Social-first creative and creator agency NewGen has partnered with iconic no sugar cola Pepsi MAX to launch its new YouTube channel alongside a five-part Christmas series, featuring specialised creators – ‘Pepsi Pioneers’. The YouTube series features presenters Luke Vernon, Saskia Marriot and singer/rapper Formz, as well as eleven more ambassadors throughout the series. The first episode is now live on the Pepsi MAX YouTube channel, alongside a breadth of social and creator owned content across TikTok and Instagram.
Riverford, the B Corp certified organic vegetable box delivery company, has appointed Incubeta to support its data analytics as the brand takes the next step in its data maturity journey to support its continued growth. Incubeta will provide consultancy across Google Analytics, working with Riverford to build the foundations for its long-term data strategy, and growth ambitions. Central to the brief will be empowering Riverford to make smarter, data-driven decisions by establishing a foundation of high-quality, reliable data, that is consistent across platforms to help teams align on performance metrics. It will enable the marketing team to execute precision-targeted campaigns using custom audiences and other advanced GA4 features, all supported by a modern, efficient server-side tagging infrastructure for reliable and resilient data. Incubeta won the business without a pitch.
EE and Edelman have launched a new Christmas campaign fronted by Lorraine Kelly and Rosie Smith, built on behavioural insight and designed to tell a warm, authentic story about how modern Britain stays connected during the festive season. Rooted in fresh consumer research, the campaign explores how Christmas has evolved into a multi stop, multi home experience, with families hosting, guesting and travelling between celebrations. EE’s findings show: Brits are preparing for the equivalent of three Christmas Days; One in three say staying connected has become a “logistical nightmare”; Over half see strong broadband or mobile connection as essential as a working oven.
VCCP has announced the launch of VCCP Social Club, a global collective of more than 80 social specialists. Designed to address the complexity of the modern social landscape, the Club provides 360 social capabilities across all client touchpoints and is grounded in deep functional expertise. From Social Strategy and Governance, Paid Media, Creator & Content Production, Influence and Talent, Community and Culture, Data and Measurement, and the Responsible Use of AI, social is at the very heart. As part of the new offering, Bridget Limbrey has been promoted to Managing Director of the specialist capability.
Global social-first creative agency Born Social has today launched the Born Ready Client Services Apprenticeship, a new 12–18 month paid programme designed to broaden access to the marketing industry and diversify the pipeline into client services. Building on its B Corp commitments and the success of its summer trainee scheme, the apprenticeship creates a structured, accessible route into the industry for people who may not otherwise find one. Born Social is recruiting two Account Executive apprentices who will join the agency on the London Living Wage in a hybrid set-up, working three days a week in the office. Over the 12–18 month programme, apprentices will gain hands-on experience supporting day-to-day client delivery for some of the agency’s most exciting brands, while spending 20% of their time in structured learning as they work towards either a Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketer or Level 4 Marketing Executive qualification through Apprentify. The scheme is open to applicants aged 18+ who are early in their career or entering the industry for the first time, with a particular focus on those from under-represented or under-supported backgrounds.
Scottish Rugby has partnered with social and influencer agency Stripe to support the launch of new social content aimed at making rugby more visible, fun, relatable and inclusive for 8–14-year-olds across Scotland. The digital campaign is a core part of Scottish Rugby’s Turn Up & Play programme which aims to get more young people involved in the sport – inviting boys and girls across the country to simply turn up and give the game a go. With no experience needed and expert coaches on hand, it’s all about making rugby easy, fun and welcoming for everyone. Appointed following a competitive process, Stripe was tasked with helping Scottish Rugby connect with young people online, and the first wave of content is already delivering standout results across TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
Samsung Ads, the advertising arm of Samsung Electronics’ media division, Domino’s Pizza and Havas have released results of the first European advertising campaign to use Samsung Ads’ GameBreaks ad unit, which replaces the conventional ad with a branded, remote control-powered trivia quiz or game. The Domino’s campaign presented viewers with a pizza-related trivia question: “According to a 2024 national survey, what do Americans choose as their favourite pizza topping?”, along with 4 possible answers. Viewers could select their answer using the TV’s remote control, with an onscreen message telling them if they were right or wrong. The quiz section was then followed by a 10-second section promoting Domino’s Ultimate Gunpowder Chicken pizza, part of the Ultimate Indian Feast. The campaign delivered an engagement rate of 3.84%, and a 31% uplift in brand consideration. The results mirror those of an independent study of GameBreaks ads carried out by MediaScience in the US, which found they deliver a 53% lift in unaided brand recall, outperforming standard video ads by 1.5x. The study also found that 89% of viewers preferred GameBreaks over traditional commercial breaks.
B2 Agency, a UK-based digital services firm specialising in bespoke web development, UX & UI design and performance-driven digital solutions, has announced the opening of its new regional office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With the establishment of a fully registered local entity and the appointment of its Chief Technology Officer to lead operations on the ground, B2 Agency is now positioned to serve clients across the Gulf region with both global calibre expertise and local execution.As B2 Agency embeds itself into the UAE’s fast-moving digital landscape, the team aims to play a long-term role in elevating digital standards across the region.
Bountiful Cow has been appointed by BVGroup to handle its UK media account, covering a portfolio of consumer brands including BetVictor, Betano, Parimatch, talkSPORT Bet, Smooth Spins and Heart Bingo. The appointment marks a shift in the Group’s media approach, with a renewed focus on digital transformation ahead of a major global sporting year. The agency will lead media strategy, planning and activation across the portfolio, bringing its challenger brand methodology to a category where agility, data-led decision-making and smart creative deployment are critical to growth. Bountiful Cow takes over from incumbent PHD with immediate effect.
Financial advice and wealth management company Quilter has launched a timely and topical ad through creative agency Joint, encouraging people to consider their own financial plans in the face of economic change. The work is the first tactical extension of Quilter’s new brand platform, Money needs a plan, which launched earlier this month to encourage greater financial engagement and investment planning among UK consumers.
Launch PR has been appointed by Ragdale Hall Spa, supporting the brand with link-building and creative PR campaigns to enhance organic visibility. Launch will deliver a strategic digital PR programme, focused on driving high-quality online coverage and backlinks through media relations, creative storytelling and seasonal campaigns, kicking off with Ragdale Hall Spa’s Christmas campaign. Recognised as one of the UK’s leading destination spas, Ragdale Hall Spa combines state-of-the-art facilities with award-winning treatments and classic countryside charm. Launch will work to strengthen the brand’s digital presence and reinforce its position as the go-to wellbeing retreat, for both loyal guests and new audiences searching for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Independent digital agency group IDHL has announced the launch of IDHL Labs, a group-wide incubator designed to test, validate and scale AI and machine-learning solutions, and deliver measurable value for clients and teams. Led by Group Technology Director Jonathan Healey and divisional directors Wes Maynard and Josh Duggan, IDHL Labs underpins the group’s applied-AI strategy and brings together specialists from across the whole IDHL business. The aim is to deliver practical AI innovation – enhancing how people work, strengthening client delivery, and developing scalable products that create real impact and value. The Labs approach is rooted in solving human challenges and identifying where AI delivers genuine value rather than complexity.
New independent research by global social-first agency with Creator InstinctTM, Billion Dollar Boy Group, reveals how the creator economy is increasingly turning to AI to help alleviate growing creative fatigue – with two thirds (66%) of both marketers and creators frequently experiencing it as a challenge. In today’s fast-moving feeds, content lifecycles are shortening, putting pressure on brands and creators to produce a greater volume and greater diversity of assets. As a result, the creator economy is increasingly experiencing creative fatigue – with UK marketers (74%) more affected by this challenge than their US counterparts (59%). The industry has identified AI as a solution, with four in five marketers (77%) and creators (82%) agreeing that it helps them to overcome creative fatigue.
Pulse Advertising has observed a decisive shift in consumer trust and digital engagement that is set to reshape brand strategy in 2026. Rather than responding to institutional brand messaging or heritage-led positioning, audiences — particularly Gen Z — increasingly favour authentic, human-led communication and trust signals shaped by real individuals and lived experiences. Pulse Advertising notes that consumers are connecting more strongly to brands anchored in authentic personalities rather than traditional corporate voice. Creator-founded brands such as Rare Beauty and Rhode continue to grow rapidly, and creator-driven content is consistently proving to be more impactful, with audiences viewing creators not as megaphones for advertising, but as trusted community figures who provide context, interpretation and credibility.
IPREX, the global network of independent communications and marketing agencies, has released new findings from its global staff survey, highlighting a major shift in what motivates agency talent. For the first time in the network’s history, work–life balance ranked above financial compensation as the leading priority for employees across all regions. Across the IPREX network, four out of five employees would recommend their agency to a friend, and more than 90 percent feel supported, comfortable being themselves, and treated fairly. These indicators strongly correlate with long-term retention and performance. While work–life balance ranked highest across all three regions surveyed, the results show clear variations in what employees value most. The Americas placed greater emphasis on professional development and inclusion, APAC prioritised consistent feedback and structured performance reviews, and EMEA sat between the two — demonstrating steady expectations across balance, culture, and growth.
Independent creative agency Neverland has announced the opening of its award-winning internship scheme the Neverland Flying Academy for its third year. The initiative is designed to help underrepresented talent enter the creative industries and bring more diversity into the industry. First launched in 2023, the Neverland Flying Academy was developed to tackle the long-term issue of underrepresentation of ethnic minority and working-class people in the industry. According to the latest ALL IN Census, minority ethnic groups make up 38% of London’s working population but only 18% of survey respondents are from the advertising industry. By removing the need for previous work experience or qualifications and paying above the London Living Wage, Neverland’s Flying Academy helps open door into the industry for people who have been historically unable to access it. The 2026 internship scheme will offer four people a 12-week paid internship at the agency. Applicants can email to here to apply: www.imagineneverland.com/flyingacademy
