AI-powered learning platform Soffos gets seed funding boost
Educational technology start-up Soffos has secured a lead investor for its pre-seed fundraising round.
IAB Europe ramps up privacy compliance tools
Trade body IAB Europe has partnered with IAB Tech Lab to launch the IAB Privacy Lab, a new service to help development of privacy, data protection, legal compliance, and self-regulation standards for national markets.
Mediaocean buys Symsys to boost European operations
Advertising services and software company Mediaocean has expanded its European operations with the acquisition of Symsys, a Dutch media management software provider.
Coca-Cola comes out of advertising lockdown with ‘manifesto for change’ commercial
Coca Cola has launched its first major ad post lockdown with a manifesto poem written by George “The Poet” Mpang.
Instagram launches TikTok rival Reels
Instagram is launching its TikTok rival Reels, adding the ability to create and discover short videos to the main Instagram app.
Häagen-Dazs runs influencer campaign #HaagIndoors for Secret Sofa
A creative and agile ‘lockdown partnership’ between Häagen-Dazs and Secret Cinema, promoted entirely by a multi-platform influencer marketing campaign, has demonstrated a marked increase in e-commerce sales and a positive shift in consideration for the luxury General Mills ice cream brand – and drawn industry praise for its ingenuity.
Top 10 UK advertisers: Unilever increases spend as P&G and McDonalds tighten budgets
Lockdown in the UK resulted in a 48% decline in traditional ad spend, a drop of more than £1.1bn, while Public Health England becomes the nation’s biggest advertising spender, according to new research.
GSK partners with Gay Times for Sensodyne and Voltarol brand campaigns
GSK Consumer Healthcare is launching a series of brand marketing campaigns specifically targeting the LGBTQ+ community, thanks to a new partnership with Gay Times Group.
Half of office staff to continue to work from home over summer despite lockdown easing
More than half of office workers will continue to work from home for the rest of the summer despite the government’s efforts to get them to return, according to new research.
Microsoft in talks to buy TikTok (as Trump mulls US ban)
Microsoft is reportedly in talks to buy controversial video sharing app TikTok, as US president Donald Trump threatens to ban the platform in the US.
Google sees ad spend decline 2% as Covid-19 bites
Google’s parent Alphabet saw its quarterly revenue down by 2% compared to last year, despite meeting expectations.
Ad of the week: Nike welcomes sports back with split screen mashup
How do you create a new sports commercial when there’s no new footage to show? Nike’s latest post-Covid ad welcomes back the NBA season with some astonishingly edited archived clips, that perfectly sync up athletes via split screen.
AA/WARC: UK adspend to fall nearly 16% this year (with no growth until April 2021)
UK adspend is expected to fall by 15.6% this year, and the market not market won’t return to growth until Q2 2021, according to new data.
Tech titans vs. US Congress: Zuckerberg, Cook, Pichai and Bezos face blockbuster grilling over digital monopoly
Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon bosses have appeared virtually together at a US hearing, grilled over having ‘too much power’.
‘Doomscrolling through the infodemic’: Social media usage trends post Covid-19
The lockdown has sparked a shift in social media use, has people revert back to chat over sharing news and memes, according to new global research.
TAG and JICWEBS merge to unite brand safety standards
Two leading anti-fraud and brand safety organizations Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) have announced an agreement to merge.
Media buyers expect ad spend bounce-back: Food and tech most optimistic
Media buyers are bullish about the return of ad spend despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with the food and tech sectors evoking the most confidence, according to new research.
Advertima gets €15m funding boost for ‘smart retail spaces’
Computer vision platform provider Advertima has closed a €15m Series A investment round led by existing shareholder Swiss real estate company, Fortimo Group.
Global ad trends: Trusted media ‘delvers increased engagement during Covid-19’
Advertising campaigns viewed within a trusted editorial environment yielded significantly better results for attention and viewability than the industry standard, according to new research.
Facebook takes EU to court over privacy amid monopoly probe
Facebook has taken the European Union to court for invading the privacy of its employees, during its antitrust probe into the social network.
