Forever Audio, an audio post-production, advertising, and content creation company, has expanded its international footprint with a new team in Germany. This strategic move is part of an ongoing commitment to harness significant commercial opportunities in the global market, driven by the growing demand for original audio content and innovative audio advertising. The German expansion, alongside an already established presence in the UK and North America, enables Forever Audio to better serve their clients with world-class audio services, dedicated to delivering unparalleled creativity, innovation, and technology in audio production. The move into Germany follows an award winning year for Forever Audio, having been named the Best Agency for Audio Advertisers at Campaign UK’s Audio Advertising Awards. With longstanding clients such as Spotify, Audible, Flutter Group, Cartoon Network and Netflix, Forever Audio continues to set the standard for audio excellence. As a TPN certified vendor, Forever Audio have recorded world class dialogue recording for some of the biggest shows and Oscar-winning films over the years.
As part of an expanded commercial creative production service to encourage SMEs to consider TV advertising, ITV has worked with new-to-TV brands to make advertising more accessible to small businesses for whom it would previously have been out of reach, through the use of GenAI. An AI-created advert by Swansea based travel company Travel House, which has branches across South Wales, will launch on Monday to viewers in the ITV Wales region on ITV1 and ITVX. UTV viewers in Northern Ireland will see an advert for Newry-based Sheepbridge Interiors. It is the first time both companies have advertised on TV and attaining the high production value of the ads within budget was only made possible by using GenAI. The ads have been created by augmenting ITV Commercial’s normal creative process, using licenced Generative AI image and video tools alongside ITV’s voice over artists. As with all TV advertising, both ads have been approved through ClearCast. GenAI Creative production is enabling ITV to make not just affordable ads for new to TV advertisers, but also highly effective ones, which compare very favourably to other ads in their category. System1 have worked with ITV to test the ads’ effectiveness. The project builds on the success of the creative production services ITV currently offers, where its in-house team make over 1,000 ads a year for over 200 new-to-TV brands. The GenAI creative production option will be open to all new SME advertisers. The Travel House ad can be viewed here and Sheepbridge Interiors here.
Amazon has released a generative AI assistant codenamed Amelia in beta to an initial set of U.S.-based sellers. Project Amelia delivers a personal Amazon selling expert that understands a seller’s unique business and provides personalised recommendations, insights, and information to help sellers thrive. As Project Amelia evolves, it will soon be able to recognise business opportunities and diagnose problems, developing key insights on how to grow revenue, optimise inventory, and resolve key issues, and in some cases will even offer to take actions on a seller’s behalf. Sellers can simply ask questions like, “How’s my business doing?” and Project Amelia will provide instant and secure access to sales and business metrics, compare trends, and provide guidance. Always available from any page on Seller Central, Project Amelia stands at the ready to tackle strategy questions and provide unique insights tailored to each seller’s business needs.
Clarity, the global digital marketing and communication agency, has launched its dedicated Intelligence Unit. According to Clarity’s latest research*, 70% of B2B market leaders have increased their market share over the past year, widening the gap with their competitors. In today’s climate of economic uncertainty, buyers are flocking to the safest choice—market leaders—intensifying the pressure on challenger brands. Clarity’s Intelligence Unit provides the insights and tools needed to build a magnetic brand that stands out and secures market leadership. Clarity’s Intelligence Unit equips B2B CMOs and marketing leaders with actionable, data-driven strategies to turn uncertainty into opportunity. The Unit’s core mission is to make brands the compelling choice in even the most unpredictable environments.The Intelligence Unit works with global brands in a number of industries including tech, health, transport, professional services and cyber security. The Unit’s bespoke service offering is based on in-depth expertise in corporate comms, regulatory affairs & policy and audience insight, designed to transform the complex challenges of today’s business environment into opportunities for growth and market leadership.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) have announced a partnership which is set to offer recreational cricket fans, players and volunteers an improved digital experience as part of the national cricket governing body’s ongoing digital transformation. As the Official Digital Technology Transformation Partner and Official IT Consulting Partner, Cognizant will be the key strategic partner for the ECB’s recreational game systems programme – aiming to develop integrated and user-friendly digital products that simplify numerous administrative tasks involved in running recreational cricket, and providing a streamlined and inclusive digital experience that facilitates a more meaningful engagement for all participants with the game. The first phase is due to become operational in 2025. Cognizant will also support the ECB with wider digital and technology initiatives to continue cricket’s growth in England and Wales. A key part of this will be an annual innovation fund, which the ECB will utilize to test early-stage innovations that could grow the game across aspects such as commercial, fan engagement and infrastructure.
Creative agency SuperHeroes has launched its new division, SuperHeroes Deluxe. Gen Z is rewriting the rules for luxury brands, and SuperHeroes Deluxe is the key to unlocking their hearts and minds. With Gen Z expected to consume luxury goods three times faster than any other generation by 2030, SuperHeroes Deluxe will produce social content, DOOH, events and activations to help these brands drive conversations with young consumers. These insights are gleaned from JIMMY’s (SuperHeroes’ digital art collective) luxury brand clients, which include Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton. Combined with SuperHeroes’ expertise on Gen Z, courtesy of The Robins (SuperHeroes’ Gen Z insight panel), the team identified a gap in the market out of which SuperHeroes Deluxe was born. The division will be led by Chief Creative Hero, Rogier Vijverberg, and Luxury Hero, Chengcheng Li, who will be the business lead.
One of the leading DIY retailers in Europe, HORNBACH Baumarkt has selected Blue Yonder Inventory and Commits Services, part of Blue Yonder Order Management solutions. HORNBACH Baumarkt is the largest and most important subsidiary of HORNBACH Holding. HORNBACH Baumarkt operates DIY megastores with garden centres and online stores in nine European countries. Given the strong customer-first culture of the company and the strategic relevance of its online sales, HORNBACH Baumarkt decided to optimise the omni-channel order experience from search through purchase and delivery. HORNBACH Baumarkt chose Blue Yonder because of its differentiated approach to optimising omni-channel operations, the deep understanding of the order process, and the unique vision and strategy for the future of the supply chain. Blue Yonder’s flexible microservices-based solutions approach, embedded with machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), will help HORNBACH Baumarkt to optimise the entire omni-channel customer journey, starting with an engaging customer experience through efficient order fulfilment. The retailer will also be able to accelerate its in-store and digital business to gain an advantage through a model that supports rapid implementation.
Clear Channel UK has expanded its Adshel Live network to 3,500 screens, further solidifying its position as the UK’s largest digital Out of Home (DOOH) network. Since its launch in 2015, the Adshel Live network has helped propel DOOH growth in the UK, offering unparalleled reach, impacts, and proximity to key retail locations across the UK—all while driving sustainability and social contribution. As a percentage of the overall Out of Home (OOH) revenue, DOOH revenue has more than doubled from 32% in 2015 to 65% in 2023 (source: Outsmart/PWC). The 3500th screen was installed in Southampton, one of the 350 UK cities and towns where Adshel Live is now present, with 205 being uniquely covered by the network in terms of digital roadside footprint. With more than 628m impacts and a national reach of 36m fortnightly (source: Route 51), Adshel Live continues to deliver more impacts and reach than its competitors, with 66% coverage across the UK alone. Every fortnight, Adshel Live reaches 32% more than all other roadside digital 6-sheets combined. As the network grows, the media owner further demonstrates its commitment to reducing environmental impact. Every new Adshel Live screen installed or upgraded is 50% more energy efficient than the previous generation. Clear Channel also purchases 100% renewable energy*, and screens are switched off daily between 12 am and 5 am, reducing energy consumption by 16%. The OOH industry returns 46p of every £1 in revenue to the communities where it operates.
