The IPA has published its 2024 Agency Census revealing that overall staff numbers within IPA agency membership have increased marginally year-on-year. Total employee numbers, as at 1 September 2024, totalled 26,787, up from 26,630 recorded in 2023. By gender, males account for 43.6% of the total employed base, while females account for 55.6%. Females account for 39.9% of individuals in C-suite roles, up from 37.9% in 2023. 23.9% of employees are from a non-white background, up from the 23.3% reported in 2023. In terms of ethnicity by level of seniority, employees from a non-white background account for 10.5% of employees in C-suite roles, down marginally on the 11% reported in 2023. The size of the gender pay gap, in favour of males, has increased from 15.2% in 2023 to 19.7% in 2024. There is an ethnicity pay gap of 31%, which is higher than the 21.6% reported in 2023.
Square has worked with Wavemaker to launch its ‘Big In Restaurants’ campaign, demonstrating the company’s focus on the UK’s food and drink industry for the year ahead. The launch of the campaign features businesses that use Square across the UK, as well as a slate of scripts, social assets, out-of-home placements, and TV and radio advertisements.
Co-op and Dentsu have launched a UK-wide initiative to pre-load the Co-op membership app directly onto all Samsung O2 Telefonica devices at the point of sale. The app will automatically be installed onto more than 20,000 devices each week. The initiative has already delivered a 46% reduction in cost-per-acquisition. Co-op is also working with Dentsu agency Carat UK to implement an outcome-based media buying strategy which complements its pre-load initiative.
Media agency Assembly has been appointed as the strategic media partner for SXSW London. Assembly will spearhead SXSW London’s brand and performance media across Europe in multiple markets, including the UK. Assembly will aim to use technology, creativity, and AI to celebrate the Austin-based festival making its European debut.
Entertainment and eSports brand G2 has launched a media house, 62 (pronounced ‘six-two’). 62 will aim to provide mainstream brands with the tools and content that will allow them to connect authentically with the global gaming community. It will use a combination of creative advertising, media buying, content production, and event management to create experiences. Mathieu Lacrouts will be leading 62 as the Head of Media House.
Communications group Havas has expanded its partnership with Funnel, a marketing intelligence company. The new five-year remit brings an expanded scope that provides data organisation and quality capabilities to Havas’ 23,000 people in over 100 countries. Havas will utilise Funnel to monitor and troubleshoot data while exploring new capabilities to streamline its workflows and strengthen its data integration.
The Happy Egg Co., owned by Noble Foods, has worked with creative agency Live & Breathe to launch its ‘Happy Hens Lay Tasty Eggs’ campaign. Led by Live & Breathe’s Creative Director, Gary Jacobs, the team created a bespoke song, in conjunction with Mining Music, to amplify the campaign’s message of “happiness and quality.” The campaign is running across BVOD, radio, OOH, social platforms Meta and Pinterest, and digital platforms YouTube and CTV.
Beauty-focused PR and marketing firm Seen Group has created a standalone division for its events and brand experience team, Seen BX. Seen BX will work alongside Seen’s three other divisions – Beauty Seen, Seen Works, and CXS – to design events and experiences for clients. The department is led by Seen Group Divisional Director Natasha Hulme and Head of Seen BX Caitlin Moore. They’re joined by Robyn Grant, Creative Director, formerly of Burberry and Chanel; Kirsten Short, Senior Producer, formerly of Backlash; and Chelsea Mtada, Senior Strategist, formerly of Amplify.
Seed, a Brighton-based performance marketing agency, has launched a “data-led” PR department. The new department will complement Seed’s existing services in social media marketing, SEO, PPC, and paid media campaigns. To lead the department, Seed has appointed Lucy Sambrook, who has previously had stints at PR for the People, Mothership Group, and London’s Metro.
