Digital formats and AI adoption fuel 9.7% growth in UK ad spend
Grace GollaschAccording to the Advertising Association and WARC, the UK advertising market grew 9.7% to £10.6bn, marking the first time ad spend has exceeded the £10bn barrier in Q3.
Consumer & Market Trends
Asda drops Aldi and Lidl price match scheme
Amrit VirdiDetermined to “focus” on its own prices rather than matching competitors, Asda has ditched the scheme just 12 months after launch.
‘We’re not losing customers’: Primark affirms ‘belief’ in digital amid UK sales slip
Amrit VirdiOwner Associated British Foods “remains confident in the Primark proposition” despite falling sales.
Trust in advertising increases, driven by young people
Grace GollaschResearch from the Advertising Association finds trust in advertising continues to grow, driven by TV and cinema.
Nvidia’s brand value grows 98% as AI boom continues apace, research suggests
Molly InnesTechnology firm Nvidia is now the world’s ninth most valuable brand, according to Brand Finance.
Freelance skills, young men online, AI and loyalty: 5 interesting stats to start your week
Niamh CarrollWe arm you with all the numbers you need to tackle the week ahead.
Brands need to embrace both the worry and promise of technology to win over consumers
Jennifer BenderConsumers often have a mixed relationship with technology seeing it as both a friend and a threat. It is the job of marketers to help navigate these concerns.
Awareness, consistency and ‘sparkle’ help retailers triumph amid ‘competitive’ Christmas
Amrit VirdiAs retailers begin to reflect on the festive period, have strong ad effectiveness scores translated into high sales?
UK marketing budgets return to growth despite main media spend stalling
Grace GollaschThe latest quarterly IPA Bellwether report shows a return to growth in marketing budgets and a positive outlook for the year ahead.
The Week in Tech: Labour’s AI future, Temu and TikTok alternatives
Josh StephensonMarketing Week’s weekly round-up of the technology stories that impact the marketing sector: from AI to martech, regulation to public perceptions.
Ocado hails ‘improved’ marketing efficiency amid record Christmas
Amrit VirdiThe online retailer praised its “more effective” marketing approach, amid a 12.1% increase in customers as shoppers switched from rival grocers.
Boots sees solid growth as customers benefit from ‘strategic focus on value’
Amrit VirdiA strong Black Friday and a focus on expanding beauty and loyalty has led to year on year growth for Boots.
Strong Christmas and ‘targeted investments’ factor into Sainsbury’s growth
Amrit VirdiSainsbury’s increased focused on price matching, Nectar and value has led to the grocer outperforming the market, despite Argos losses.
M&S ‘out to break records’ after festive success
Amrit VirdiBoosted by its festive campaigns, M&S broke sales records over Christmas with more customers choosing the retailer for “everyday shopping”.
‘Intense discounts’ fuel record £14.6bn festive grocery sales
Amrit VirdiMore than a quarter of all FMCG sales were purchased on promotion over Christmas, as the UK grocery sector hit its highest level of promotions for three years.