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The Government has now laid before Parliament the regulations that will exempt brand ads from the forthcoming restrictions on less healthy food and drink (LHF) products. In a Written Ministerial Statement, Minister for Health Ashley Dalton explained the Government’s decision to exempt brand ads from the new rules. This was followed by the Government’s response to the brand exemption consultation and the final text of the brand exemption statutory instrument (SI), which has now been laid before...

In July, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) launched a call for views on whether a more risk-based approach to enforcing the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) could support innovation in digital advertising. Specifically, the ICO is exploring whether companies could deliver certain types of advertising activity such as privacy-preserving ad measurement and contextual advertising - that are unlikely to trigger enforcement action under PECR, where the privacy risk...

Now that the dust has settled on the Prime Minister’s weekend reshuffle, several key changes stand out for the advertising and digital sectors. Collectively, they show a stronger embedding of digital expertise across DCMS, DSIT, DBT, and at the heart of Number 10. Ian Murray is the new Minister responsible for advertising, working across both DCMS and DSIT. A former Secretary of State for Scotland, he also has some familiarity with the department from his time as Parliamentary Private Secretary...

UK AI Usage* (released September 2025) 20.2 million people used AI tools** in July 2025 +112% monthly audience growth in AI usage from July 2024 to July 2025 21% of 15-24s used AI tools** every day in July 2025 Use of AI tools is highest amongst 15-24s with 63% of this age group having used AI tools in July 2025, and slightly over a fifth having used AI tools every single day. However, over the past six months 35-54s have seen the fastest growth in monthly audience use of AI tools (+59%)...

Described as Argos’ most ambitious creator campaign to-date, ‘Arghaüs’ makes satire the star of the show in a creator-led series where Argos’ A-List products populate an art gallery. Creators including Chris Hall, Abi Clarke, Paul Olima, Ella Willis, Em Walbank and Luke Millington-Drake take on the roles of gallery staff for the fly-on-the-wall four-part mockumentary that has been “designed to captivate audiences as Argos continues to push the boundaries of how a retailer shows up in culture”...

It’s been a very busy year for IAB Tech Lab - with a roadmap packed with new specifications and initiatives tailored to support publishers. As evolving privacy regulations, complex addressability challenges, and advancements in artificial intelligence reshape the landscape, publishers face unique obstacles in monetising and distributing quality content. In this piece, I offer a clear, publisher-focused guide to the critical initiatives launched or announced this year - explaining each project’s...

Olivia McCullagh joins IAB UK from Tesco Media & Insight Platform as Retail Media Lead, while Connie Hawker becomes TV+ and Creators Lead The creation of the new roles marks a strategic shift as IAB UK - the industry body for digital advertising - bolsters its expertise in future-facing growth areas that it sees as pivotal to the evolution of the ad industry With retail media, creator marketing and TV+ all increasingly attractive options for advertisers, IAB UK has appointed channel-specific...

With retail media, creator marketing and TV+ all increasingly attractive options for advertisers, we have appointed channel-specific experts to develop the standards needed to underpin long-term growth and to enhance the buy-side’s understanding of how to leverage each within a content-centric media landscape. Both Olivia McCullagh (Retail Media Lead) and Connie Hawker (TV+ and Creators Lead) are focused on bringing IAB UK members together across their respective fields to facilitate...

From 1 October 2025, the ad industry has committed to comply with the UK Government’s restrictions on advertising for ‘less healthy food and drink’ (LHF) products, before the ban comes into statutory effect on 5 January 2026. This is to give the Government time to introduce an exemption for brand advertising , meaning that the ban will apply specifically to product-based ads. The ban will apply to all product-based online ads that feature LHF food or drink (at any time) and all product-based...

Speaker submissions are now open for IAB Debrief 2025, coming to The Conduit for the first time on Tuesday 11 November, 08:30 - 12:00. This morning event is all about celebrating campaigns that didn’t play it safe - the ones that pushed boundaries, delivered results, and showed what digital can really do. Join a room full of marketers and agencies to share work that inspires, challenges and sparks new ideas - and take your story to the Debrief stage. Last year, IAB UK members were joined by...

With limited resources and small teams, charity marketers face unique challenges - from keeping up with fast-moving trends to mastering new technologies. That’s why we’re offering a free training session to help charity teams to grow their digital advertising skills. If that’s you, join us on Wednesday 10 September, 9am - 12pm, at the IAB UK office in Covent Garden for a morning full of practical insights and tools that you can put to work straight away. Tom Stevens, Director of Marketing at IAB...

The context Since GDPR came into force in May 2018, individuals in the UK and EU have had the right to request the deletion of their personal data when it’s no longer needed for processing. Sometimes referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’, it crucially mandates that organisations contact any recipient that they have shared personal data with upon receiving a request in order for them to also delete the data in question. This massively simplifies the process for an individual wishing to limit...

Warner Bros. Discovery is taking home July’s Joy of Digital Award for ‘Super Search’ - a playful, platform-wide campaign that transformed Roku’s search function into a branded hub for all things ‘Superman’. Timed to build buzz ahead of the film’s release, the campaign marked a first-of-its-kind activation on the homepage. From a branded search bar and pinned content row to voice-enabled queries and a bespoke microsite, every element of the experience was geared towards driving visibility...

The latest figures from the Advertising Association and WARC show that UK advertising spend hit £10.6bn in the first quarter of 2025, driven by strong performance in search and online formats. Search - including retail media - grew by 12.3% YoY in Q1, while spend on online display rose by 10.1%, social media by 14.7% and online radio by 16.4%. Both channels benefited from advertisers bringing budgets forward, with brands seeking short-term, agile formats amid global trade uncertainty and new US...

The comprehensive, cross-industry campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the Industry Agreement with the Government that - from 1 October 2025 - ads for identifiable LHF products should not be shown as paid-for online ads at any time, or before the 9pm watershed on Ofcom-licensed TV and Ofcom-regulated on-demand services. This voluntary agreement enables the Government to clarify the law to ensure brand advertising remains exempt from the incoming legislation when it is introduced on 5...