Battle of the translators: Google Assistant beats Siri
Google Assistant is the world’s top performing real time voice translator, ahead of Siri and Skype, according to new research.
Vauxhall launches Apple Business Chat with IMImobile
Car manufacturer Vauxhall is using Apple Business Chat to provide customer support and book test drives for new car models.
Dr Amazon: Alexa to answer health questions via NHS partnership
Amazon has stuck a deal with the NHS in the UK to give users health advice and diagnose their problems via the Alexa voice app.
African telecoms trends: Mauritius still leads but Algeria and South Africa growing fast
Mauritius leads the telecoms market in Africa, with Algeria and South Africa now in the top three after overtaking Ghana and Tunisia, according to new data.
18-30 year olds ‘turning backs on social media giants’
The relentless pursuit of ‘likes’ is over, as under 30 year olds seek deeper relationships away from the social media monoliths, reveals the findings of ‘The New Rules of Social’, a new white paper by leading youth creative agency ZAK.
iPhone designer Jony Ive to leave Apple after 30 years
Jony Ive, the UK designer behind the original iPod, Mac and iPhone, is leaving Apple after nearly three decades, saying it is a “natural” time to go.
River Island boosts social shopping with Curalate to align social shopping experiences
River Island has partnered with Curalate to align social shopping experiences on and away from its website.
TV ad report: most viewers have second screen nearby
Three quarters of UK viewers (75%) have second screen devices nearby when watching TV, making TV a primary driver of digital activity for direct to consumer (DTC) brands, according to new research.
ITV joins up audience data on mobile and smart TVs with Meetrics
ITV has partnered with European ad verification company to become the first broadcaster in the world to make use of the IAB Open Measurement SDK, which is considered the most rigorous standard for In-App viewability measurement.
The rise of TikTok: Bytedance breaks billion monthly users across apps
ByteDance, owner of popular video app TikTok, has announced it now attracts over one billion monthly users across the world.
Cannes Lions 2019 round-up: Social activism takes centre stage
As Cannes Lions ends for another year, we look back at some of the biggest trends and industry comments from the biggest ad event of 2019.
Cannes Lions Winner: Wendy’s wins social top prize for ‘Keeping Fortnite Fresh’ campaign
Burger Chain Wendy’s scooped the Social & Influencer Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions with its “Keeping Fortnite Fresh” game, demonstrating the evils of frozen beef.
“What went wrong with online ads?” KFC, Unilever and Deloitte reflect on Cannes Lions
With the final day of Cannes underway, this morning saw The Economist Group’s last Wake Up with The Economist panel take on some of the industry’s hottest topics. The discussion moved from online advertising, data, the client/agency relationship and how ditching stereotype thinking can lead to greater creativity.
KFC ‘Pocket franchise’ app wins two Gold Lions in Mobile
Fast food chain KFC has been awarded with a Mobile Gold Lion at Cannes Lions for its “Pocket Franchise” campaign in China.
The big Cannes debate: PepsiCo, Microsoft, EcoAge and Ogilvy talk brand purpose
Ogilvy’s Rory Sutherland and the CMOs of Pepsi, Microsoft and EcoAge went head-to-head onstage at the Palais in Cannes with the editor in chief of The Economist, discussing whether the job of business is to create value for shareholders or value for the world. This report looks at the key themes from the lively debate, including plastics pollution and ‘doing good by stealth’.
Cannes winner: Burger King’s ‘Whopper Detour’ takes top direct marketing prize
Burger King and agency FCB New York picked up a Grand Prix in the Direct Lions, for its ‘Whopper Detour’ campaign used location-based marketing to prank rival McDonalds.
The shopper of the future: brands failing to match customer’s needs
Brands universally underestimate the issues their customers experience the most, with long checkout lines, low inventory and customer wait times topping the list of shopper peeves, according to new research.
Cannes Lions winner: Virtual clothing app wins Digital Craft prize
Clothing retailer Carlings won the top prize in the Digital Craft category at Cannes Lions, for its ‘adDress the Future’ campaign that lets fashionistas show off their clothing designs without harming the environment.
Facebook to launch Libra cryptocurrency ecosystem in 2020
Facebook is to launch its own digital currency within the next year, saying its plans will deliver an “inclusive and open” financial ecosystem.
Is Fortnite becoming the next big social network?
Popular online video game Fortnite is fast becoming the messaging service and central social gathering space for its millions of teen and tween players, according to new research.
