The Campaign Podcast

Campaign's TV Advertising Summit took place in September, in partnership with Netflix, Sky Media and Dailymotion, questioning how the TV ad landscape has been remodelled, and what advertisers need to do to get ahead.Brands, media owners and agencies spoke at and attended the event, which ended with a session hosted by Lindsey Clay, chief executive of the TV marketing body Thinkbox, with three panellists: Elisabetta Farroni, brand director and executive creative director at Visa; Regan Warner, executive creative director at M&C Saatchi UK; and Aidan McClure, co-founder and chief creative officer at Wonderhood Studios.This episode features a recording of the session, where the panellists take us through their top TV campaigns that have defined the medium, both from their own work and the ads they wished they made.Before the session, Campaign’s deputy media editor Shauna Lewis joins tech and multimedia editor to discuss the top takeaways from the day, including competition with Big Tech and how Sky's acquisition of ITV impacts media buying.The ads mentioned:Waitrose & Partners "The perfect gift" by Wonderhood StudiosVisa "Level up your game" by VaynerMedia EMEAThe Department for Education “Get out of the everyday. Get into teaching” by M&C Saatchi Group UKMagnum ad shows how buying copycat ice-cream can destroy a relationshipConfused.com brings familiar sayings to life through puppetryMonzo “Get busy living” by BBH LondonNike “Stairs” by Wieden & Kennedy PortlandAnthropic Super Bowl ad highlights its AI assistant ClaudeTwix "Camping" by Adam & Eve/DDBFurther reading:Netflix UK's Ed Couchman: You can build a whole media plan on SVODChannel 4 calls for 'robust scrutiny' of ITV-Sky mergerUK competition watchdog launches inquiry into Sky/ITV dealWill ITV generate enough ad revenue to earn £200m payout from Sky?'One of the biggest shake-ups in UK TV': the potential impact of Sky-ITV'I don’t think advertisers care enough yet': ITV's Kelly Williams on Meta

Omnicom has moved to centralise impact and inclusion capabilities at group level. This led to Lucky Generals cutting its social impact lead Lameya Chaudhury.Other holding companies including WPP and Publicis also have central DEI teams, so in this episode we are asking what it means to “centralise inclusion” and the impacts of doing so.Hosted by Campaign's tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode includes Dino Myers-Lamptey, founder at The Barber Shop and trustee of Brixton Finishing School, former media editor Beau Jackson and data journalist Jamie Rossouw.Further reading:Professor Arday’s death should make brands consider the media ecosystem they fundPodcast: Should an agency be judged by its diversity?Xavier Rees: Adland leaders have “responsibility to speak up for inclusivity”

Over the last two weeks, adland has seen some major changes for two of the biggest global media accounts: PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. In a shock move, Publicis Groupe took PepsiCo’s global media account from longtime incumbent Omnicom without a pitch, and pulled out of the contest for Coca-Cola’s international media, tech and data account in a two way pitch against WPP. As a result of Publicis taking rival Pepsico’s global account, Coke’s North America media account is now set to review with Omnicom and Dentsu understood to be in the running, and WPP not competing.In this episode, Campaign's tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley is joined by editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier and UK editor Maisie McCabe to look into how Publicis managed to swipe PepsiCo's business without any pitch and what it means for purpose and value of the pitch process.Further reading:Omnicom ‘proud’ of PepsiCo media work as it reels from global loss and stock drops 5%WPP closing in on Coca-Cola’s international media, data and tech accountPepsi-Publicis coup will change how other brands and agency groups behave

The final three months of the year are some of the most important in adland. Known as the golden quarter, the year closes with a final push to meet targets, helped by some of the biggest commercial moments of the year including Black Friday and of course, Christmas.In this episode, Campaign is looking into how agencies and advertisers should approach the final three months, what their top priorities are and how this golden quarter will be different from previous years.Hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, the episode includes Campaign's editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier, UK editor Maisie McCabe and creativity and culture editor Gurjit Degun.Plus, Campaign has today (8 September) launched a new website with a refreshed look and revamped navigation.Further reading:Will Andy Burnham’s social media strategy work?UK competition watchdog launches inquiry into Sky/ITV dealWill ITV generate enough ad revenue to earn £200m payout from Sky?'One of the biggest shake-ups in UK TV': the potential impact of Sky-ITVIs there a new 'big four' in adland?Publicis pulls out of Coca-Cola global media pitch after PepsiCo winPepsiCo appoints Publicis Groupe to global media without a pitch

Waitrose's branded podcast recently passed one billion downloads, views and listens, staking a claim as the world’s most successful branded podcast, while also receiving the most nominations for this year's British Podcast Awards. Media and entertainment are becoming more ever closer, so in this episode, Campaign digs into why branded content is on the rise, what makes it good and questions whether Dish’s success can be achieved by other brands. The team discusses how brands don't want to "rent" their audiences, but own them, the struggle of too many chief executives wanting to be on the podcast and how branded content performs compared to other forms of media.Hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode features Lucinda Rouse, multimedia editor of Campaign’s innovation team, deputy media editor Shauna Lewis and deputy creativity and culture editor Charlotte Rawlings.Further reading:Aardman moves into branded content partnershipsLBC sees record quarter amid geopolitical unrestBritish Podcast Awards 2026 shortlist revealed

Since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister in July, he has been producing social media content with creators and has garnered over half a million followers in TikTok and over 700,000 on Instagram. But will a social media-focused strategy work for the PM?Benedict Pringle, partner and global client lead at T&P and host of The Political Marketing Podcast, joins the episode this week to discuss why Burnham has chosen social media to speak to voters, the risks involved and if it will work or not.Hosted by Campaign's tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode also includes UK editor Maisie McCabe and deputy creativity and culture editor Charlotte Rawlings.Further reading:What Andy Burnham's social-first strategy teaches agenciesAndy Burnham is 'proactive' towards online safety, Ian Russell saysAdland reacts as Andy Burnham reappoints Lisa Nandy as culture secretaryCould Andy Burnham's rise put the accent on regional pride in adland?Which party won the social media election?Alastair Campbell on combative politics, social media and who will lead the UK‘A headache to enforce’: What does adland think of Andy Burnham’s subscription crackdown?

WPP reported its Q2 results in the last few weeks, six months after chief executive Cindy Rose launched its three year Elevate28 plan to turn the holding company’s fortunes around. Now almost a year into her role, Rose said the network has “everything it needs” to achieve its plan, with analysts calling the results “better than expected” and a “glimmer of hope”.In this episode, Campaign's journalists look at how Rose is “fighting” for business, whether the Elevate28 plan is actually working and how the holding company and its competitor set are doing. Hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode features Campaign's UK editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier, UK editor Maisie McCabe and deputy media editor Shauna Lewis.Further reading:Five key charts behind WPP’s Q2 2026 resultsCindy Rose more than doubles WPP's bonus poolCan we talk about WPP's cuts?Is the agency sector ‘in a good place’?Havas' Yannick Bolloré: Agency sector is now ‘in a good place’ as perceptions have ‘flipped’Omnicom records 6.1% increase in organic growth in Q2 2026Publicis raises 2026 guidance and reports 4.8% growth in Q2Publicis’ Arthur Sadoun: 'We have never wanted to be an AI company'Havas reports 2.5% expansion in Q2 but UK growth 'slightly negative'Will Cindy Rose's plan save WPP?

Pitching is what many call the “lifeblood” of agencies, but also the cause of their biggest strain. Almost three-quarters of adland employees have considered leaving the industry due to new-business-related stress, found research from The Great Pitch Poll 2026 published this summer, which also revealed that client expectations and demands relating to AI have increased pressure. AI and LLMs are also impacting the search and selection process for pitches, with clients using them to suggest agencies to shortlist. This episode of The Campaign Podcast features Campaign's journalists discussing to what extent AI is impacting pitching and making it more stressful.Campaign's media editor Beau Jackson, senior reporter Eszter Gurbicz and editor Maisie McCabe. we are discussing to what extent AI is impacting pitching, making it more stressful and if the process still works. Tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley hosts the episode. Further reading: ChatGPT is telling clients to invite my agency to pitch – it's shifting the playing fieldAre clients becoming more demanding?Can we talk about the ingredients of VCCP's new-business potion?Netflix ad tools could see 'agentic AIs talking to each other'