In this week’s Week in Review: proposed changed to the LHF ad ban in the UK cause consternation among advertisers, Dentsu’s CEO sets out his vision for the company, and RTL’s parent company says it’s looking into large scale M&A this year.
Top Stories
Advertisers Express Frustration at UK Junk Food Ban Updates
The government this week announced it is updating the ‘nutrient profiling model’ (NPM) which is used to determine which foods and drinks come under the scope of advertising restrictions for less healthy foods and drinks which came into force earlier this year. The announcement has sparked backlash from advertiser trade groups, given the money and effort which businesses have put into complying with the existing rules.
As part of an initiative to curb childhood obesity, the government has banned TV ads which show unhealthy food and drink products before a 9pm watershed, while completely banning these same ads online. Brand ads which don’t showcase specific unhealthy products are exempt from this ban.
But the government says the model used to determine which products should be covered by the restrictions is based on old data, and needs to be updated. As such, some food and drink products which aren’t currently affected may be in the future.
The Advertising Association, ISBA, and IPA have all issued statements expressing frustration with the announcement. “Agencies spent a lot of time and resources working with clients to get to grips with the new LHF restrictions, only for the Government to now consider moving the goal posts,” said Richard Lindsay, director of legal & public affairs at the IPA. “What is bound to anger businesses is the Government’s acknowledgement that many of them have already invested in reformulating their products to comply with the current NPM, but the Government now wants to incentivise them to continue innovating and reformulating further to meet these new standards.”
New Dentsu CEO Sets Out Outcomes-Based Vision
Takeshi Sano, the new global CEO and president of Japanese agency group Dentsu, set out his vision for the company in an open letter on Thursday, stating that it is more important than ever for the group to be able to demonstrate outcomes to the clients it works with.
“The world is undergoing change at a speed never seen before—driven by rapid technological innovation such as generative AI, increasingly diverse values, and global-scale challenges all driven by a dynamic and changing economic environment,” said Sano. “In such a complex and uncertain era, what is required of companies and society is not only vision or ideas, but the ability to execute. Those that stand out will have the capability to reliably translate ideas into tangible outcomes which create economic value and generate long-term value for society.”
To help achieve this, Dentsu is bringing in a new global management structure, reducing layers of management and placing more of the company’s global leadership directly under Sano. This, Dentsu says, will allow it to respond more nimbly to changes in the industry and among its clients.
Revitalising Dentsu’s international business, which failed to find a buyer last year, will be one of the big challenges facing Sano. “Dentsu’s overseas businesses is one of our key management priorities,” said the new CEO. “We will swiftly rebuild our management foundations, aiming for an early recovery of competitiveness and profitability. At the same time, our Japan business will maintain and strengthen its growth momentum, while expanding its strengths more broadly across the global organisation.”
Bertelsmann’s Thomas Rabe Eyes M&A This Year
German media group Bertelsmann has a “very well‑filled pipeline” of potential acquisitions lined up this year, CEO Thomas Rabe told Reuters on Thursday. He hinted at possible deals across the group’s TV, book and music publishing businesses, alongside “one or two larger things this year.”
The comments followed a slight decline in Bertelsmann’s EBITDA for 2025, weighed down by advertising weakness at RTL, which accounts for around one-third of Bertelsmann’s total revenue. Group revenues were flat compared with 2024.
“2025 was a solid financial year for us,” Rabe said in a statement. “In a challenging environment, our broad business and geographic footprint once again proved its worth.”
The Week in Tech
OpenAI Exits Video Space with Shutdown of Sora and Disney Deal
OpenAI is sunsetting its video generation tool Sora, and winding down its content partnership with Disney, the company announced this week. Following a flurry of product launches in recent years, the AI firm is reportedly refocusing its strategy on business and coding functions. The move comes ahead of a potential initial public offering (IPO) later this year. Sora made waves upon its announcement in 2024 with its ability to create realistic video through basic prompts. But when the app launched in September, OpenAI employees were surprised by the amount of computing resources given over to the project without clear demand for the product, according to the WSJ. Read more on VideoWeek.
Meta and YouTube Intentionally Built Addictive Platforms Finds US Trial
Meta and YouTube have been found liable in a US trial brought by a young woman who sued the tech firms over her childhood addiction to social media. The Los Angeles jury found that the companies intentionally built addictive social media platforms that harmed the 20-year old’s mental health. The plaintiff was awarded $6 million in damages, a result expected to expose social media businesses to hundreds of similar cases working their way through US courts. Meta and Google said they disagreed with the verdict and intend to appeal.
US Judge Dismisses X’s Advertiser Boycott Conspiracy Lawsuit
A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Elon Musk’s X, which accused a group of advertisers and trade bodies of illegally boycotting the social media platform. Musk claimed that the group, including Unilever, Mars and the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), conspired to deprive X of “billions of dollars” in ad revenues. But on Thursday, US District Judge Jane Boyle said the company had failed to show it had suffered any harm under federal competition laws.
Roblox Builds Revenue Sharing Model
Gaming platform Roblox is rebuilding its advertising model in order to attract more brand dollars and increase creator earnings, according to Reuters. The plans would see Roblox take a portion of revenue from in-game brand deals starting next year, in efforts to avoid a “race to the bottom” on pricing caused by a lack of standardised measurement and price transparency. “A revenue share that scales like media will help brands report, measure and value advertising integrations in a similar way to other scaled media formats on other platforms,” the company said in a post on its developer forum. “Today, the flat fee deal structures leave creators earning less, not more.”
X Offers Financial Incentives to Lure Back Advertisers
X is offering financial incentives to lure advertisers back to the social media service, Adweek has reported, promising them up to $200,000 in extra value. The offer was framed as a “return-to-platform incentive” in a slide presented to an ad agency and seen by Adweek. The company’s ad revenues have halved since Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022 as advertisers fled the platform.
Ofcom Publishes Proposals on Self-Harm Content and ‘Cyberflashing’
Ofcom has published new proposals to protect people online from illegal self-harm material and unsolicited nude images. Under the Online Safety Act, providers of online services in the UK will have to assess the risk of such content appearing on their platforms and take appropriate measures to protect users from these harms. The watchdog is consulting on updates to its codes of practice and guidance before publishing final decisions in summer 2026.
Google Integrates Gemini into DV360
Google is integrating its Gemini AI model into Google Marketing Platform, the tech giant announced on Monday, in order to curate media packages in its demand-side platform (DSP) DV360. Google is also introducing YouTube Creator Takeovers, YouTube creator partnership boost, and Pause Ads to DV360, alongside biddable tools for live sports across CTV and game highlights on YouTube Shorts.
Spectrum Reach to Share Show-Level Data in DoubleVerify Partnership
DoubleVerify, a media verification company, has announced a partnership with Spectrum Reach, the ad sales business of Charter Communications, to drive transparency and performance across streaming TV campaigns. Spectrum Reach will share show-level data across its programming, which will be available within DV Authentic Streaming TV reporting. Spectrum Reach has also joined DV’s Certified Transparent Streaming program, signalling a “commitment to secure, program-level transparency across streaming TV ad inventory.”
Google Announces Roku as First Confidential Publisher Match Partner
During Google’s NewFront presentation, Roku was announced as the first publisher to partner on Google’s new Confidential Publisher Match, an identity solution that maps Google IDs to Publisher IDs. The move allows advertisers to manage YouTube and Roku Media holistically in DV360, according to Roku, while enhancing targeting, optimisation and measurement on Roku Media. “Today’s announcement reinforces Roku’s commitment to interoperability and being an accessible, turnkey partner for advertisers,” the company said. “Alongside Display & Video 360, Roku’s identity integrations with The Trade Desk and Yahoo round out its media-based DSP partnerships, following last year’s OS-level identity partnership with Amazon.”
Adhese to Provide Ad Serving Tech to Colruyt Group Retail Media Services
Colruyt Group Retail Media Services, the in-house media sales house of Belgian retailer Colruyt Group, has selected European ad tech firm Adhese to provide its ad serving tech solutions. Adhese will deliver ad serving infrastructure, onboarding and training, as the group seeks to scale its retail media operations. “We are building Colruyt Group Retail Media Services as a true media sales house, with the ambition to connect advertisers with our shoppers in a relevant, measurable and privacy-conscious way,” said Mathias Beke, Head of Department Media Services at Colruyt Group. “Adhese’s ad serving technology gives us the operational control, transparency and scalability we need to deliver on that promise, so that every campaign delivers real value, both for brands and for our customers.”
The Week in TV
ProSiebenSat.1 Takes Multi-Platform Approach with New ‘Total Reach’ Focus
German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 released its full-year earnings for 2025 this morning, which made for mixed reading. Total revenues were down by six percent (or two percent on an organic basis), but the company hopes for an improvement in the TV advertising market in the second half of 2026, and is forecasting slight organic revenue growth.
Regardless of whether this growth materialises this year or not, the long-term challenges facing the broadcaster remain. CEO Marco Giordani, who took the helm following MFE’s acquisition of ProSieben last year, used his first earnings call with the company to lay out his turnaround plan. The goal will be driving total reach for ProSieben’s content, a strategy which will involve embracing third-party platforms — including the social media giants — while maintaining a differentiated sales approach. Read more on VideoWeek.
Ex-Google Exec Matt Brittin Named Director General at “Critical Time” for BBC
Former Google executive Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the BBC’s new director general. Brittin previously spent 18 years at Google, including ten years as President, EMEA. He replaces Tim Davie, who stepped down when Donald Trump sued the broadcaster over an episode of Panorama, and has now been appointed as chairman of the Creative Industries Council. BBC chairman Samir Shah said Brittin joins at “a critical time” for the organisation, as the government reviews the BBC’s royal charter. “It is clear there is need for radical reform of the BBC, its funding model and the framework in which it operates,” said Shah. “The stakes for the BBC, and the future of public service broadcasting, have never been higher.”
LG Ad Solutions Announces Programmatic Home Screen Access and Outcomes Measurement
LG Ad Solutions’ Home Screen ad inventory is now programmatically accessible globally, the company announced at its IAB NewFronts presentation, allowing advertisers to transact on these placements through Programmatic Guaranteed and Private Marketplace deals. LG also introduced ‘Own the Outcome’, a new framework designed to help marketers understand how CTV campaigns drive results across brand impact, actions taken after exposure, and on-screen conversion. The company also expanded its partnership with Streamr, now part of Magnite, enabling advertisers to generate CTV-ready assets using AI.
European Broadcasters Call for Regulation of CTV Operating System “Gatekeepers”
A number of major European TV trade groups including the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European association of television and radio sales houses (egta), and the Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT), have called on the European Union to bring its Digital Markets Act to bear on smart TV operating systems, seeking greater regulation of the largest CTV platforms.
In a letter sent to the EU’s antitrust commissioner Teresa Ribera, the TV groups warned that gatekeepers are emerging in the CTV space. “A limited number of operators are therefore gaining growing ability to shape outcomes for millions of users and businesses by controlling access to audiences and content distribution,” said the letter. Read more on VideoWeek.
Tubi Unveils New Ad Formats and Outcomes Measurement Partnerships
Tubi, the Fox-owned free AVOD service, made a series of product and partnership announcements in its ‘Tubitopia: An Advertiser’s Paradise’ presentation at IAB NewFronts. The streaming business unveiled new ad formats, including Interactive Pause Ads, CTV-to-mobile Connected Conversions, and contextual format Scene Sense. Tubi is also expanding its partnership with Amazon DSP, and enabling outcomes measurement with InMarket and Kochava.
Majority of European Viewers Choose Broadcast Content When Turning on TV
Linear TV remains the first port of call for 48 percent of European viewers when turning on their TV, according to RTL AdAlliance’s latest ‘Living Room Study’, followed by SVOD services (29 percent), BVOD services (14 percent) and YouTube (9 percent). “When people switch on their TV set, broadcast content is what they seek out,” said the study. “A clear majority – 62 per cent – choose broadcast as their first destination.”
HBO Max Launches in UK with Free Access for Now Subscribers
HBO Max launched in the UK on Thursday, becoming available via Sky, NOW, EE and Virgin Media. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned SVOD service is bundled with Sky’s Now offering, giving existing Now Entertainment subscribers access to the service at no additional cost. As a standalone subscription, HBO Max is priced at £4.99 per month for the basic ad-supported tier, £5.99 for the standard ad-supported tier, and £9.99 for the ad-free tier.
ITV Rules Out In-Game FIFA World Cup Ads Following Six Nations Backlash
ITV has ruled out using split‑screen ads during the 2026 World Cup, following a backlash to in-game ads that viewers reportedly found disruptive during the Six Nations. FIFA confirmed in December that each half will include a single three‑minute stoppage, creating advertising opportunities while play is paused for the first time. Previously ads were only shown at half‑time.
Roku Launches Five ITV Studios FAST Channels in UK
Roku, a streaming device and smart TV business, has launched five free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels from ITV Studios on its platform in the UK. The lineup includes channels devoted to The Graham Norton Show, Hell’s Kitchen and The Hotel Inspector. They join over 40 FAST channels introduced to the Roku platform last year.
TF1 PUB Introduces Carbon Reduction Workshop
TF1 PUB, the French broadcaster’s sales house, has launched the ‘Low Carbon Challenge’, a workshop designed to support advertisers in reducing the carbon footprint of video campaigns. In partnership with carbon measurement firm DK, the workshop invites advertisers and agencies to share best practices and sustainable approaches to campaigns, from creation to distribution. “With this challenge, our ambition is to make carbon issues tangible and accessible, by offering professionals the tools to understand, compare, and take concrete action on the impact of their video campaigns,” said Estelle Reale, Marketing Director at DK.
The Week for Publishers
Reach Studios Ramps Up Original Video Offering
Reach Studios, the video production arm of UK publishing group Reach Plc, announced an acceleration of its video expansion this week as it unveiled its 2026 content slate at its annual showcase for commercial partners. Among the new series announced were All Out Fighting, a weekly channel covering boxing and MMA; Cash Queens 2.0, a money-saving social video series; and OK Loves, a social video extension of Reach’s OK! brand. Reach Studios also says it is expanding its creative capabilities, which includes the launch of a new dedicated TikTok creator network.
Social Media Grows as a News Source for Young People… and MPs
The Reuters Institute released new research this week detailing how social media has grown as a news source for people aged 18-24 years old, with 39 percent saying that social media is their main source of news. That makes it the most popular news source in the age group, above news websites and apps (24 percent), TV (21 percent), radio, and print (4 percent each). It’s a significant shift from 2015, when just 21 percent of young people said social media was their primary source of news, below both news websites and TV.
Young people are the only group where this trend is evident. Separate research from YouGov shows that social media is now the primary news source for the majority of British MPs. Adoption of social for news is actually much stronger among MPs than among young people, with 89 percent of MPs describing social media as their primary news source.
Higher CPMs Boost Guardian US Programmatic Revenues
The Guardian US saw 40 percent year-on-year revenue growth in February, AdExchanger reported this week, with programmatic revenues up 44 percent. But this growth didn’t come through a bump in page views, according to the news brand’s VP of revenue operations and strategy Dave Strauss. Rather, leaning into curated marketplaces and private marketplaces has helped boost CPMs, as has the company’s focus on data.
Ozone Rivals Social Platforms for Audience Reach
UK premium publisher sales house Ozone released new data this week claiming that its domestic reach now rivals that of the major social platforms. According to data cited by Ozone, its platform now reaches 42 percent of the UK population every day, placing it just below Instagram (43 percent) and significantly ahead of TikTok (21 percent). Meanwhile in the US, Ozone says its platform delivers significant incrementality beyond the social platforms, claiming it can add upwards of 50 percent more reach to audiences delivered by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and Pinterest.
PinkNews Reportedly Shifts Towards ‘Reporter-Free Newsroom’
LGBTQ+ publisher PinkNews is preparing to make its whole editorial team redundant, as it looks to move towards a “reporter-free newsroom”, QueerAF reported this week. PinkNews has begun a strategic consultation, with its entire editorial team put at risk. The website still intends to post content, but it seems this would be created and managed largely by PinkNews’s audience and production teams which handle output on third-party channels.
YouTube Launches New Sports Podcast Offering
YouTube this week announced ‘Top Sports Podcasts’, a new advertising product which will align brands with the most popular sports-focussed podcasts which run on the platform. The product, which has initially launched in the US, will give brands direct access to YouTube Select sports podcasts, including New Heights and The Rich Eisen Show.
The Week for Brands & Agencies
US Judge Throws Out X Lawsuit Against Advertisers
Elon Musk’s lawsuit filed against brands which stopped running ads on his social platform X, accusing them of orchestrating an illegally orchestrated boycott, has been thrown out by a US federal judge. Advertisers trade group the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), as well as several individual brands, were accused of antitrust violations in the lawsuit, which X claimed deprived it of billions of dollars in ad revenue. But district judge Jane Boyle said the case had not demonstrated antitrust injury under federal law.
Omnicom Commissions Audit of The Trade Desk
Following last week’s news that French agency group Publicis was advising clients to steer clear of demand-side platform The Trade Desk following an audit, fellow holding company Omnicom has conducted its own audit of the ad tech business, according to a report from Ad Age this week. Omnicom has sent a memo to its clients flagging the audit. The Trade Desk meanwhile emphasised that Omnicom’s audits haven’t previously identified any issues.
Stagwell Seals Strategic Partnership with AppLovin’s Axon
Marketing group Stagwell announced a new strategic partnership with mobile ad tech giant AppLovin this week, which will bring AppLovin’s Axon ad platform into Stagwell’s media offering. The business says the integration will give its clients enhanced transparency, measurement, and reporting tools for mobile campaigns. “AppLovin’s platform offers powerful reach and performance capabilities for our clients looking to drive measurable outcomes in mobile environments,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. “This partnership aligns with Stagwell’s broader focus on AI-powered marketing, pairing its performance-driven approach with AppLovin’s machine learning-driven platform.”
S4 Capital Predicts Like-For-Like Revenues to Dip Slightly This Year
S4 Capital released its full-year earnings this week, reporting a 10.8 percent year-on-year drop in net revenues for 2025, and an 8.4 percent fall on a like-for-like basis. Looking ahead to 2026, the company said it expects like-for-like net revenues to come in slightly below last year’s, in line with analyst consensus. S4 Capital’s stock is up by around 35 percent since the announcement. “While the macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, we see growing opportunities as clients become more selective about growth geographically and increasingly focused on implementing technologies such as AI, blockchain, and quantum to drive efficiency,” said Sir Martin Sorrell, S4 Capital’s executive chairman.
Publicis Media Tops COMvergence’s 2025 New Business Rankings
Publicis Media topped COMvergence’s global media agency new business rankings, which were released this week, with a net gain of $10.45 billion when taking into account wins, retentions, and losses. Mediabrands came in second place with $1.75 billion in net gains, while Dentsu sat in third with $1.61 billion. WPP Media came bottom in the ranking of the big six media groups, with a net loss of $1.77 billion. Looking at individual agency brands, Publicis’s Starcom topped the charts, with a net gain of $2.7 billion.
Ipsos Survey Finds Marketer Skills Gap
Only 35 percent of marketing practitioners in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia were able to pass a ten-question assessment of foundational marketing concepts, according to Ipsos research released this week. Marketers who said they have received formal training were four times more likely to pass the benchmark score on the test, which was developed in collaboration with Mark Ritson. “Given the current baseline, there is a clear opportunity for businesses who invest in their people, data literacy and building external connections with agency and industry bodies,” said Samira Brophy, senior director at Ipsos. “The opportunity is to convert pace into performance and therefore a competitive advantage. For individuals, it is a rallying cry to invest in your development, build community and stay resilient.”
Hires of the Week
Craig Hunter to Lead Global Studios
Global, a media and entertainment business, has announced Craig Hunter as Managing Director of Global Studios. The newly launched digital unit houses the company’s podcast slate, including The News Agents and My Therapist Ghosted Me. Hunter joins Global from STV Studios, where he spent seven years as Creative Director of STV Studios Factual.
OpenAI Appoints Meta’s Dave Dugan as Ads Chief
OpenAI has named Dave Dugan as Head of Global Ads Solutions, where he will lead ad sales for the AI startup, as the ChatGPT owner rolls out its ad offering. Dugan previously spent 12 years in advertising roles at Facebook and Meta.
Mediaocean Names Guy Kuperman CSO
Mediaocean, an omnichannel advertising business, has appointed Guy Kuperman as Chief Strategy Officer. Kuperman will lead corporate strategy, business intelligence and strategic partnerships across Mediaocean’s portfolio. He previously served as CSO of Innovid, which was acquired by Mediaocean last year.
MiQ Promotes Rob Linton to CRO
MiQ, an omnichannel ad tech company, has promoted Rob Linton to UK Chief Revenue Officer. Linton’s role will involve accelerating the integration of Sigma, MiQ’s AI-driven ad platform launched in June 2025. He has been at the firm for 13 years, most recently serving as Managing Director, Regions.
Azerion Elevates Rebecca Callaghan to Head of OOH
Azerion, an omnichannel ad platform, has promoted Rebecca Callaghan to Head of OOH. The newly created role aims to assert OOH’s place in omnichannel planning, according to the company. Callaghan joined Azerion as DOOH Lead Specialist in 2024.
This Week on VideoWeek
European Broadcasters Call for Regulation of CTV Operating System “Gatekeepers”
Samsung Touts Performance Credentials and Creator-Fronted Formats at NewFronts
OpenAI Exits Video Space with Shutdown of Sora and Disney Deal
VideoWeek Podcast: #56 Rhys McLachlan, ITV
ProSiebenSat.1 Takes Multi-Platform Approach with New ‘Total Reach’ Focus
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