Day: 29 December 2021

Internationally lauded orchestra and opera companies create a silent album in defiance of threats to arts around the world

Stuart Mitchell

Across the world, right now – from Cape Town to Kabul and London to Beijing – the arts are being silenced. COVID, conflict, censorship, loss of funding, displacement – even natural disasters – are seeing to it that the volume is being turned down on one of humanity’s driving forces: creative expression. Pink Floyds’ Nick Mason, Actor Victoria Ekanoye, Actor Stephen Boxer, Violinist and Conductor Pinchas Zukerman, Opera Singers Pretty Yende and Sonnyboy Dladla and more have pledged their support   But in South Africa, two world-class organisations currently dealing with…

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Global advertising market sees record growth in 2021 – up 23.8% to $771bn

Stuart Mitchell

New advertising spend forecasts for 100 markets worldwide show that the global ad market has largely weathered the impact of COVID-19, so far, and is on course to reach a value of US$1trn in 2025, with more than half of this money paid to just three companies: Alphabet, Meta and Amazon. This is according to WARC, the international marketing intelligence service, which publishes the findings as part of its new WARC Data Premium suite. Following on from a meteoric 23.8% rise to a total of US$771bn this year – the…

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Over half of businesses agree that ESG efforts are more about the bottom line than about their impact on the world

Stuart Mitchell

Less than a half of consumers (49%) trust brands that say they’re sustainably and ethically driven in their marketing and branding, or that they are aiming to achieve net zero by a certain date (47%). Similarly, only 15% of business decision makers in business to consumer businesses are completely confident that all the materials their organisations use are responsibly sourced.  What’s more concerning is the motivation behind the distrust. According to research released today by NAVEX Global®, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software with over 13,000 customers…

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SAP Finds Eight in Ten UK Consumers Want Brands to Support Local Suppliers

Stuart Mitchell

SAP SE has released research findings that show changing consumer understanding and demands of brands’ supply chains. The survey of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by market research and insight agency Opinium, found that 83% would be more likely to buy from a brand that supports and sources from local suppliers, and 83% would also be willing to compromise for ethically sourced products. At a time when both global and local supply chains face seemingly constant disruption, Nearly three-quarters of UK shoppers (73%) say they have experienced difficulties finding or buying…

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Cannes Lions announces updates to the 2022 Awards

Stuart Mitchell

Cannes Lions has announced changes to the 2022 Awards which include the launch of the Creative B2B Lion and an evolved Creative Commerce Lion. The awards, which each year set the global benchmark for creative excellence in branded communications, will open for entries on 20 January with judging and awarding taking place in Cannes in June.  The newly launched Creative B2B Lion will celebrate game-changing creativity and effectiveness in work for products and services that are purchased by professionals on behalf of businesses. Philip Thomas, Chairman, LIONS, said it was…

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