element

Why we’ll be reaching for the Lego to solve digital challenges this year

Taking play seriously can help your team build their way past blocks to creative, critical and strategic thinking about digital concepts and solutions

“Customers are no longer following a linear path through a funnel”: EssenceMediacomX CEO on merging giants, ethical AI and hidden data gems

Nearly a month on from the merger between agency behemoths MediaCom and Essence, Ryan Storrar celebrates the end of the beginning… and why he doesn’t want to see another upside down triangle on a slide ever again.

Why Hilton’s 10 minute TikTok went viral

‘10 minutes on TikTok is like three years in the real world’. What made this trend-bucking ad hit marketing gold?

“You can’t get away from the power of TikTok – it would be ridiculous to not test and learn in that environment”: finance marketing that’s showing its Mettle

The CMO of the free digital business banking service backed by Natwest Group talks ‘different’ voices in finance, how digital makes sense for financial services and what a growth strategy looks like.

“Make ChatGPT your overqualified intern”: Reprise’s Chloe Hawking on AI, diversity and the evolution of SEO

From four ways to future-proof your marketing career to challenging natural biases across internal teams – the CEO of one of the UK and Ireland’s biggest performance marketing agencies offers her advice for 2023.

Trusting consumers over influencers: what trends will shape brand marketing in 2023?

With the economy's tight grip on marketing budgets, what can marketers do to reach new and loyal customers?

Super Bowl LVII review: Disney dominates, co-branding needs tinkering and M&M’s recovers a near disastrous fumble

One for the animal lovers and the nostalgia-seekers, Super Bowl LVII saw a seemingly endless stream of adverts and PMW has put together a recap of everything you need to know.

Super Bowl LVII predictions: crypto sacked, big tech fumbles and brand partnership power plays

The potential end of crypto adverts, tech falling a yard short and brands partnering to split crazy costs - get all the expert analysis of the state of play ahead the Super Bowl’s famous advertising frenzy.

The Surreal deal: how a plucky new cereal brand is eating its rivals for breakfast

Cereal startup Surreal knows exactly what it's doing. With KPIs for humour and subverting Black Friday, the brand is all about maximum impact with minimum spend.

Six things performance marketers need to know about India

Set to become the world’s most populated country in 2023, India has a growing middle class and strong smartphone and CTV adoption. Read PMW’s bluffer’s guide to the region from our experts inside the country.

“Media efficiency will be a greater topic of conversation”: 50 marketers’ IPA reactions on first-party forward, optimising and the move to ‘brandformance’

With reported optimism for marketing spend playing out against downbeat views of prospects across UK industry, we ask our panel of marketing experts for their insights behind IPA’s latest figures.

‘Self-serving’ or progressive? 3 data marketing experts on the big US video measurement pact

News broke last week of Fox, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros and Paramount uniting on video measurement standards. Industry experts question who this actually benefits.

AI Oh No: art becomes the next frontier in the data versus creativity wars

After automated ad buying and copy writing, AI-generated art could soon start transforming the media and marketing landscape.

The tech stack massacre, programmatic posters and 18 other marketing predictions for 2023

PMW’s panel of experts delve into what will happen in this year’s primary channels, and the tech and data moves marketers need to make to stay ahead of the curve.

Why creative and not data will win the battle for user attention on streaming platforms

When it comes to reaching a video audience, a user’s historical behaviour isn’t enough when the artwork is unengaging. Here’s why creative could be 'make or break' for an industry facing high competition.

Is it too late to save Twitter?

Elon Musk has left it to his Twitter followers to decide if he should step down as CEO, as advertisers are wary about returning to the turbulent platform.

The Meta and Google duopoly: will it collapse in 2023?

What are the ongoing – and upcoming trends – that could shift which platforms sit at the top of the pile, and make 2023 a year of change from the ‘status quo’?

Streaming video advertisers beware - not all subscribers want ads

As Netflix rolls out its pricing tiers, different attitudes and behaviours to ads on SVOD of people across countries and generations should give advertisers pause for thought.

Doin’ Good and disrupting the fizzy drink industry: Q&A with Alessandra Zehnder at Soulfresh

Soulfresh is a brand on a mission to change the food and drink industry, one category at a time. How can performance channels help the Australian brand repeat its success story in European markets?

Creative data: a marketer’s recession antidote

Embracing innovation in times of crisis will separate the brands that win and those that disappear.

How brands can strike the right tone during this festive season

New data from Kantar reveals that only 18% of consumers strongly agree they’re looking forward to Christmas ads, down 5% from last year. How can brands engage with their audience amid the current economic turmoil?

Some brands are spending less on performance… isn’t that the whole point?

From eBay to Airbnb, a clutch of household names are heralding a branding renaissance as they cut back on performance channels. Should other brands follow suit?

Christmas ad tracker: John Lewis has done it again, or has it?

Advertisers had been warned to read the room this Christmas, by not flaunting presents and gifting during a cost-of-living crisis. But do purpose-driven ads really triumph at Christmas?

Brands owe streaming audiences a different approach to ads

AVOD is gathering momentum as competition and CPMs increase. Audiences are expecting bolder forms of storytelling and ‘prime time’ could become a thing of the past.

Why digital out-of-home is an essential force in today's media mix

As posters go programmatic, it’s brands’ time to shine in this undervalued yet constantly overdelivering channel.

Pioneering the future of digital advertising in a cookieless world

The question that advertisers and marketers are now facing is how to navigate a post-cookie world while still delivering relevant and engaging media content. Here’s a guide to prepare ahead for the cookieless future.

Why the KPIs of brand value are changing in the cost-of-living crisis

Where once value might’ve referred to a cheaper alternative, in the current economic context, value now represents going above and beyond the transactional media investment.

How to keep the brand light burning in uncertain times

Taking a ‘glass half full’ approach and recognising the opportunities to maximise budgets rather than cut them are just some of the tips to burn your way through a challenging climate.

The devil’s in the data: 5 best Halloween marketing campaigns of all time

Roll over big data, it's time to do the monster maths. PMW creaks open the vaults to resurrect some of the best data-driven marketing campaigns from spooky seasons past…

“Brands can’t afford the risk of a spray and pray approach to campaigns”: 25 marketers on the outlook for adspend

After the news that adspend forecasts are downgraded for this year and next, marketers reflect on the need to embrace emerging technologies and measure and account for every penny of spend, while making sure they don’t blink in the face of uncertainty.

“This isn’t the time for business as usual”: 50 marketers and their insights on the latest outlook for marketing spend and direction

After the Bellwether report confirms a slowdown in marketing budget growth and a stagnant forecast for next year, marketers name possible green shoots still available and advise on how to make every bit of your spend count.

As collaborative marketing grows, creative control remains key

Collaborating with creators is a powerful tool for brands, but giving over creative control comes with its own risks. How can brands continue to create home-grown content that connects with audiences, while keeping their hands on the wheel?

The VOD generation: why video platforms are beating traditional TV for relevance

Massive survey of 10,000 Brits reveals that YouTube, TIkTok and Netflix are doing a better job at relevance, inclusion and access to ‘hard to reach’ audiences, than traditional TV counterparts.

Why moving budgets away from Meta and Google will be more complicated than you think

As ad platform dominance fragments in a privacy-centric world, advertisers should not shy away from the new, but there will be complications along the way.

Six things performance marketers need to know about China

China will generate over one quarter of all global consumption growth during the next decade. But access to this lucrative audience doesn’t come cheap. Read PMW’s bluffer’s guide to the region from our experts inside the country.

Why contextual alone is not the answer to the identity problem

Running short of first party marketing data but trying to wean off the cookies? Contextual targeting can help, but a blended approach is needed.

Prime Day 2.0: “the pressure to make a splash will be great”

Eight marketers highlight how the industry can get their best foot forward ahead of next week’s new prime-time Christmas shopping event.

Riding the TikTok algorithm: with great power comes great responsibility

Fast becoming the go-to search engine for youth ahead of Google, TikTok’s role in shaping modern society is stronger than ever. But is the ‘democratised discovery’ algorithm a true force for good?

Netflix’s high CPMs are ‘difficult to justify’

At $60 CPM, Netflix’s rumoured ad-supported tier is more expensive than the Super Bowl. Is it worth it?

Why ad podding will star in the next season of TV advertising

With both Netflix and Disney Plus going ad-funded, a new type of media buying is bringing the AVOD experience closer to its linear counterpart. Storytelling on CTV just got simpler…

Sustainability, cookies and recession: a time of challenge and change reflected at DMEXCO

There were noticeable differences at the two day expo conference this year. With some big names missing and less exhibitors, what were people really talking about?

Why ads will be Netflix’s saviour

Netflix ads were once considered unthinkable. But if done correctly, the platform’s next ad model can drive the company to even greater prominence as competition heats up.

‘The internet is worse for the environment than airlines’

This Ozone Day, digital marketers need to understand the impact of advertising on the environment, and what they can do to help.

The cookiepocalypse is nigh (again)!

The era of third-party online data is coming to an end… So what’s next for digital advertising – and how can you future-proof your business?

Twice as nice? Who needs a digital twin?

It sounds like science fiction, but digital twin technology is already here. With its growing list of real-world applications – from energy consumption to healthcare – how can this rapidly evolving tech help your business save money and run more efficiently?

Buckle up: how TikTok is keeping brands safe online

Businesses are increasingly launching out into the turbulent world of social media advertising. But how can you protect brand reputation while ensuring your message takes flight?

How tech is transforming market research

In this rapidly evolving field, AI and machine learning have already changed the landscape for good. So how can companies best use data-driven insights to grow their business?

‘Disney+ will look to market itself as a higher cost, but higher quality service’

Amid the content versus cost debate, Disney+ is placing its stake firmly in the belief of its offer with its launch of an ad-supported subscription tier. How will budgets be allocated with the continued integration of CTV in the marketing mix?

More ‘ad-ons’ for subscribers: marketers on Disney+ and its new subscription tiers to support ads in-stream

The new ad-supported subscription tier comes at a cost – the same cost as before to stay ‘ad free’. What steps can marketers take to craft their message in a high attention environment without disrupting the value for the viewing they are trying to reach?

Reinventing the QR code as the digital handshake

71% of consumers expect personalisation. QR codes provide a digital handshake with fully measurable solutions enabling a properly personalised and effective experience for customers.

Efficiency costs: why agencies playing the short game are destined to fail

Legacy practices of letting the media determine how agencies are structured have led to siloed thinking, operating inefficiencies and, ultimately, an inability to pivot at speed. It doesn't have to be this way...

“CMOs need a clear line of sight on their global media data for informed decisions on cuts” :10 marketing leaders talk possible adspend contraction

Despite an encouraging start to 2022, adspend faces scrutiny with the bite of the cost of living crisis. Industry commentators give their take on the latest AA/WARC figures.

Paid social strategy: 6 ways to ensure your creative stays ahead of the trends

Good ad creative improves click-through rates, reduces CPM [cost per thousand impressions] and improves awareness. So how can you make sure yours always hits the mark?

“Tough conversations in the boardroom as CMOs fight to hang on to their marketing budgets”: 25 marketers on the state of the industry ahead

From concerns about slowing consumer spend, marketing budget cuts, and confidence in first-party data strategies and attention seeking to weather the storm, we speak to industry leaders about the latest IPA Bellwether findings.

Retail media meets CTV: we’ve come a long way from infomercials!

Long gone are the days when you phoned in your order after seeing something you fancy – with retailers joining forces with streamers, what does that mean for brands?

Performance marketing people: eBay Ads gets new GM and Innocent’s social media manager moves on

Promotions at Interbrand and independent podcast agency Acast and a new office for Tug leads to new hires feature in our latest round of performance marketing movers.

Our ads don’t represent us: the importance of accessible creative

Why advertising needs to appeal to consumers, not to advertisers (and a lot of it doesn’t.)

How will the year of data privacy impact advertisers?

With Europe, the US and APAC all closing the net on privacy, effective strategies and efficient use of data will be more vital than ever for targeting consumers.

Postcards from Cannes: 15 performance marketers on why data is crashing the creativity party

As the sun sets on an eventful Cannes Lions, PMW quizzed some of this year's attendees at the French Riviera festival to get the scoop on the biggest marketing event of the year.

10 industry leaders discuss GARM three years on: Unilever, Meta and Google outline brand safety challenges ahead

From deep fakes to metaverse misinformation, how can the performance marketing industry counteract incoming threats from new technology and geo-political upheaval?

The open web strikes back: why brands need to nurture first-party audiences

Walled gardens have gained an unmerited ad-spend advantage on the back of privacy concerns – but now it’s time for brands to take action

Attention! Attention! It’s what you need to maximise engagement

Why bigger is not always better, and viewability could actually stop your ad being seen.

It’s time to embrace nostalgia marketing right now (before you forget)

Nostalgia marketing is taking the world by storm, as millennials and Gen-Z are longing for the past – and brands are taking them on an exciting journey through time.

Mind the (data) gap: can analysing every word on TV make us better marketers?

A guide on bridging a data gap in TV content that many media planners may not even realise exists...

Demand for on-demand is outstripping supply: so what’s the answer?

With ad-supported-video-on-demand [AVOD] booming, supply chains are struggling to keep up with creating the personalised ads required.

“Digital is now as vital as oxygen”: 20 industry views on UK ad spend record and the outlook for 2022

AA/WARC research recorded a landmark £31.9bn worth of the UK ad market in 2021 - industry commentators give their take on the significant bounceback last year and what lies in store for marketers in 2022 and beyond.

What’s the state of play for CTV across Europe?

Compared with the US, European CTV is in its infancy. If it is to mature quickly there are some key challenges that must be overcome.

Guaranteed performance for long form video – myth or reality?

Five changes you can make to find your audience and keep them engaged for longer.

“One of the most important years in digital marketing”: 30 industry views on the outlook for the year ahead

Following the release of the latest IPA Bellwether findings, PMW gets the views from more than 30 industry commentators on the positives and watch-outs for the year ahead

5 best Easter campaigns (from brands that have nothing to do with Easter)

Many brands have been hunting for a tenuous link between their product and Easter. The ‘unsexiest holiday of the year’ provides another delight for marketers with an opportunity to humour their audiences and increase engagement.

What’s the longer term impact of your TV ad spend, and how does it drive the funnel?

With marketers requiring accountability and accurate insights more than ever, the linear TV ad attribution model is probabilistic, not deterministic – meaning it’s probably not fit for purpose.

Stepping up from Google Ads: why marketers needn’t fear DV360

If your enterprise is looking for more oomph for its ads, Google has brought its DoubleClick and AnalyticsSuite together under one brand.

Stepping up from Google Ads: why marketers needn’t fear DV360

If your enterprise is looking for more oomph for its ads, Google has brought its DoubleClick and AnalyticsSuite together under one brand.

Ad battle: social is catching up fast with web-page display for engagement

Two-fifths of UK consumers are now more likely to engage with an in-feed ad on their social than on an online webpage, says new report.

Why 2022 will be the year of addressable TV – as long as the creative fits the bill

For years, Google and Facebook have taken ad money away from broadcasters. Now, finally, they can take it back with addressable TV advertising.

Move over Machine Learning, Deep Learning is the real game-changer

We’re on the cusp of a revolution in ad-tech. As brands pivot to a privacy-first approach, could this be the best way to reach consumers with the right message, at the right time?

Making the leap: is 2022 the year your B2B goes digital?

Here’s what you need to do to make the switch… and it’s not as daunting as you might think.

Adapting to the 'new normal': 15 views from performance marketers on the industry's recovery

With a forecast growth of more than 8 percent this year following a strong 2021, PMW asked industry commentators for their take on the latest Advertising Agency/WARC figures and what it means for the market in the year ahead.

What the cool kids think about your ads may surprise you

Pimple-popping and mukbang videos may be popular, but are they the sort of places your brand should be hanging around?

Beijing Winter Oympics: there’s (almost) no business like snow business

Watched by more people than any other event bar its summer sibling, the Winter Games are sure to grab headlines one way or another.

Video as a Service (VaaS): the secret superpower your marketing might be missing

Often overlooked but growing fast, discover how video can give a big boost to your SEO and social engagement.

Ad measurement and brand safety in question for half of advertisers

According to a new report by Mediaocean, the industry must work hard in the year ahead to uncover and exploit challenges presented by the rapid growth of CTV and omnichannel in 2021.

Creatives, Thinkers and Persuaders… Are you on the rise or a dying breed?

For any company in the data and marketing industry that would welcome some fresh thinking, there might be some nuggets of good news courtesy of an online quiz.

Why conversational AI is the future of customer experience

With customer behaviour going through a whirlwind of changes, conversational AI [artificial intelligence] looks likely to become the new kingmaker in CX leadership.

Supply chain woes: brands have an important role to play

Rather than simply viewing stock issues as a problem beyond their control, brands need to understand what actions they can (and should) take.

‘We’ve got positive swagger’: a year in the life of a revamped agency

12 months on from iProspect’s relaunch as a ‘performance-driven brand-building’ media agency, is the holistic approach to marketing paying off?

Beauty is in the eye of the in-person sales

Despite the growth of influencers and AR, in-store is beating social for beauty and personal care. Here’s what performance marketers need to know about shifting consumer habits in a post-lockdown world.

The price of success: it’s time to stop normalising ad fraud

It cost us $35billion last year – isn’t it time we purged bad actors from the dark corners of the internet?

Why mobile is key to unlocking the value of out of home advertising

Teamwork makes the dreamwork: by adopting an integrated strategy, the performance potential is limitless for out of home ads.

Boris’s Plan B means online retailers need to have a Plan A

Now that Plan B is in motion, retailers need to make sure they are optimising their ad spend to get their products in front of those that are most likely to buy them.

Boxing Day blues: unlocking customer satisfaction (and retention) this holiday season

From faulty gifts to hasty returns, the holiday period is the most important time of year for customer support. Here’s why smart search can be Santa’s best friend post-Christmas.

How to create effective festive marketing material, as determined by AI

A Christmas to-do list for campaign marketers. The latest AI data reveals the top tips to create the ultimate cracker of a campaign.

Online sales: has the peak peaked?

Even if you’re feeling fatigued after Black Friday, here’s how you can make sure your ad strategy remains healthy.

Confused? Here’s how to thrive in 2022

Given that nobody could have predicted the past couple of years, how can we now best approach the immediate future?

Data secrets of successful marketers: three routes to success revealed

To save others reinventing the wheel, new research seeks to identify some winning practices that are already being adopted.

From Plan B to Plan CTV: optimising Christmas ads in turbulent times

As shoppers face another discordant December with Omicron and supply woes, marketers can find solace in the robust performance of smart TV ads.

DAM you look good: creative automation technology is now a marketer’s best friend

How you can use Digital Asset Management to optimise the creative process, not kill it.

A new world record: global ad spend bounces back, with digital leading the charge

Aided by the e-commerce boom, advertising outstripped a strong economic recovery in 2021 and show no signs of slowing in the year ahead.

Data clean rooms: can they support the new ad infrastructure?

The concept isn’t new, but tougher regulations and browser restrictions have increased their relevance and boosted greater adoption and advances in clean room technology.

Dissecting the data reveals big tech’s wasteful secret

AI advertising systems are masking some startling inefficiencies, says AccuraCast’s Farhad Divecha. It’s time to weed them out with a closer look at the data.

Media agencies must fundamentally change what they do, to survive

Offering brands media buying clout alone will no longer cut the mustard, according to a new report

Why contextual targeting is making a resurgence, powered by Deep Learning

With cookies on the way out and big tech giants introducing privacy-first initiatives, retargeting looks set to undergo an AI-driven evolution.

How AI can help brands steer closer to inclusive design

Inclusivity is more important to marketers than ever; meanwhile customer segments and channels continue to proliferate. Maybe it’s time we had a little help marrying them up?

Don’t miss out: tips and tricks for optimising Black Friday campaigns

While shop windows and the Argos catalogue used to rule the roost, now Google and Amazon are the kings of retail. People search for products on both platforms, and retailers that appear high up on the search rankings are more likely to drive awareness and sales.

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