Digital agency trends: 71% increased demand for content marketing during Covid-19
Over two thirds (67%) of agencies have hired during the pandemic, but 51% have struggled to find employees with the skills they need, according to new research.
Alexa offers Olympics and Paralympics updates during the Tokyo 2020 Games
With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games underway, Amazon’s Alexa has been learning facts to give customers quick and easy access to Great Britain and Ireland’s latest news and successes.
Most loved brands in the UK: Everyone loves Netflix (except Gen Z)
There is a sharp generational divide in UK’s online viewing habits, with older generations citing Netflix s their favourite brand, while the younger Generation Z prefers YouTube, according to new research.
Taboola buys Connexity to bring personalised ecommerce recommendations to native ads
Native advertising firm Taboola has struck a $800 mn acquisition of ecommerce media company, Connexity, in a move that it describes as “one step forward in creating an alternative to walled gardens.”
Brits forecast to spend £200 billion on Black Friday and Christmas
Over four-fifths (82%) of Brits will be the same or more engaged in Black Friday this year and 55% will make Christmas the biggest celebration yet, representing a significant opportunity for brands and advertisers.
Just looking: 95% of B2B buyers are not looking to buy today
The number of B2B buyers looking to make a purchase in any given period is significantly smaller than most marketers believe, and companies must adapt their advertising strategy to build brand-relevant memories, according to new research.
Change the record: Half of office workers argue over radio choices
Although 54% of workers enjoy listening to songs, a third of office workers have ended up in an argument thanks to the music played in the office.
Taste & Glory launches ‘Notoriously Glorious’ campaign with 200 micro-influencers
Meat-free food brand Taste & Glory have launched a £1m campaign, “Notoriously Glorious”, showcasing its new name and taste credentials.
AliExpress launches Tokyo Olympic games initiative
Chinese ecommerce giant AliExpress has launched of ONE FLAG, a global initiative which invites sports fans to submit photos to cheer for athletes during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Mediaocean buys Flashtalking to boost omnichannel advertising
Advertising platform Mediaocean is to acquire independent ad management platform Flashtalking for an undisclosed sum.
Facebook and Instagram take on TikTok with $1bn ‘creator investment’
Facebook is ramping up investment in its more creative users, in a bid to entice more engaging content on the platform to rival the likes of TikTok and YouTube.
Clubhouse launches messaging feature ‘Backchannel’
Clubhouse has moved beyond audio chat to launch its first text based messaging feature, called ‘Backchannel’.
Mobile payment users worldwide surpass 1 trillion amid pandemic
Last year, for the first time, total mobile payment users worldwide (those who had made a purchase at least once in the prior six months) surpassed 1 trillion.
IPA report: UK marketing budgets grow for the first time since start of pandemic
Total marketing budgets across the UK increased for the first time since Q4 2019, rising by a net balance of 6% across surveyed companies, according to new data.
GDPR 3 years on: 43% of UK organisations reported to the ICO for a data breach
Almost half (43%) of UK organisations have had a data breach (actual or potential) reported to the ICO since GDPR came into effect, according to a survey.
Lack of training and relevant content ‘biggest challenges for sales and marketing’
The biggest challenge for sales and marketing in the UK is inadequate training to succeed when working remotely (46%), followed by an inability to access relevant content (27%).
Feeling seen: Brits name their favourite diverse advertising campaigns
Despite backlash for “woke” ads in certain parts of the media, brands who create good diverse advertising drive awareness and growth.
Phishing and web-based attacks ‘most common among Europe’s SMEs’
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become a desired target for many hackers during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.
Digital skills trends: 83% of developers ‘suffer from burnout’
Over four fifths (81%) of software developers reported an increase in burnout as a result of the pandemic, with increased workload cited as the main reason, according to new research.
Adnami partners with SeenThis as to enable fast video streaming in high impact formats
Tech company Adnami has announced a partnership with SeenThis; with the adaptive streaming company’s lighting fast video set to complement Adnami’s high impact formats and creative templates.
Impact appointed by Skyscanner to boost affiliate and performance partnerships
Partnership automation platform Impact has teamed up with Skyscanner to enable the metasearch engine and travel marketplace to become more efficient and productive with its affiliate partners, globally.
TikTok comes to TV screens: Fire TV app arrives in Europe
TikTok is launching a new TikTok TV app on Amazon Fire TV devices – bringing TikTok’s trending content to TV screens across Europe.
Outbrain gets 200m funding boost for content marketing
Native ad platform Outbrain has secured $200 million in funding from Boston-based investment manager The Baupost Group.
Cybersecurity trends: more pressures on UK businesses as attacks increase
Nearly all (92%) of UK businesses have experienced a cyberattack in the last 12 months, with over two-thirds (72%) successfully breached at least once, according to new research.
Barclaycard sponsors summer gigs with AR campaign starring Anne-Marie
Global and Barclaycard have unveiled a new multi-platform AR campaign starring Anne-Marie to promote a series of exclusive live music events this summer, Capital Up Close with Barclaycard.
Over half of global retail spend ‘will be online post-pandemic’
Over a quarter of spend in the UK is via Amazon – but 70% of shoppers want them to pay more taxes, according to new research.
Twitch viewership up 36% compared to first months of pandemic
A comparison of different metrics shows that 2020 was not a fluke for video game streaming platform Twitch, with almost three billion more hours watched than last year.
Voice tech trends: users move from awareness to purchase
Nearly all (91%) of users of voice assistants search the internet with their voice, while 41% of users are making purchases with their voice assistants, according to new research.