Investor view: Reasons to be optimistic about advertising in 2023
Structural factors mean adland is in reasonably good shape to weather any cyclical downturn.
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Investor View: The Netflix advertising dilemma
What a UK survey on Netflix subscribers’ views about advertising shows.
The great divergence: Why is the ad market sending out such mixed signals?
INVESTOR VIEW: Established media and agency groups are performing well, while tech giants and small businesses struggle.
The fall of the House of Meta?
Mark Zuckerberg needs to act fast after Meta’s disappointing Q4 results, Campaign’s Investor View columnist argues.
What the results from the online companies tell us about the future direction of online advertising
Q3's performances have given us some insight into the effects of Apple's IDFA changes on online ad platforms.
Warner Bros. Discovery is up for sale. Who will buy it?
WBD’s announcement to explore strategic alternatives sent the stock price up 10%. The suitors are circling, but how many are really ready to bite?
Why advertisers should be wary of pinning their hopes on AI
OpEd: The billions of dollars of tech investments has made the ad world very good at producing bad average or good average content; a dangerous game for an industry paid to be brilliant and stand out.
Q1 agency metrics: A closer look at financial patterns and APAC performance
In examining Q1 earnings closely, analyst Ian Whittaker finds common denominators: the resounding success that India boasts and the persistent challenges that China poses—both are shaping agency-holding companies’ performance in the region.
If agencies want to see higher share prices, they should be pushing the case for creative
INVESTOR VIEW: Creativity is often perceived as a 'low growth, 'low margin' business, a 'necessary evil'. It's a perception at odds with its value and one that's ripe for change.
What do you do if you're Dentsu?
As a growing divergence in financial performance between Japan and the rest of the world emerges, Ian Whittaker explores if it's time for Dentsu to evaluate whether or not to keep its international assets.
Can Asia up its voice at Cannes?
Ian Whittaker unpacks the underwhelming Asian presence at Cannes this year, and why greater representation might be the key to a better learning experience for all.
Will 2024 in China be much the same as 2023?
Where companies could once rely on China to be the "engine room for growth" when it comes to regional revenues, recent economic pressures and consumer spend data are now indicating otherwise. Ian Whittaker opines.
The politics behind the US TikTok ban is not what you think
Ian Whittaker's monthly take is an analysis of the bipartisan politics behind the TikTok ban before the US presidential election and the potential impact on its competitors and relevant stakeholders.
Exporting to the West: The growing presence of Asia-Pacific ad spend worldwide
The implication is clear: Advertisers in the region are aggressively advertising outside their home continents. So, where is this ad spend coming from, and how will it shape the future of not just APAC, but companies worldwide? Ian Whittaker explores.
It's a year of shake-ups in APAC adland
As full-year results roll in, some agencies are gaining momentum while others face headwinds. And with China’s downturn forcing a rethink, where will the next wave of growth come from? Ian Whittaker pens down his thoughts.
Buckle up for the ride as agency world will look significantly different in two years
A change of CEO at WPP and a potential sale of Dentsu’s international business are just two signs that major change is coming to the global agency sector.
How Trump's presidency will reshape the global tech order
The US is not an island. Trump's policies will have far-reaching consequences for the global tech ecosystem, with Asia-Pacific feeling the impact acutely, writes Ian Whittaker.
What to do about China? The question facing many Western advertisers
As China’s economic outlook dims and consumer confidence falters, global advertisers face a tough decision: Keep waiting for a rebound or shift focus to more reliable markets?
Omnicom’s Interpublic ambition: A deal that could redraw advertising’s power map
"This is more about cost synergies than revenue growth," argues Campaign columnist Ian Whittaker. As Omnicom targets Interpublic, is this deal a revolution or a recalibration?
Asian advertising braces for a trade war that may never come
No trade war? That's the good news. The bad news? China's economic struggles could still stifle Asian advertising growth, impacting sectors like luxury goods and automobiles, says analyst Ian Whittaker.
What the upcoming results season is likely to bring for agency holdcos in Asia Pacific
Q2 reporting kicks off next week with Omnicom.
As US slams door, can the rest of the world offer Chinese ecommerce a lifeline?
Or is this just another dead end? The party seems to be over, writes Ian Whittaker, as Chinese ecommerce giants scramble amid the US crackdown.
Macroeconomic issues or a fall from grace? Explaining WPP's weakness in China
With WPP's 24% revenue drop in China among a revised guidance issued for the group, is the decline purely driven by macroeconomic factors or could wider issues be at play? Ian Whittaker explores.
The politics of trade and its impact on advertising
The US-China trade spat is shaking up industries worldwide. With billions at stake, what does it mean for major online platforms in APAC?
The question for Dentsu—to keep or to divest its global operations?
Amid Dentsu's structural changes, management churn and dwindling business performance, analyst Ian Whittaker ponders if it's reasonable, even logical, for the advertising behemoth to consolidate or exit its international operations.
Inflation vs. advertising: The battle for companies' bottom lines
Rising prices threaten profitability, but in lean times, you wouldn't pause building a factory; why is brand-spend any different? Ian Whittaker reminds advertisers looking for long-term gains to not give in to the ‘penny wise, pound foolish’ savings siren.
When it comes to AI it's best to keep your head, not lose it
The best thing to do for now is to ignore the market reactions and take on board Napoleon’s comment: 'Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.'
‘Chexit’: Is there a scenario where the agency groups leave China?
In light of the recent WPP raids in Shanghai, Ian Whittaker raises the question: Will pressure from investors eventually force agency groups to consider exiting the Chinese market?
India's advertising market soars, but can it elevate the global agency groups?
As the eighth-largest advertising market, India's importance in volume, revenue, and innovation cannot be ignored. Ian Whittaker analyses if current contributions to global agency groups fall short of expectations.
Adland can no longer rely on ‘tech factor’ to boost spend
Our Investor View columnist warns the slowdown in spend by tech clients is unlikely to bounce back in full.
What are agency groups to do about China?
Investor-oriented columnist Ian Whittaker suggests the market opportunity for the big agency holding companies in China is unlikely to grow much more.
Increasingly a sideshow? The importance of Asia-Pacific to the agencies
The recent economic struggles in China underscore a wider trend. Asia-Pacific is no longer considered a growth engine for the big holding companies, says the author.
How to defend your brand marketing budget in a downturn
An accountant and an analyst explain what makes marketing spend vulnerable to cuts and how to justify the value of brand advertising to the CFO.
Not all subscribers are equal: what economics of different customers mean for APAC
Media and tech platforms are less likely invest in APAC markets in the short term, where most users still generate only a fraction of the revenue raised by those in North America and Europe.
The growing chasm: What is causing the widening gap between the performance of the agency groups?
While it's easy to characterise the main agency holding groups as the same, this year's variance in their individual performance results points to factors that go well beyond the cyclical norm, unpacks Ian Whittaker.
A return to normal or the new normal: Where now for the Chinese tech giants?
Even with a cautiously optimistic growth picture driven by hopeful fund managers and analysts, tech giants in China are still working to establish a new market status quo, opines Ian Whittaker.