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2025 All In Census tracks industry’s steady progress on talent and inclusion
The results of the third All In Census have been published following participation by over 14,000 practitioners from across the advertising and marketing industry, spanning agencies, media owners, tech companies and brand marketing teams. The data will inform the ongoing All In Action plan to support talent retention and recruitment.
Published: 13 May 2025
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Cross-Industry Relationships | Industry News
Creative Rights in AI Coalition: Government Must Accept Lords Transparency Amendment To The Data Bill
Following the passing of a Lords Amendment that would give rightsholders meaningful transparency over AI training, the Government must now accept the Lords transparency amendment to the data bill.
Published: 13 May 2025
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The Stationers' Company Warrants Scheme 2025
2025 marks the start of our second decade of The Stationers’ Warrant since its inception in 2014 the Warrants have become established as a mark of recognition highlighting excellence within our industries. Members of The Stationers’ Company hold the Warrant in extremely high esteem, reflecting our unique reach and expertise.
Published: 18 Mar 2025
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MAKE IT FAIR
The Make It Fair campaign is urging the government to support the UK’s creative talent. The campaign is calling for publishers and creatives to get their fair share, to take a stand against stolen content and to ensure a sustainable future for AI and the creative industry.
Published: 25 Feb 2025
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Allwyn UK Chief Executive Officer, Andria Vidler, Becomes Advertising Association President
The Advertising Association is pleased to announce Andria Vidler, Chief Executive of Allwyn UK, operator of The National Lottery, as its new President. She takes on the role following the completion of a 3-year tenure by President, Alessandra Bellini, who will continue her work with the Advertising Association as the Chair of the Ad Net Zero UK Group. As President, Vidler will guide the strategic direction of the association’s work on behalf of the UK advertising industry to promote the role and rights of responsible advertising - trusted, inclusive and sustainable - and its value to people, society, businesses and the economy.
Published: 18 Feb 2025
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Cross-Industry Relationships | Industry News
AI Opportunities Action Plan: Creative Rights In AI Coalition Warns Against Mirroring EU Approach And Rejects Suggestion Of ‘Uncertainty’ In UK Law
Reacting to the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the Creative Rights in AI Coalition have made the following statement.
Published: 15 Jan 2025
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Cross-Industry Relationships | Industry News
Creative Rights In AI Coalition Calls On Government To Protect Copyright As GAI Policy Develops
A new coalition of rights holders including publishers, authors, artists, music businesses, specialist interest publications, unions, and photographers has called on government to spur growth in the creative and tech sectors by protecting copyright ahead of an imminent consultation.
Published: 16 Dec 2024
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Government Must Act Against Copyright Theft By AI Firms, Parliamentarians and Creatives Warn
Senior parliamentarians and leading creatives have raised significant concerns about the theft of copyright on a mass scale by generative artificial intelligence firms. Dozens of organisations and individuals have voiced their support for amendments tabled by Baroness Kidron to the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which would make UK copyright law enforceable in the age of GAI.
Published: 10 Dec 2024
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Spend in the Battle of the Festive Ads to Reach £10.5bn
Advertisers are expected to spend a record £10.5bn during the festive season, according to new data released by the Advertising Association (AA) and WARC. This marks a 7.8% increase from last year’s spend of £9.7bn and the investment highlights advertising’s vital role to support businesses, jobs and the economy during the Christmas period.
Published: 13 Nov 2024
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UK Advertising Reports £108BN Spend in Q2 2024
UK advertising recorded £10bn spend during the second quarter of 2024, marking a 13.4% increase, according to the latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report. This was just over four percentage points (pp) ahead of forecast owing to stronger-than-expected digital growth and the relatively weak comparable results for 2023. The latest figures now provide a picture for the first half of the year, showing adspend increased 13.5% to £19.6bn in H1.
Published: 31 Oct 2024
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CPCA and ICO begin development of world’s first regulator-approved privacy certification for digital advertising
Today, the Coalition for Privacy Compliance in Advertising (CPCA) announced it is working with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to develop the world’s first regulator-approved privacy certification for digital advertising technology. The groundbreaking initiative aims to clarify how the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) applies to digital advertising, increase regulatory clarity and reduce market uncertainty.
Published: 09 Oct 2024
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Applications open for the 2025 Stationers’ Company Warrants
The Stationers’ Company announced today that it is now open for applications for new Warrants and 2025 Warrant renewals.
Published: 24 Sept 2024
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Advertising Association Publishes Inaugural Report From AI Taskforce
The Advertising Association today launches the first output from its AI Taskforce, a new report called ‘Advertising and AI: Showcasing Applications and Responsible Use’. The Advertising Association’s AI Taskforce was established in September 2023 to develop a cohesive industry approach towards AI, is co-chaired by Google and VCCP, and drawn from the Advertising Association’s wider membership.
Published: 01 Aug 2024
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PinkNews Appoints Caroline Fenner as Chief Revenue Officer
PinkNews, the world's largest and most influential LGBTQ+ media brand, is excited to announce the appointment of Caroline Fenner as Chief Revenue Officer.
Published: 31 Jul 2024
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UK Advertising Spend Reached £9.2BN in Q1 2024
The latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report shows UK ad spend increased 9.3% to £9.2bn during the first three months of 2024 – setting a new high for a first quarter period. Data reveals this rise was almost three percentage points (pp) ahead of forecast, due to stronger-than-expected online growth, with online formats accounting for 79.7% of all UK spend in Q1 2024.
Published: 29 Jul 2024
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New Report Highlights Vital Importance of Advertising's Social Contribution
The Advertising Association today launches the new Social Contribution of UK Advertising 2024 report from advertising industry think tank, Credos. Along with fresh research and insights, the report has curated and showcases work of the highest creative quality to highlight how they make a social contribution. This ‘best of the best’ selection includes eleven case studies from leading brands and charities, including eBay x Love Island, Dove, Vanish and Breast Cancer Now, that have all won awards for their positive social contribution. Amongst other key insights, the research shows that the percentage of people who believe advertising drives positive change in society has increased by an impressive 10 percentage points in just three years: from 34% in 2021 to 44% in the first half of 2024.
Published: 17 Jul 2024
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Stationers' Innovation Excellence Short List 2024 is announced
The best of the Communications and Content industries announced in prestigious annual Innovations Excellence Awards shortlist.
Published: 01 Jul 2024
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Local Media First Line Of Defence Against Election Misinformation
People will rely heavily upon highly trusted local news media to combat misinformation and fake news during the upcoming general election, a new public poll published today for the News Media Association’s Local Matters report has found.
Published: 20 Jun 2024
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Media Smart and Advertising Association Publish Political Advertising Guide
Media Smart, the advertising and media industry’s education programme, has partnered with the Advertising Association, the UK advertising industry trade body, to publish ‘What’s the deal with political advertising?’. The new 10-point guide aims to help people, especially young people preparing to vote for the first time, understand ads they may see ahead of this year’s local, mayoral, and general elections. It comes as data from UK advertising thinktank, Credos, shows 44% of people are concerned about political advertising, with people significantly less likely to trust political advertising (29%) than all/commercial advertising (39%).
Published: 30 Apr 2024
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Update on the plan for phase-out of third-party cookies on Chrome
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Google publish quarterly reports to update the ecosystem on the latest status of Privacy Sandbox for the Web. As part of Google’s Q1 2024 report, we will include the following update about the timeline for phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the April 26th report
Published: 24 Apr 2024
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UK ad spend up 15.9% in Q3 2023 to £9.6bn
The latest quarterly data from the Advertising Association and WARC Expenditure Report shows UK advertising spend rose by 15.9% to a total of £9.6bn for the period July to September 2023. This marks the first time that advertising spend in Q3 has exceeded the £9bn mark, driven predominantly by a sharp increase in online advertising.
Published: 25 Jan 2024
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UK Ad Market Avoids Contraction in Q2 2023 through Growth in Online Channels
The latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report shows that the UK’s advertising market was marginally up (+1.0%) during the second quarter of 2023 – on a par with AA/WARC’s July forecast of 0.9% growth – to reach a total of almost £9bn. The latest figures show key online formats, including search (+5.3%) and online display (+5.8%) registered growth between April and June, alongside BVOD (+5.6%) and out of home (+4.4%), which continued its recovery from the pandemic downturn.
Published: 31 Oct 2023
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Global Publishing, Journalism Organizations Unite to Release Comprehensive Global Principles for Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Today 26 organizations representing thousands of creative professionals around the world, including news, entertainment, magazine, and book publishing companies and the academic publishing sector, released Global Principles for Artificial Intelligence (AI). A first of their kind, these pioneering Global Principles provide guidance for the development, deployment, and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and applications to ensure business opportunities and innovation can thrive within an ethical and accountable framework. The Global Principles for AI are aimed at ensuring publishers’ continued ability to create and disseminate quality content, while facilitating innovation and the responsible development of trustworthy AI systems.
Published: 06 Sept 2023
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UK Adspend Flat in Q1 with Slight Uplift in Outlook for 2023
The latest AA/WARC Expenditure Report data represent a stable first quarter for the UK advertising industry in 2023, with spend remaining flat (0.1% year-on-year growth) to reach a total of £9.0bn.
Published: 27 Jul 2023
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Lisa Hayley-Jones, Former Westminster Forum Chair, joins Advertising Association as Public Affairs Director
The Advertising Association, the umbrella organisation representing the UK advertising industry, has announced the appointment of Lisa Hayley-Jones, former Chair of Westminster Forum, as its new Director of Public Affairs.
Published: 24 Jul 2023
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ABC NAMED AS FIRST UK CERTIFIER FOR JOURNALISM TRUST INITIATIVE (JTI)
ABC, an independent industry-owned auditor with expertise in the fields of brand safety, ad fraud and data privacy, has become the first UK-based certifier for the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) audit. This international benchmark, developed at the initiative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is used to assess the professionalism of news publishers.
Published: 20 Jul 2023
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ABC audit enhances credibility within social media and influencer marketing
Industry owned auditor ABC has completed a methodology audit for Q83, an Australian based tech company delivering transparent reporting for the social media and influencer marketing industry.
Published: 20 Jul 2023
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The Stationers’ Company elects Tony Mash as Master
A former CEO of the British Coatings Federation, which serves the paint, wallpaper and printing ink industries in the UK, has been elected as Master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.
Published: 07 Jul 2023
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Quantitative testing of Google’s Privacy Sandbox technologies - CMA guidance to third parties on testing
The CMA has published new guidance to advise ad techs, publishers, and advertisers on how they can test Google’s new Privacy Sandbox tools and submit results to the CMA. The guidance sets out two preferred approaches to testing, the metrics the CMA would like you to capture, and information market participants can submit to the CMA so they can understand the results of the testing. Find out more here.
Published: 03 Jul 2023
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UK ad spend grew 8.8% in 2022 to reach £34.8bn
The Advertising Association / WARC Expenditure Report shows the UK’s ad market grew 8.8% to £34.8bn in 2022, despite a dip in the final quarter of the year. Revised forecasts suggest minimal growth (+0.5%) in 2023, with spend expected to reach £35.0bn, before a 3.9% rise in 2024 to a total of £36.3bn. Learn more here.
Published: 27 Apr 2023
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The Stationers’ Company announces dates as entries open for the 2023 Stationers’ Innovation Excellence Awards
‘From Warships to Washing Machines’ is how the Stationers’ Company summed up the achievement of the overall winner of the most recent Innovation Excellence Awards, as it launches this years’ Awards and announces entries are now open for the 2023 Awards, with a closing date of 21 April.
Published: 06 Feb 2023
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Government announces further sanctions on Russia including advertising exports
Today, the Government has announced via a Statutory Instrument that, from midnight tonight, it will prohibit the export of advertising services, alongside some other professional services, to Russia. As the industry’s trade body, we fully support these measures, as well as the decision of many companies who have already ceased trading with Russia.
Published: 16 Dec 2022
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Application date extended for the 2023 Stationers’ Company Warrants
The Stationers’ Company announced today that it is extending the date for applications for new Warrants and 2022 Warrant renewals.
Published: 28 Nov 2022
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Stationers’ Innovation Excellence Awards
A revolutionary way of creating spare parts for everything from warships to washing machines won the prestigious Innovator of the Year award at the Stationers’ Company Innovation Excellence Awards 2022 in London on Monday, 31 October 2022.
Published: 02 Nov 2022
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UK ADVERTISING SPEND FORECAST TO RISE TO £35BN THIS YEAR
The latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report has forecast the value of the UK’s advertising market will grow by 9.2% in 2022, to a total of £34.9bn, though this does reflect a downgrade of 1.7pp from the previous forecast in July. This revision is attributed to high levels of inflation and squeezed margins as UK plc deals with supply chain inflation and subsequent rise in the cost-of-living. The media sector is also bearing the brunt of these pressures, with advertisers facing higher media costs.
Published: 27 Oct 2022
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Applications open for the 2023 Stationers’ Company Warrants
The Stationers’ Company announced today that it is now open for applications for new Warrants and 2022 Warrant renewals. These Annual Warrants are formal recognition of the high quality that companies in the Communications and Content Industries put into their products and services, recognising, and acknowledging excellence, with the annual scheme now in its 9th year.
Published: 25 Oct 2022
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Sanctions in response to Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions
UK to implement services sanctions and export ban that target Russian economic vulnerabilities in response to Putin’s illegal annexation of Ukrainian regions.
Published: 04 Oct 2022
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The Stationers’ Company elects Moira Sleight, Editor and Publisher of the Methodist Recorder, as Master
On 5 July, 2022 Moira Sleight was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers. Moira’s journey as a Stationer began in 2004 as a Freeman, becoming a Liveryman in 2005 and joining the Court in 2014.
Published: 07 Jul 2022
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Global collective of advertising industry professionals launches open-source resources that allow brands to continue supporting quality journalism during crises
Whenever there is a crisis, many brands pause advertising on news platforms in their scramble to avoid any association with it. From reporting on Covid, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and even the abortion rights issues in the U.S., brands periodically reduce or halt their ad investments on crisis-related content. This means less money goes toward funding quality news publications that drastically intensify their reporting during crises, and as a result experience major readership spikes.
Published: 16 Jun 2022
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Annette King, CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, appointed new Chair of the Advertising Association
The Advertising Association has announced the appointment of Annette King, CEO, Publicis Groupe UK as its new Chair, joining the AA Board and working closely with the AA CEO, Stephen Woodford and AA President, Alessandra Bellini. King will be replacing PHD’s Philippa Brown who has completed a three-year term, which saw the launch of initiatives Ad Net Zero and All In, as well as the industry’s journey through the pandemic and its recovery. King will now pave the way for the association’s focus on talent as well as its work on public trust, inclusion, climate action and key lobbying issues for the industry.
Published: 07 Jun 2022
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UK ADVERTISING EXPORTS TOTAL £11.7BN FOR 2020 DESPITE GLOBAL DISRUPTION
The Advertising Association has published its UK Advertising Exports Report 2022 showing that international trade in UK advertising and market research services was worth £11.7bn in 2020, sustaining the same level as the pre-pandemic conditions of 2019. Despite the challenges of a global lockdown faced by exporters in the UK advertising industry, balance of payments remained steady, bringing the UK a healthy £5bn trade surplus.
Published: 17 Mar 2022
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IAB Europe has been found in breach of GDPR. Here’s what it means.
A new ruling has found IAB Europe in breach of various articles within GDPR, specifically regarding the lawfulness of processing of their Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). A €250,000 sanction has been issued to IAB Europe, as well as a series of demands. As a result, advertisers and other members of the ecosystem will have to delete all historic data gathered using this framework.
Published: 03 Feb 2022
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The Stationers’ 2022 Innovation Excellence Awards Launch
The Stationers’ Company has announced that entries are now open for the 2022 Innovation Excellence Awards.
Published: 01 Feb 2022
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ICO Opinion on Data Protection and Privacy Expectations for Online Advertising Proposals
Online advertising enables advertisers to reach individuals with their products and brands, while helping organisations to generate income to fund their online services. It supports a large ecosystem of advertising technology (adtech) providers, publishers, and advertisers. It also generates a significant proportion of the revenues of major technology companies.
Published: 25 Nov 2021
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ALL IN TO AWARD INCLUSION CHAMPION STATUS FOR UK ADVERTISING COMPANIES
Further Actions To Build More Inclusive Workforce Planned For January and March 2022
Published: 18 Nov 2021
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We’ve put purpose before profit, what about the next level of accountability?
Brand spend accountability was in the spotlight at a recent AOP webinar. Managing director Richard Reeves outlines how the industry can move towards a new level of social responsibility.
Published: 15 Nov 2021
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UK AD SPEND TO EXCEED £29BN THIS YEAR WITH INCREASED RECOVERY PREDICTIONS
Record £7.9bn ad spend forecast for Christmas period, almost £1bn more than 2020
Published: 28 Oct 2021
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TESCO’S CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER, ALESSANDRA BELLINI, BECOMES ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
The Advertising Association has announced Alessandra Bellini, Chief Customer Officer and Executive Sponsor for D&I at Tesco as its new President.
Published: 26 Oct 2021
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New Master of the Stationers’ Company, Robert Flather, looks to serve the whole country
Robert Flather, chairman of Kolbus UK, has been elected Master of the Stationers’ Company and last night enjoyed an installation celebration at Goldsmiths’ Hall.
Published: 08 Jul 2021
Read2021 UK Adspend forecast for slower recovery
The latest Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report has downgraded its 2021 forecast to a return-to-growth of 14.4%, lower than the figure of 16.6% predicted in July. Growth in 2021 will fall just short of offsetting this year’s losses completely, meaning the UK’s ad market is now not expected to recover fully until 2022.
Published: 30 Oct 2020
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ABC to manage viewability principles following TAG / JICWEBS merger
Following the merger of TAG and JICWEBS, Joint Industry Currency (JIC) ABC will manage the UK’s Viewability and AV (Audio Visual) Standards after playing an integral role in their development.
Published: 23 Oct 2020
ReadTag Launches Ad Industry's First Global Brand Safety Certification Program
The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG), the world’s leading program to fight criminal activity and protect brand safety in digital advertising, today announced the launch of the TAG Brand Safety Certified Program, the ad industry’s largest and broadest global brand safety certification program. At launch, 112 companies have been certified through the program, including 31 that are certifying their global operations. Among the TAG Brand Safety Certified companies are Amazon Advertising, F
Published: 11 Sept 2020
ReadAdvertising Association, ISBA & The IPA launch inclusion drive
New Online Showcase - UK Advertising Needs You – to Support Industry’s Goal of Building a More Inclusive Workforce
Published: 07 May 2020
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Vint Cerf to deliver the Stationers’ Company Annual Lecture on 11 March 2020
Published: 31 Jan 2020
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