Executive Briefing: Friday 2 October

Executive summary: Meta's recent verification update caused unexpected ad account restrictions for Australian brands, delaying crucial campaigns. Concurrently, Google's ongoing spam update continues to impact search rankings, while Netflix's CEO acknowledged slowing growth, prompting a strategic shift towards live content. This comes as WPP signals a return to growth, rejoining the FTSE 100. Meta's ad verification update disrupts Australian campaigns Meta's expanded advertiser verification efforts have unexpectedly restricted some Australian ad accounts, leading to delays for time-sensitive launches. While Meta aims for verified advertisers to represent 90% of its advertising revenue by late 2026, agencies report a lack of clear communication and slow resolution times for verification issues. One director noted that ads continued to run, but critical optimisations, budget shifts, and new creative were halted until verification cleared. This rollout has created significant friction, impacting advertisers' ability to execute campaigns effectively and highlighting the need for clearer platform communication regarding compliance changes. Google's September spam update continues to impact search results Google's September 2026 spam update, announced a week prior, has entered a second phase, causing renewed volatility in search rankings. Unlike typical two-day rollouts, this update is expected to unfold over two weeks, leading to multiple impact cycles. Notably, AI-translated content from Reddit, which had previously seen a decline, appears to be surging back in Google search results across several international markets like Italy and Germany, raising questions about Google's quality assessment for AI-generated translations. This ongoing update underscores the dynamic nature of search algorithms and their influence on content visibility for publishers. WPP returns to FTSE 100 amidst improving performance Global advertising group WPP has been reinstated to the FTSE 100, signalling a rebound in market value from £3.1 billion to £4.06 billion since December last year. This return follows a period of strategic focus on organic growth and improved pitch momentum, with WPP Media securing approximately $US3 billion in new business year-to-date, offsetting $US2.81 billion in losses. The group's retention rate has also significantly improved to 43% from 16% in the previous year. While overall June quarter revenue still showed a reported decrease, the results surpassed analyst and company expectations, suggesting a positive trajectory in its turnaround efforts. Netflix seeks growth through live programming amidst engagement slowdown Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos acknowledged a slowdown in engagement growth, with viewership increasing just 2% in the first half of 2026. In response, the streaming service is strategically investing in live programming, including the NFL, which currently accounts for 5% of its content investment but only 1% of viewership. Sarandos noted that live content is particularly effective at generating new sign-ups, reducing churn, and attracting advertisers, aligning with the platform's focus on professionally produced content rather than user-generated content. This shift indicates a proactive approach to drive subscriber acquisition and retention in a competitive streaming market. France mandates complex e-invoicing for global businesses by 2026 France is introducing one of Europe’s most intricate electronic invoicing and e-reporting regimes, requiring global enterprises to use machine-readable e-invoices for domestic B2B transactions via state-accredited platforms or a public portal. Complementary e-reporting will capture data from cross-border B2B, B2C sales, and payment updates. This new digital tax standard, commencing September 1, 2026, presents a significant compliance challenge for multinational organisations with French VAT registrations, as it necessitates real-time digital adherence for virtually every transaction linked to the jurisdiction. Misinterpretation of the phased implementation timeline could lead to compliance traps for global firms.