Mark Connolly (FCiM)

🚀 Sam Wise, at the helm of strategy at Saatchi & Saatchi Saatchi & Saatchi appoints Sam Wise as Chief Strategy Officer, consolidating his leadership in the agency's strategic direction and growth. With more than 12 years at the company and experience guiding clients such as EE, BHF, and John Lewis, Wise will drive how strategy powers creativity and market impact. The agency also welcomes Louise Hawthornthwaite as Operations & Delivery Director to optimize internal processes. 👉 Learn more about this new phase in strategy and leadership: https://lnkd.in/gbCqPiSt #SaatchiAndSaatchi #StrategicLeadership #AgencyGrowth #MarketingInnovation

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This week sees Season 5 of The Prodcast drop. On Wednesday, the first episode starts with David Wheldon OBE. David is the President Emeritus of the WFA (World Federation of Advertisers) and with a career spanning decades at agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, WCRS, Lowe, BBDO and WPP before moving into global brand leadership at Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Barclays and RBS, David is one of the most respected and influential figures in advertising. He was appointed WFA President for the second time in March 2025 and is the recipient of an OBE and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Drum. We explore what it really means to build brands from the inside out. From David’s formative years at Saatchi & Saatchi, where “nothing is impossible” was literally carved into the steps, to his time heading global marketing at Coca-Cola, where his first humbling discovery was that nobody in the boardroom talked about advertising. David shares how the leap from agency to client side fundamentally reshaped his understanding of what marketing is, and what it takes to be a genuinely great CMO. MurphyCobb #wfa #productionconsulting #advertisingproduction

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Since working with them, one of our Hertfordshire clients has seen: 📈 +27% more inbound enquiries YoY As well as an improvement in lead quality. No shortcuts - just consistent, well-executed SEO and Google Ads strategies that deliver real results.

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As fractional CMOs working inside SMEs across the UK, we see first-hand what is driving growth, what is holding businesses back and where leaders need more clarity. This year, we brought our collective insights together in a new report for SME owners. It is based on what we are experiencing daily in boardrooms, leadership meetings and commercial discussions: not theory, not trends, but real challenges inside real businesses. In the report, we share: • Why so many SMEs are held back by weak marketing foundations • Where AI is genuinely delivering value today • The impact that start stop marketing has on pipeline predictability • How leadership bandwidth and alignment influence commercial performance • The customer behaviour shifts that are here to stay Our goal is simple: to help business leaders understand what will matter most in 2026 and where to focus their attention for the strongest commercial impact. If you want a practical, grounded view of the year ahead, from our expert team who support businesses every day, then this report is for you. Download the full report here: https://hubs.la/Q03YHqWY0 #SMEGrowth #FractionalCMO #MarketingStrategy

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Web 1.0 platforms are entering their “Kodak moment.” For 20+ years, companies like Booking.com and Tripadvisor dominated the travel funnel through aggregation, SEO arbitrage, and review-based trust models.

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Linear TV may be shrinking, but Channel 4 is proving that the right blend of technology, accessibility, and measurement can breathe new life into advertising for small and medium-sized businesses. The big shift here is the mindset. TV used to be a playground only for big budgets and national brands. Now, through tech-driven accessibility and smarter measurement, it’s becoming a channel where local businesses, universities, and niche retailers can compete alongside global giants. #AdTech #Programmatic #Streaming #SMEs

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Transforming business communications for UK SMEs Social media has become an essential marketing channel for entrepreneurs, yet finding time to maintain an active presence remains a major challenge. For busy business owners, the constant pressure to create engaging content, respond to comments, and remain visible on multiple platforms can seem overwhelming. The reality is that effective social media engagement requires a strategy, not just sporadic posting....

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🎙️"Awareness of your brand in the real world is going to be really important" - a key finding from Matt Bourn, Director of Communications at the Advertising Association and James Best, Chair of Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), who discuss why trust matters with Ian Whittaker in the latest episode of the Digital Changemakers Podcast. Unveiling their new book, Trusted Advertising, they unpack why trust is one of the most valuable assets a brand can build. Drawing on the book, and interviews with 100+ leaders from brands, agencies, platforms and regulators, the episode explores: 📈 How trust in advertising is evolving – and why it’s a commercial driver, not a soft metric 🤝Why trusted brands win on loyalty, visits and pricing power 📣 How media choice acts as a trust signal, and why real‑world channels like Out‑of‑Home are so powerful The book also features our research project with Bauer Media Group, “The Moment for Trust”, which shows a strong correlation between trust and consideration – with Out‑of‑Home emerging as the strongest channel at delivering both. Listen now on the JCDecaux Marketing Hub to hear how, in a world of AI and influencers, brands can use real-world channels such as Out-of-Home to build trust at every touchpoint: https://okt.to/NEje8b #changemakers #marketinginsight #marketingpodcast

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Did you know digital trade now accounts for half of the UK’s exports, and it’s growing three times faster than other sectors? 🤯 That’s according to techUK’s latest report. Despite this, only 11.6% of UK SMEs export internationally. This presents a huge untapped growth opportunity if barriers such as fragmented regulatory requirements are overcome. 🚀 At Shopify we support such businesses that are trying to trade every day as we recognise blocking growth stagnates the economy given SMEs represent 60% of UK employment and 52% of turnover. Here are three ways the UK Government could further help these businesses scale: Cut the admin and compliance barriers that make it harder for SMEs to sell internationally. Build in measures during trade negotiations that streamline certification and modernise digital rules. Improve regulatory guidance so SMEs have clear accessible information on the regulatory, tax and consumer protection requirements they face when selling into foreign markets. Create country and sector playbooks with practical guidance on key compliance obligations like VAT and customs. Strengthen sector expertise in the trade support ecosystem that reflect the needs of modern businesses. Ecommerce, digital services and platform-based trade expertise would help to give these businesses more relevant guidance. Opening up trade creates a vast playing field of innovative and inspiring British businesses to play in, but they need support so they – and the UK – can win. You can find a link to the report in the first comment. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. #Shopify #commerce #trade #export

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Check this out - a completely new way of driving sales performance. DM me if you need to have an in-depth conversation on how this can work for you org.

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We know the pressure’s on to make every campaign count. That’s why ITV and Experian are joining forces for an interactive session built for AMI agencies. Expect practical insight, real case studies and hands-on planning focused on how data and premium media can deliver smarter targeting and better measurement.   What the morning will include: • Why AMI matters and how ITV and Experian are working more closely with indies • Real world case studies and exclusive AMI offers from Experian • Interactive targeting and planning workshops with Experian and StackAdapt • ITV insight on data, activation and innovation across their platforms • A live innovation pitch battle and actionable takeaways for the year ahead Speakers: • Danny Holmes, Consulting Partner Media and Agency, Experian • Jason Spencer, Business Development Director, ITV • Caroline Clear, Client Strategy Controller, ITV • Rhys McLachlan, Director of Advanced Advertising, ITV   👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/erFK4tSn

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Creative UK’s Creative Growth Finance fund has invested in Smart Avenue Media (SAM), a recommended production partner for AdSmart from Sky, delivering compliance-first, broadcast-quality video campaigns across TV, streaming, social, gaming and digital. 🎥 The investment will enable SAM to: 🚀 Recruit new creative and business development talent 🌍 Expand into new UK regions including the North West, Yorkshire and London 💡 Advance technology-led innovation to stay ahead of the rapid shift from linear TV to targeted, multi-platform advertising Rahul Misra, Investment Principal at Creative UK, said: “Smart Avenue Media combines creative flair with commercial focus, a combination that’s vital in today’s fast-changing media landscape. Their leadership team has the drive, experience, and industry insight to spot opportunities early and act on them. With the market shifting rapidly towards targeted, multi-platform advertising, they are well placed to make a real impact, and we’re excited to be part of that journey.” Find the full article and more about Creative Growth Finance at the link in comments ⬇️ #CreativeGrowthFinance #CreativeIndustries #AdTech #VideoAdvertising #digital

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Yesterday morning, ISBA hosted an insightful workshop with Responsible Marketing Advisory and Ad Net Zero at the Meta offices for UK advertisers: “From Niche to Norm – Marketing’s Role in a Sustainable Transition.” ISBA’s Director General Simon Michaelides opened the day stating that  “Sustainable business practices aren’t about having a moral imperative. It is a commercial necessity – to safeguard supply chains, operational efficiency, corporate reputations, consumer trust and investor confidence – creating the conditions for long‑term success.” Dan Bennett (Ogilvy) set the tone with a thought-provoking keynote: the industry has spent the last decade getting sustainable messaging wrong - fuelling polarisation and disillusionment by misunderstanding how behaviour change actually works. Woke is dead but responsibility isn't. People don’t disagree because they don’t care - they disagree because they think differently. Across both panels, a consistent insight emerged: behaviour change is a design problem, not a values problem. Marketers need to lean into the design of products and services - and crucially, how those features are brought to life - making better behaviours easier, more rewarding and more normal, rather than asking people to “be better.” As one panellist put it: any sustainable feature must make the brand experience easier or more rewarding. Sebastian Munden also walked through the Ad Net Zero Every Brief Counts framework, demonstrating how brands can create communications that align with the science and help normalise the critical behaviour shifts needed for a successful transition. The clear takeaway from the day: sustainable behaviour change is a commercial imperative for businesses that want not just to survive, but to thrive in the years ahead. Thank you to all the speakers, partners and attendees for the thoughtful debate and practical insights. If you’re interested in ISBA’s Sustainability Forum - a working group supporting members with the tools, insight and network to future-proof their media approach - or want to continue the conversation, see our website here https://lnkd.in/er3BR9bQ or get in touch with Laura Wade

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🎬 Production at the Centre of a Growing UK Ad Market Latest data from the Advertising Association and WARC shows the UK advertising market is continuing its growth trajectory, with total spend forecast to rise sharply and push towards the £50bn mark by 2026. That is strong momentum, even in a muted economic backdrop. 📈 Why this matters for production 🎥 More investment in creative execution As overall ad budgets grow, brands will need high quality production across formats, from long form storytelling to fast turn digital content. 📱 Digital and VOD leading growth Search, online display and VOD continue to dominate, but premium video, cinema and TV remain critical for brands looking to build real cultural impact. 📺 Craft still matters The continued investment in film, TV and experiential formats shows that production value and storytelling are still central to performance, not separate from it. 💡 Resilience despite uncertainty Even with economic headwinds, advertisers are backing creativity. That is a strong signal that great ideas, executed well, remain one of the most reliable drivers of brand growth. For producers, directors, editors and creative teams, this is not just a headline number. It is a reminder that production sits at the heart of how brands connect with audiences and that the opportunities are growing for ambitious work. If you have got any bids that could use support, give me a call. 2.0 FILM service productions in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Northern Italy and Austria, fast turnarounds, top tier crews, and stunning locations. #Production #Advertising #Storytelling #CreativeEconomy #MediaGrowth

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How does a story really travel in today's fragmented media landscape? Vuelio's latest report offers a critical playbook for UK PR, comms, and public affairs professionals by tracking five major UK stories to map their complex journeys. For how to navigate (and shape) modern UK media and political terrains, check out 'How news travels in today's fragmented media environment'. https://lnkd.in/ejC82Rbe

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'Short-termism' is costing brands more than they realise. The Brand Reset — our new study with Kantar and Lumen Research — shows what happens when you optimise for clicks and ignore attention. And what's possible when you don't. One of the largest video effectiveness studies ever run in the UK and US. The implications are hard to ignore. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/eM5MVErD

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Thanks Gareth Phillips and Audience Store for having me on their Exchange podcast. Talking about the future or Measurement and the role AI will play. AudienceProject #measurement #crossmedia #AI

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