66: Campaign podcast – The John Lewis ad controversy

In a special episode about the forthcoming British Podcast Awards 2024, Gideon Spanier, the UK editor-in-chief of Campaign, looks at the latest trends in podcasting and advertising and discusses how to win at the most important awards in the UK podcast industry.We speak to two BPA judges, Michaela Hallam, the director of content for Fresh Air, a podcast production company, and Chris Impey, co-editor of The Intelligence, The Economist’s daily news podcast, to get their expert views and awards tips.Plus Adam Shepherd, the editor of the British Podcast Awards and head of podcasts for Haymarket Business Media’s marcoms portfolio, has details about the entry process for the BPAs — ahead of the early-bird deadline on 23 April and standard deadline on 9 May. More information is at britishpodcastawards.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content creator and Gen Z marketing specialist Shola West spoke to Campaign work and inspiration editor Imogen Watson about the unspoken realities of influencer marketing at Campaign and PR Week's Influencer 360 on Wednesday (10 April).Listen to audio from the session as West details how discrimination, pay disparities, and the marginalisation of certain voices run rife within the influencer industry.West also discussed the difference between being an 'influencer' and a content creator and why she prefers the latter term, and shared her personal journey working in influencer marketing and as a content creator. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Campaign news podcast, tech editor Lucy Shelley and media editor Beau Jackson discuss the top stories of the past week including:Accenture Song’s Unlimited acquisitionM&C Saatchi’s new strategyMonzo signing AnalogFolkHavas Media Network's new centralised planning teamInterview with EssenceMediacom’s Kate RowlinsonAlso coming up for the week ahead: the Mail Metro Media football tournament, Campaign Experience Awards (17 April) and Campaign Media Awards (18 April)Note: When discussing Havas Media Network’s Connected Planning Hub it is stated that the team will run across “All the different Havas businesses.” To clarify, this refers to all businesses which fall under Havas Media Network in the UK which is Havas Media, Havas Entertainment, Havas Market and Havas Play.Further reading:M&C Saatchi nabs McCann’s Rob Doubal and Laurence ThomsonM&C Saatchi to consider US acquisitions to bulk up creative network Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creative and social impact strategist Chloë Davies joins Imogen Watson, Campaign's work and inspiration editor, to give the backstory behind It Takes A Village, a global hub with a mission to celebrate and champion black women in advertising, media, marketing and communications.Described as the culmination of her life's work, Davies officially launched the collective at the end of March, announcing plans to spotlight black women’s underused and unrecognised power. In this episode, she explains how it will collect data to produce detailed insight and global reports over the next three years. Davies has worked with the Diversity Standards Collective on We Can't All Be Lying, a survey which will delve into the experiences of black women across the industry through the intersectional lens of the gender and ethnicity pay gaps. The survey is due to go live next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the gang dissect whether April Fools is still a relevant cultural moment for brands to tap into (and pick out their favourite fake ads from this year’s crop) as well as looking at banned ads, Meta and Netflix’s data-sharing deal, and the idea of an ad-funded BBC. Hosted by Bukky from Wavemaker, Harriet from Publicis, Charlie from ShowHeroes and Jack from Craft Media.Figures quoted in the MediaWeek podcast were accurate at the time of recording.Got a media confession you need to get off your chest? Need some life advice from the gang? Submit your questions here: https://forms.gle/CXPYw4SDRSqXzZTt8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Advertising Standards Authority has had a busy week of complaints, including bans for Nationwide and JML, its second in seven days.Campaign's editorial team discusses the banned ads alongside others that have garnered ASA complaints and extreme responses, including ads from the Alzheimer's Society and Andrex, which was Campaign's Pick of the Week.We also give you the headlines from media and creativity, including Amazon's media pitch shortlist and the Asos creative review.This episode was hosted by tech editor Lucy Shelley and featured media editor Beau Jackson and reporter Charlotte Rawlings.Further reading:Nationwide campaign banned over ‘misleading’ branch closure claimsAlzheimer’s Society TV ad prompts 128 complaints to the ASAASA bans second JML ad within a weekPick of the Week: Andrex breaks the toilet ta-poo with styleCALM educating the nation on suicide shows strength of strategy and creative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The past few weeks in adland have been a busy period for mergers, but luckily in this episode of the Campaign podcast the editorial team has the lowdown to keep you up to speed.Media editor Beau Jackson, tech editor Lucy Shelley and reporter Charlotte Rawlings cover the latest goings-on at The & Partnership and MSix & Partners; AKQA and Grey and Forsman & Bodenfors London and CPB London. The team also dig into Campaign’s deep-dive on the state of parental leave in adland, and take a look at what the industry thought of the UK slipping down the ranks in the Warc Creative 100. Further reading:Will AI power a reboot of full-service agencies?Brandtech Group raises $115m in AI funding Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caroline Pay, chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative, and Trevor Robinson, founder and executive creative director at Quiet Storm, join Campaign's reporter, Charlotte Rawlings, and work and inspiration editor, Imogen Watson, to review some of the latest ads.Pay and Robinson dive into the V&A “If you’re into it, it’s in the V&A” by Adam & Eve/DDB, BBC “Things we love” by BBC Creative, British Airways "Everywhere we go" by Uncommon Creative Studio, Amazon “The grit” by Adam & Eve/DDB, Peta “This cartoon will change how you see bacon forever" by Grey London, and Just Eat “The joy of everyday” by McCann London.Further reading:Golf, knitting and Taylor Swift: the V&A taps into unique passions in targeted campaignBBC and Aardman release stop-motion ads with real family voiceoversBritish Airways launches ad campaign by Uncommon Creative StudioAmazon products assist players in Uefa Women’s Football filmPeta takes inspiration from Ren & Stimpy to discourage pork consumptionJust Eat ads introduce Wes Anderson-inspired furry creatures Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pitching arena has gone wild in the last seven days, with multiple big advertising accounts going up for review, putting pressure on incumbents and hopefuls alike.In this episode, the Campaign editorial team go behind the headlines and discuss Molson Coors and Co-op appointing new creative agencies, Sainsbury's reviewing its media account and Pringles reviewing its global creative account.WPP's Mark Read announced in the company's 2023 full year results that the new business pipeline is "significantly higher" than last year. This prompted Beau Jackson, Campaign's media editor, to ask adland if 2024 was experiencing a "pitch palooza" as seen after the pandemic. The team discuss the responses seen in the article from both media and creative agencies in advertising.In non-pitch related news, Imogen Watson, Campaign's work and inspiration editor, discusses Sheffield City Council's decision to ban fossil fuel ads on its billboards as well as advertising for unhealthy foods, gambling and alcoholic drinks.This episode was hosted by Campaign's tech editor, Lucy Shelley.Further reading:Molson Coors picks creative agencySainsbury’s reviews media accountCo-op appoints creative agency for 2024 projectPringles reviews global creative accountIs the amount of new business in the pipeline ‘significantly higher than 2023’?Sheffield City Council bans fossil fuel ads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Campaign's Agency of the Year Awards took place last week in Royal Lancaster London hotel.Leo Burnett, MG OMD and Rapp were among the top winners with eight trophies among them this year, including repeat wins for Leo Burnett and Rapp.In this episode, Maisie McCabe, Campaign's UK editor, speaks to the award-winning chief executives at the agencies to discuss if H1's optimism will carry on for the year ahead, what place creative awards have in the media industry and why agencies must transform internally in order to transform their clients.She is joined by:Natalie Bell, CEO of MG OMD and winner of Head of Agency for Media,Gabrielle Ludzker, CEO of Rapp and winner of Head of Agency for Customer Engagement,and Carly Avener, CEO of Leo Burnett, who led the agency to bring home three awards.Further reading:Leo Burnett and Rapp’s double-AOY wins should inspire, not frustrateCampaign UK Agency of the Year Awards 2023: winners revealedVodafone calls on Leo Burnett for creative dutiesWhat to make of the Vodafone UK ad pitch? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.