UK advertising trends

The UK economy is growing, which helps the UK advertising business rebound. As of 2018's first quarter, advertisers increased investments in digital advertising by more than 10%, not a surprise. What was a surprise was the increase of 12.5% in spending on radio advertising by 12.5%, a very strong result for this medium.

Another surprise was the increase in national newspaper advertising. Newspaper advertising spend had been decreasing since the end of 2010--until now.

Digital is, of course, a major focus for many advertisers. Yet transparency and trust remain a concern. The UK Competition and Markets Authority recently warned several influencers that any sponsored/commissioned posts on social media must be clearly marked as such.

Because celebrities and social media stars have millions of followers, what they post can make a difference in brand recognition, awareness and preference. That's why, says the senior director of the CMA, consumers should be 'clearly told whether a celebrity is promoting a product because they have bought it themselves, or because they have been paid or thanked in some way by the brand'.

Meanwhile, the Advertising Standards Authority is looking closely at marketers targeting children. It recently told Cadbury, Chewits, Squashies, KFC and Kellogg's to stop targeting children with digital adverts for foods that contain large amounts of fat, sugar or salt. For more about how the ASA protects children and vulnerable audiences, and for examples of banned adverts, see its explanation here.