Executive Briefing: Friday 16 October

Intensified Scrutiny on Advertising Data Practices Reveals Human Cost The advertising industry faces heightened scrutiny over data collection and usage, as evidenced by a Connecticut Attorney General report detailing a consumer receiving cremation service ads after chemotherapy due to data broker sales. This follows Publicis' US$350 million settlement for its role in opioid marketing, where its Verilogue unit reportedly recorded private patient-doctor conversations to guide opioid promotion, a practice still active under a new unit, Insagic. These cases underscore the urgent need for brands to re-evaluate their data handling practices, move beyond simply legal compliance, and ensure ethical considerations are paramount to avoid significant reputational and financial repercussions from privacy enforcement and public backlash. Commonwealth Bank Overhauls Marketing Structure, Expands In-House Agency Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has significantly restructured its marketing division, appointing four new internal leaders to key roles including Chief Marketing Officer for Brand and Olympics, two CMOs for business divisions, and a Managing Director for its expanded in-house agency, CBAgency. This strategic shift places senior marketing leadership closer to business units and customers, aiming to strengthen relationships and support sustainable growth. The expanded CBAgency will consolidate creative, media, campaign planning, delivery, content, and social media functions, reflecting a broader industry trend of brands enhancing in-house capabilities and seeking greater control over their marketing operations. Google Introduces Dedicated Automotive Ad Format Google Ads has launched a beta format called "automotive model feeds" or Vehicle Top Ads, designed to provide vehicle manufacturers with enhanced advertising experiences on search results. This new format allows brands to dynamically display vehicle images, pricing, and features directly on Search, aiming to capture user attention earlier in their buying journey and drive higher-intent traffic to manufacturer sites. Eligible for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with active Search campaigns and valid automotive model feeds, this feature is currently available to advertisers in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, simplifying implementation by automatically matching relevant details with existing campaigns without complex targeting. UK Marketing Budgets See Sustained Growth, Led by PR and Events UK marketing budgets recorded their third consecutive quarter of growth, with the latest IPA Bellwether report for Q3 2026 indicating a positive balance of +14.3% of marketers increasing their spend, the strongest upward revision in nine quarters. This growth exceeded prior outlooks for the year, with every tracked category seeing upward spend revisions. PR and events experienced the largest increases, with balances of +15.3% and +15.1% respectively, suggesting a strategic shift towards earned media and experiential marketing. Despite this, overall sentiment regarding industry-wide prospects remains pessimistic, albeit less so than previous quarters.