Publicis cuts 2019 forecast
Publicis has cut its full-year sales guidance for the second time in three months, the Financial Times has reported. It blamed client losses in its traditional advertising business in the US.
The company said it expected sales to fall by about 2.5% on an underlying basis. The previous outlook was described as “broadly stable net revenue”.
The news heralded a slump in its share price. “Publicis was down 13% in early session trading, which also dragged down rival WPP,” said Reuters.
For the full story, check out the FT.
TM Advertising shuts shop after 85 years
An 85-year-old ad agency in Dallas, US, is closing down. TM Advertising had belonged to the Interpublic Group but bought itself back from the global media giant two years ago. It was founded in 1934 as Glenn Advertising, and was renamed Temerlin McClain in 1992 before being bought b y IPG in 2001.
Client cutbacks led to the decision, the agency’s CEO, Becca Weigman, told Adweek. TM Advertising lost American Airlines, an account it had worked on for 34 years. Weigman told the trade magazine the decision to shut shop was a financial one, taken in a “very competitive” environment.
The whole story on Adweek is here.
YouTube gives politicians chance to buy advertising space ahead of US elections in 2020
US politicians can buy advertising space on YouTube months in advance of the highly-anticipated elections in 2020.
The Verge reported that this would include ads targeting voters in early voting states such as Ohio and South Carolina. It has launched a tool that lets politicians and campaign teams buy space on the platform from 15 November 2019, a year ahead of the poll, said the WSJ.
The tool, called Instant Reserve, is a new reservation tool in Google Ads which is being tested with advertisers across multiple industries. “The goal is to allow marketers to plan and book campaigns with a fixed budget and forecasted reach in advance of the campaign launching,” The Verge said.
Politicians have spent $21.8 million with Google, which owns YouTube.
For the full story, pop over to The Verge.
BT back on the high street with brand relaunch
British Telecoms is launching a major rebrand next week after it admitted the name “stands for nothing”.
“The company’s name will return to UK high streets for the first time in 25 years. The brand will appear on store fronts in an attempt to transform EE stores – a mobile phone business that BT owns – with BT co-branding,” WARC reported.
The campaign’s messaging, riding on the payoff line ‘Beyond Limits’, is designed not only for the public, but also for to inspire BT’s 107 000 employees.
For more, read the WARC story here.
Sugary drinks ads to be banned in Singapore
Singapore’s health ministry is to ban ads for its least healthy sugary drinks and is considering a sales ban too.
In a report, Mumbrella Asia said the ban would “extend across all mass media platforms including print, broadcast, out of home and online channels. It is likely to seriously impact the advertising for soft drinks including energy drinks, malted drinks, juice drinks and juices, cultured milk/ yoghurt drinks, and 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 instant beverages”.
It will also introduce a colour graded front of pack nutrient summary label for the less healthy SSBs, in an attempt to make it easier for consumers to gravitate towards healthier options and choices. The government said a survey had revealed 48% of its citizens were in favour of such moves.
Read the story on Mumbrella Asia.
#SussexRoyal versus the UK’s tabloids
In what is being described as a “feud with fleet street”, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have launched a series of court challenges against British tabloids.
Not only are the royal couple suing the Mail on Sunday for publishing (and editing) a private letter from the Duchess to her father, Thomas Markle, but Prince Harry is also taking on the Sun and the Mirror over the phone-hacking scandal several years ago that led to the demise of News of the World.
Prince Harry issued a strongly worded statement on their intentions on the second last day of the Royal Tour to South Africa. In it, he said: “Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences – a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.”
Any proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.
Vanity Fair has the story.
