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Pinterest has announced that it is making its max width video adverts available to all brands using the platform. In a blog post discussing the rollout, Pinterest explained that trials of the larger-sized Promoted Video ads had helped to boost awareness and engagement for brands, with John Lewis, Adidas, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros, Chevrolet and P&G all taking part. John Lewis saw a 20 per cent increase in awareness and a 33 per cent rise in purchase intent after trying out the bigger ads...

Using UKOM approved comScore and data, the DMO shares insights into what the UK Population is doing online by providing a top-line snapshot of audience behaviour each quarter. UKOM has approved comScore’s multi-platform data which reports audience behaviour across desktop, tablets and smartphones. Key insights this month include: Mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) still account for 75% of all adults’ time online with smartphones taking the lion’s share of minutes (62%). However, platform...

Cosmetics brand L'Oreal is leading the way with the future of 'try before you buy', using augmented reality (AR) technology to offer swatches of its beauty products. The brand is now collaborating with Facebook to provide this AR service, which allows consumers to virtually test out its make-up products on images of their own faces, enabling them to see exactly how they'd look in a selfie or similar. L'Oreal works with ModiFace to provide these AR product swatches, and its partnership with...

Spotify has announced a new partnership with Samsung to allow people to enjoy their playlists across multiple devices, for what the streaming service is calling "a seamless music listening experience". Thanks to the brands' collaboration, people will be able to link their Samsung accounts with their Spotify accounts, meaning they'll be able to play music across their Samsung phones, smart home devices and smart TVs for a smoother experience. What's more, when users ask Samsung's virtual...

Nearly one-fifth of 16 to 24-year-olds spend as many as seven hours online every day, new figures show. This is according to Ofcom data published by The Telegraph, which reveals that young people in the UK can spend the equivalent of two full days online each week. In total, 1.1 million people aged 16 to 24 spend over 50 hours on the internet per week, compared to just one per cent of the country's 55 to 64-year-olds. These findings highlight the importance of brands focusing heavily on their...

Could LED light bulbs be the future of wireless internet connections? That's what network provider O2 is currently exploring, as part of a new partnership with tech company pureLifi, which formed from the University of Edinburgh. O2 is working with pureLifi to see how energy-efficient light bulbs can be used to transmit large amounts of data when their brightness is adjusted with the innovative Lifi technology. This trial forms part of O2's venture into 5G connections, which look set to be the...

In 2017, Black Friday and Cyber Monday shattered sales records in the US, making for one of the most profitable festive seasons ever. In Europe too, there was a fair bit of additional spending from consumers, and retailers showed a lot of enthusiasm. But the biggest story of last year starred a retail industry permanently transformed by shoppers able to connect to great products whenever they want, wherever they are — in the speed of an instant. This report, supported by a massive amount of...

Google has joined forces with innovative audio tech firm GN Hearing to launch a brand new service that is designed to make smartphones more accessible to people with hearing loss. The two companies are working together on Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids technology, which is to be abbreviated to the acronym Asha. The tech is intended to provide a new open specification on future Android devices to support streaming via hearing aids. As a result, Asha will be able to help deaf and hard-of-hearing...

Manchester United has unveiled its brand new official smartphone app, which will be available to football fans around the world. The club has been working with its digital partner HCL Technologies to make the app a reality, and it's set to feature regularly updated live and exclusive content to give fans a peek behind the scenes at Man U. App users will be able to access all of the club's United Now content, which includes polls, videos, live blogs, player stats and up-to-the-second matchday...

Background: IAB UK is the trade body for the digital advertising industry. Our members include Google, Facebook, Twitter and Amazon, media brands including The Guardian, News UK and Bauer and ad tech companies such as AppNexus. Our role is to bring the industry together with our 1,200 members, including media owners, agencies and brands. Our aim is to build a sustainable future for digital advertising and we exist to help simplify and explain an often over-complicated industry. We are a trusted...

For 2018 we will be doing a simplified Digital Adspend report for H1, which will act as an update for the industry on the market at half year. This will be based on modelled data only, conducted by PwC, and therefore we will not be collecting submissions for the half year. We will then do the detailed, full year 2018 report as normal, which we will send submissions forms out for in Jan 2019. Why are we doing this? There are a few key reasons behind this decision: We acknowledge that the...

Drinks brand Diageo has announced that it is trying an innovative measure to combat plastic waste from straws that goes several steps beyond simply switching to biodegradable ones. Edible straws are being launched to complement its range of premixed alcoholic canned drinks. For example, a can of Pimm's and lemonade can be accompanied by a strawberry-flavoured straw, while there is a chocolate straw to go with Diageo's Baileys and iced coffee latte. This is part of Diageo's plans to dramatically...

A new online school for social influencers has been launched, which could help brands to see which individuals are the most credible and valuable to work with. The Social Circle Academy provides free online modules in becoming a social media influencer, with advice from top influencers including Evan Edinger, Beckii Cruel and Eleana Overett. Speaking to the Mirror, Matt Donegan, chief executive officer of Social Circle, explained that there currently isn't "a comprehensive and trustworthy source...

As of 29th August 2018. IAB UK Gold Standard certification is currently limited to companies operating within display advertising on desktop and mobile web only. This is because two of the initiatives within the Gold Standard (ads.txt and the Coalition for Better Ads) currently do not apply to in-app advertising. This means that in-app companies are unable to be IAB UK Gold Standard certified at present. The standard will continue to evolve and the scope of the IAB UK Gold Standard may expand as...

Craft ale brand BrewDog has announced the launch of its very own on-demand video-streaming network, which will provide hardcore beer fans with a variety of food and drink-themed content. To be known as The BrewDog Network, the platform will feature a range of content including a number of original series, with shows such as Craft Beer Adventure Club, Are You Smarter Than a Drunk Person?, and Brown Bag Wine Tasting with William Shatner. A spokesperson for BrewDog commented: "This is a genuine...

Both GroupM (Digital Programmatic Services) and Publicis Media have now been through the three-stage process and are committed to the following: 1. Reducing ad fraud through the implementation of the ads.txt initiative 2. Increasing brand safety by working with JICWEBS to uphold the Display Trading Standards Group (DTSG) Brand Safety Principles 3. Improving the digital advertising experience by adhering to the LEAN principles and the standards set by the Coalition for Better Advertising and...

Virgin Trains has become the first brand in the UK to introduce the option of rich communication services (RCS) messaging to its customers. RCS messaging is being hailed as the future of SMS, and is designed to provide consumers with a richer and smarter mobile communications experience. To begin with, Virgin Trains will be using the technology to provide passengers with onward journey information, with updates generated around ten minutes before they arrive at their destination. RCS messaging...

A new report from On Device Research reveal that consumers who have been exposed to digital ads but who don’t actively recall having seen them, still record uplifts across a range of brand metrics: from an average increase of +10.2% in Unaided Brand Awareness to +1.6% in Purchase Intent. In other words, digital advertising works, even though you may not know or remember having seen it. The unconscious effect that advertising has on consumer attitudes and behaviours is a well-established...

The West Midlands has been chosen as the first region in the UK to trial 5G technology as part of an initial rollout worth £75 million. Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton will receive access to the innovative technology ahead of its nationwide rollout, with the potential for it to transform everything from healthcare to public transport. Andy Street, West Midlands Metropolitan Mayor, called the technology "game-changing", before adding: "The potential of this technology is endless. This will...

Snapchat has followed in the footsteps of Instagram and YouTube by appointing its first fashion editor. Selby Drummond, formerly of Vogue, will work on cultivating symbiotic relationships between brands and celebrities to produce more engagement with their audiences through Snapchat. Her track record at Vogue includes working with brands such as Off-White and Kith on product collaborations. The creation of the new fashion editor role at Snapchat coincides with a number of innovations aimed at...