AGP Executive Report

Platform Power: Meta has barred ByteDance advertising across seven national markets, sharpening competition between two major digital platforms. Agency Results: Publicis reported 5% growth in the third quarter and maintained its full-year outlook. AI and Publishers: Forty media groups have joined an AI copyright coalition, adding pressure for clearer protections as generative AI uses news content. Media Rights: Netflix will stream every match of the 2030 World Cup in Spain, a landmark deal that deepens the contest for live sports audiences. Election Influence: France’s foreign minister accused Elon Musk of online harassment of European leaders and warned of attempts to influence the country’s 2027 presidential election. Advertising Rules: The UK advertising watchdog has banned ads for oral GLP-1 medicines amid growing scrutiny of how the drugs are marketed.

Agency results: France’s Publicis Groupe posted 5% organic growth in Q3. Marketing technology: Accenture bought Sagacity Solutions to expand AI-driven customer intelligence for Accenture Song in the UK and Ireland. Ad rules: European parties are struggling to adapt to new EU political-advertising requirements; Helsinki also voted to ban fossil-fuel ads, though a transition could take up to 10 years. Industry events: Brand Licensing Europe 2026 set an exhibitor record. Campaigns: UK wine brand The Straw Hat is positioning rosé as an all-year-round choice, backed by social media, PR and trade advertising.

Sustainability Claims: ESMA’s new guidance urges funds and bond issuers to explain impact and climate-transition claims clearly, including how progress will be measured and what assumptions or data limits apply. PR Standards: ICCO has launched an industry-first training and certification programme on mis- and disinformation. Media Shift: IPTV adoption is accelerating in Germany as streaming and video sharing mature across Europe. Ad Rules: European parties are struggling to navigate new EU rules on political advertising, while the UK watchdog has prohibited ads for oral GLP-1 medicines. Campaigns & Creativity: Malaga city centre has become a set for an international advert, and the Aaron Awards named its top 50 ad creatives. Brand Marketing: Lurpak’s campaign marks its 125th anniversary by tracing changes in British home cooking.

Streaming & Subscriptions: RTL says its YouTube partnership, with “Cobra 11” among the drivers, helped lift subscriptions 26% and is opening new revenue streams. Adtech Regulation: Norway’s privacy watchdog fined a Microsoft-owned adtech firm €8.6 million. Advertising Rules: UK regulators have prohibited ads for oral GLP-1 drugs, amid a wider marketing backlash; meanwhile, parties are struggling to navigate the EU’s new political-ad rules. Publisher Revenue: FAST channels and digital out-of-home are emerging as new revenue sources for publishers’ video. Brand Campaigns: UK food brand St Ewe has launched its first national advertising campaign.

Sports Media: Italy’s competition watchdog has approved Serie A’s next TV-rights framework, demanding a fairer spread of major matches and warning that long exclusivity deals can limit competition and push up costs for fans. Health Advertising: The UK watchdog has banned ads for oral GLP-1 drugs amid a wider backlash over their marketing. Political Campaigns: Parties are struggling to adapt to the EU’s new rules on political advertising. Ad Restrictions: Helsinki has voted to ban fossil-fuel advertising, though the change could take a decade to come into force. Sponsorship: Betano has been named an official sponsor of UEFA EURO 2028.

Ad Regulation: The UK watchdog has prohibited advertising for oral GLP-1 drugs amid a marketing backlash. Poland’s lower house has also passed curbs on alcohol advertising, while France is tightening safeguards for gambling ads. Political Advertising: Parties are struggling to navigate new EU rules, adding complexity to campaign planning across the bloc. Platform Safety: TikTok has quietly loosened its advertising rules, with reports linking the changes to a surge in scams. Media Distribution: France 24 is widening its US reach through a new streaming partnership with PBS. Brand Partnerships: Nestlé and the NBA have struck a multi-year marketing deal aimed at boosting basketball participation.

Broadcasting: Cyprus has switched to the DVB-T2 digital TV standard, bringing more channel capacity and support for HD and 4K. Media Distribution: France 24 is expanding its US reach through PBS streaming platforms, while the BBC and Channel 4 are discussing a broader tie-up to cut costs. Ad Rules: European parties are struggling to navigate new EU political-advertising requirements. Separately, reporting says TikTok’s relaxed ad rules have coincided with a surge in scams. Restrictions: Poland’s lower house passed curbs that include an alcohol-advertising ban; France is tightening safeguards for gambling ads. Helsinki also backed a fossil-fuel ad ban, though it could take a decade to come into force. Brand Partnerships: Nestlé and the NBA have agreed a multi-year international marketing deal.

Political Advertising: Parties are struggling to adapt to the EU’s new rules, while Poland has passed curbs on alcohol sales and advertising. Ad Restrictions: Helsinki has voted to ban fossil-fuel adverts, though implementation could take a decade; France is also tightening safeguards for gambling ads. Brand Campaigns: Spain has launched “Nothing is thrown away here” at a major food fair, while UK food brand St Ewe is rolling out its first national advertising campaign. Media Moves: France 24 is expanding its US streaming reach through a PBS partnership, and the BBC and Channel 4 are discussing a broader tie-up to cut costs. Privacy and Platforms: Dutch and Belgian retailer Hans Anders has stopped selling Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses amid concerns over recording people without consent.

Packaging Rules: The EU is preparing a new recyclability grading system, with packaging below 70% recyclability set to leave the market by 2030. Detailed design rules are due by 2028, putting pressure on brands to rethink materials and packaging now. Marketing Technology: Hightouch has appointed Matthew Lubeck as its EMEA general manager, based in London, as the AI marketing firm expands across Europe. Advertising Policy: Political parties are struggling to navigate new EU rules on political advertising, while campaigners warn outdated UK restrictions leave some unhealthy food ads outside the rules. Brand Partnerships: Nestlé and the NBA have agreed a multi-year deal spanning 21 markets, with youth basketball activations for Milo, Nescau and Nesquik from January 2027. Media Distribution: France 24 English will be available through PBS’s US digital platforms, extending the French public broadcaster’s reach to American audiences. Platform Safety: TikTok’s advertising rules have reportedly been pared back, with scams rising as a result — renewing questions about how platforms police ads.

Ad Restrictions: Helsinki will bar outdoor ads for flights, cruises and fossil-fuel cars on city-controlled spaces to support its climate goals, though existing contracts run until 2035. Platform Rivalry: Meta has banned TikTok ads from its platforms in a tit-for-tat move, while European parties are struggling to adapt to new EU political-ad rules. Food Marketing: UK campaigners say outdated nutrition standards let unhealthy products evade ad and promotion restrictions; six of seven products shown during Britain’s Got Talent would fail the updated model. Ad Ethics: Royal Mail confirmed AI was used to recreate a woman’s late father’s voice in a Christmas ad, drawing complaints. Media Landscape: The BBC and Channel 4 are discussing a broader tie-up to cut costs, while France 24 and PBS are expanding their US streaming partnership. Regulation: France’s gambling watchdog is strengthening safeguards around betting ads under its new chair.

Platform Safety: TikTok’s quiet rollback of advertising rules is linked to a surge in scams, raising fresh questions about brand safety on the platform. Media Deals: The BBC and Channel 4 are discussing a broader tie-up to cut costs, while Disney+ has secured NBA rights in 11 European markets. Marketing Partnerships: Nestlé and the NBA have signed a multi-year deal to promote basketball participation internationally. PR & Influence: The EU, Canada and Lithuania withdrew from a disinformation conference after alleged US pressure; separately, a PR agency linked to fake Forbes websites reportedly published articles to support US visa applications. New Channels: Dutch startup Innercrowd raised €750,000 to turn festival audiences into marketers, and VIOOH partnered with TuMedio to expand programmatic digital out-of-home advertising in Spain and Portugal.

Platform Accountability: TikTok’s reported rollback of advertising rules has been followed by a surge in scam ads, raising fresh brand-safety concerns. Media & Rights: Disney+ has secured NBA rights in 11 European markets, while the BBC and Channel 4 are in talks about combining operations to cut costs. Brand Moves: Freemans is repositioning around the UK’s over-40 female market; Subway is refreshing its EMEA brand experience, and Nestlé has signed a multi-year NBA marketing partnership. PR & Regulation: A PR agency linked to fake Forbes websites reportedly published articles to support US visa applications, spotlighting reputational risks. Brussels is also weighing a levy on large companies to capture more revenue from major tech firms. Ad Tech: VIOOH and TuMedio have partnered to expand programmatic digital out-of-home advertising across Spain and Portugal.

TV Measurement: Prime Video has joined Barb’s CFlight service, expanding cross-platform audience measurement in the UK. Ad Tech: Apple’s WebKit blocklist is disrupting Safari access for ad-tech vendors, raising concerns about collateral damage across the ecosystem. Brand Safety: Meta is using AI to detect ads that direct users to child-abuse material off Facebook and Instagram. Brand Partnerships: Nestlé and the NBA have struck a multi-year international marketing deal. Media & Events: Informa’s acquisition of Clarion puts IFA Berlin and ICE Barcelona under one operator. Marketing & PR: ESIC Valencia hosted a sold-out event exploring marketing’s future, while Warner Music Central Europe appointed Nici Ochmann to lead culture and creator marketing.

Brand Partnerships: Nestlé has signed its largest international marketing deal, making Milo, Nescau and Nesquik NBA partners, with UK retail activations and youth basketball programmes planned. AdTech: ProSiebenSat.1’s Seven.One Media has launched AdManager, while Nextdoor is pitching new neighbourhood insights to advertisers. Programmatic OOH: VIOOH and TuMedio are expanding programmatic digital-out-of-home advertising across Spain and Portugal. Big Tech and Policy: Brussels is considering a wider corporate tax to capture more revenue from large tech companies, raising the stakes for digital platforms and advertisers. Media Trust: France Télévisions dropped an Israeli firm from a political programme rollout after a plan reportedly gave it access to viewer data. Marketing Innovation: A French startup says its AI platform predicts music marketing returns and has been selected for Google’s Gemini Startup Forum.

Media & Marketing Dealmaking: SAMY is buying U.S. social-first agency Get Engaged in a deal valued at at least $100M, aiming to combine creator-led cultural reach (50B+ views for clients) with global scale and data. Brand & Consumer Trust: Barilla has won a U.S. court fight over claims its pasta isn’t “Italian enough,” with a judge rejecting a class case built on a consumer survey. Sports & Brand Moments: Lionel Messi’s final Argentina appearance ended with a drone ad display during a 3-0 win over Benin—another reminder that sponsorship tech is now part of match-day storytelling. France Protests Disrupt Daily Life: Student-led school protests spread again, with thousands arrested and reports of injuries, keeping education and public messaging in the spotlight. Germany Politics & Messaging: Chancellor Merz reaffirmed support for Israel on the Oct. 7 anniversary while warning against rising antisemitism. Tech & Payments Infrastructure: zerohash integrated Tempo stablecoin rails and secured a validator seat, pushing cross-chain payments for major financial partners. EU/Regional Governance: Kosovo elected a new ceremonial president, avoiding a snap election after a political deal.

UEFA Discipline Watch: UEFA has opened an ethics and disciplinary probe into allegations of misconduct around the tunnel at halftime of Ireland vs Israel in the Nations League, after reports that an Israel player spat at Ireland’s athletic performance head, with the match also marked by political protest gestures. AI & Copyright Pressure: German publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair launched the “Frankfurt Appeal” urging EU regulators to force transparency on copyrighted training data, fair licensing and stronger enforcement. Cyber Extortion Alert: UK fashion retailer ASOS says customers received “ASOS HACKED” notifications demanding action over a claimed compromise of its Snowflake instance—raising fresh concerns about app-based attack paths. Education Protests in France/Belgium: School protests continue to turn violent, with clashes in Belgium’s Liège and France seeing mass blockades and injuries, as unions and parents demand better education conditions. Poland Civil Defence Spend: Poland plans €26.45bn (2027-2031) for population protection and civil defence, including shelters, emergency stockpiles and secure communications. Mobile Market Push: New research roundups forecast continued growth across mobile search, mobile finance, mobile networks and related platforms—fuelled by smartphone adoption and expanding app ecosystems.