How are the LHF restrictions impacting Christmas ads and beyond?
Where are all the mince pies? Still in Christmas advertising it seems, despite the Less Healthy Food and drink (LHF) restrictions.The voluntary period banning foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) began on 1 October this year for paid online ads and TV with a 9pm watershed, just in time for a snowstorm of Christmas advertising. As of 5 January 2026, the voluntary period ends and it will be compulsory for brands.In this episode, Campaign's editorial team discuss the festive ads from big brands like Waitrose, Tesco and M&S Food, and how the restrictions have impacted their creative campaigns and media plans. Are the ads devoid of Christmas food, or have brands found loopholes to feature their less healthy food products?Hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode includes creativity and culture editor Gurjit Degun, deputy creativity and culture editor Charlotte Rawlings and media editor Beau Jackson.Further reading:‘Selling more than what’s on the kitchen table’: Adland predicts how the LHF ban will impact ChristmasChristmas 2025 round-up: watch all the festive adsIs adland ready for the less healthy food ad restrictions?How to avoid detention over less healthy food ad rulesISBA warns NHS' 10 Year Health Plan could mean more products may be covered by LHF rules
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What trends are shaping this year's Christmas ads season?
Christmas has hit adland like a snowball in the face, with the festive ads coming in thick and fast, so what can be gleaned from the first phase of holiday advertising?In this episode of The Campaign Podcast, the editorial team break down the themes that emerged in the first batch of Christmas ads and the industry’s reaction to the campaigns so far. Tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley is joined in the studio by creativity and culture editor Gurjit Degun, deputy creativity and culture editor Charlotte Rawlings and editor Maisie McCabe.This episode was recorded last week, and discusses the following ads:John Lewis & Partners “Where love lives” by Saatchi & SaatchiSainsbury’s “The unexpected guest” by New Commercial ArtsMarks & Spencer Food “Traffic jamming” (in-house)M&S Fashion, Home and Beauty "Give the gift" by MotherTK Maxx "Festive Farm" by Wieden & Kennedy London (2023)Amazon "Joy ride" (in-house) (2023)Asda “A very merry Grinchmas” by Lucky GeneralsBoots “Gift happily ever after” by VML/The PharmFurther reading:Christmas 2025 round-up: watch all the festive adsJohn Lewis Christmas ad reaction: 'Soft nostalgia', 'middle of the pack', 'copy magic'‘We made the music the gift’: Saatchis and John Lewis on nostalgia, emotion and 1990s bangers'Brilliant brand fit' BFG stars in Sainsbury’s Christmas adWhat do you think of the first wave of Christmas ads?What are your hopes for this year’s crop of Christmas ads?
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Do newsbrands matter to advertisers?
Advertisers have been pulling investment from newsbrands and trusted journalism for years. The latest AA/Warc figures show that national and regional newsbrands, along with magazines, have suffered the steepest declines in adspend across all channels, while tech platforms continue to claim a growing share of the market.However, the figures suggest this decline will slow in 2026, and this year's Media Week Awards was a successful night for many newsbrands, including The Telegraph, which took home the coveted Sales Team of the Year.This episode of The Campaign Podcast asks whether advertisers are moving away from trusted journalism or alternatively whether newsbrands are fighting back and seeing a resurgence. James Bailey, UK chief executive of Dentsu’s iProspect, joins the episode alongside Adam Foley, chief executive of independent agency Bountiful Cow and former director of UK advertising for the Guardian as well as founder of the News Alliance, a cross-industry coalition to encourage advertisers to support trusted news and journalism.Hosted by Campaign's tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley, this episode includes UK editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier and deputy media editor Shauna Lewis.Further reading:'Utterly ruinous': media agency boss on the impact of ad blocking on news brandsMedia 360: Media industry is ‘sentencing news to death’ and ignoring its effectivenessMajority of execs believe brand safety in news harms advertisersAhead of Trump's second term, Meta to scrap fact-checking on Facebook and InstagramNews needs youMars and Unilever on 'moral and business responsibility' to improve online safety
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Is there a new 'big four' in adland?
WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, Interpublic, Havas and Dentsu have hitherto been known to adland as the "big six". However, the past year has brought the announcement of a proposed merger between Omnicom and IPG, while Havas and Dentsu have become comparatively smaller.So, the "big six" become the "big three", but is there another challenger? Accenture Song's latest results reported revenues of $20bn (£15bn) in the 12 months to August, putting it on par with Omnicom’s $16bn, Publicis’ €16bn ($19bn) and WPP’s £15bn ($20bn). The business has picked up the $42m media account for Optus in Australia and remains in the running for Jaguar Land Rover’s global integrated marketing account.With significant changes among the biggest holding companies continuing to shift the advertising landscape, some have questioned whether it is the end of the "big six", heralding the start of a new "big four". In this week's episode of The Campaign Podcast, Campaign's editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier, UK editor Maisie McCabe and media editor Beau Jackson, examine the potential outcomes. The episode is hosted by tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley.Further reading:Accenture is at a crossroads for its global agency ambitionsWhat's next for Accenture Song? CEO Ndidi Oteh at Campaign Live‘Song is changing Accenture’: CEO Ndidi Oteh on media, M&A and ‘Big Four’ agency rivalryOmnicom now ‘confident’ IPG deal will close in November as EU approval nearsYannick Bolloré on Havas’ Q3 ‘acceleration’, Dentsu’s assets and being ‘open’ to M&AHavas ‘could be interested’ to buy or partner with some of Dentsu’s international assetsArthur Sadoun on why Publicis is ‘winning’ and how ‘struggling’ rivals have dragged down agency valuations
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Are marketers replacing agencies with AI?
This episode of The Campaign Podcast explores whether marketers are using AI to do work traditionally done by their agencies and examines what clients are – and aren’t – doing with AI.It comes as Campaign launches the Power 100, the list of the most powerful marketers in the UK. This year they were asked questions designed to tease out where they are on their AI journeys.Presented by deputy editor Gemma Charles, guests on the podcast were premium content editor Nicola Merrifield, acting commissioning editor Louise Ridley and Will Hanschell, the co-founder and chief executive of generative AI platform Pencil that was acquired by The Brandtech Group in 2023.Further reading:Power 100 2025: AI – giving marketers 'superpowers'Power 100 2025: the full listCampaign Power 100 2025 Hall of Fame revealedAn inside job: when and how Power 100 marketers are going in-house
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Welcome to Campaign magazine's podcast, our weekly look at the biggest stories, campaigns and important issues in UK advertising and media. Presented by Campaign's editorial team. Read more at http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/resources/podcasts
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