Tag: IPA

UK companies revise marketing budgets up despite tough economic conditions

Stuart Mitchell

UK companies revised their marketing budgets up to the second highest level in two years in Q2 2026, despite economic and inflationary headwinds remaining at large. This is according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report, published on 16 July 2026. After a strong start to the year, 23.8% of respondents reported an increase to their marketing spend, in comparison with 16.9% who recorded cuts. The resulting net balance of +6.9%, slightly below Q1’s +7.3%, pointed to a historically strong expansion in budgets. Meanwhile, approximately 59.4% of respondents left their marketing…

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New IPA/Tracksuit report reveals what clients want from their agencies

Stuart Mitchell

Nine out of ten brand leaders are seeing true commercial value from their agency partnerships. But while confidence in agencies remains high, new research from the IPA, produced in collaboration with Tracksuit, reveals an opportunity to add more value by delivering more of the strategic thinking clients value highly. Launched at the flagship IPA Business Growth Conference on 8 July 2026, the report, Bridging the gap. Redefining the value of agencies, explores the value agencies create today and what clients value most from their agency relationships. It also explores where a…

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Leading advertisers judges and Chair from Tesco named for IPA Effectiveness Awards

Stuart Mitchell

The IPA has announced the full line-up of leading advertiser judges for the 2026 IPA Effectiveness Awards, including its Chair for this year, Tesco’s UK Customer Director, Suzanne Quinn. The much-revered IPA Effectiveness Awards are regarded as the most rigorously and robustly judged industry Awards, with winning cases fully analysed and dissected by three separate judging panels: client (advertiser), industry and technical. The industry and technical panels were announced earlier this year. The full line-up of client judges for 2026 comprises: Nathalia Amadeu, Global Brand Director, Vaseline Alexia Clifford Sarah…

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“Small thinking” is killing advertising warn Les Binet and Will Davis

Stuart Mitchell

A new report, written by Les Binet and Will Davis and published by the IPA, argues that advertising effectiveness is being undermined by short-termism, narrow metrics and underinvestment, and calls on the industry to “think big” again to unlock real business growth.   In Go Big or Go Home, Les Binet, Author, Consultant and Visiting Professor at Ravensbourne University, and Will Davis, Chief Data Officer and Co-Owner of Medialab, outline the state of marketing effectiveness today, identifying where they think the key problems holding it back lie and offering practical…

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IPA announces 2026 IPA Beacon List celebrating next generation agencies

Stuart Mitchell

The IPA has unveiled the 2026 IPA Beacon list, recognising 20 of the UK’s most exciting emerging and high-growth agencies that are redefining the future of the industry through innovation, entrepreneurship and new models for growth. Now in its second year, the IPA Beacon List is spearheaded by Paul Mead, Agency Chair and Board Member, former director at Jellyfish and Founder of VCCP Media, and is the product of months of in-depth research, interviews with Editor-in-Chief Ellen Hammett, and outreach via the IPA network, desktop investigations, and social media sourcing.…

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