MAM
BBC Advertising opens first office in Switzerland
MUMBAI: BBC Advertising has opened its first office in Switzerland, as it looks to capitalise on the recent growth in the market and build on its existing successful business relationships there.
As growth in the Swiss market has been fuelled predominantly by the luxury category, BBC Advertising, part of the UK pubcaster‘s commercial arm BBC Worldwide, is positioned to meet that demand, with the BBC commercial platforms‘ editorial output and production values attracting the premium demographic that luxury brands are seeking.
The increasing move towards online and its accompanying video formats also presents a great opportunity for advertisers to benefit from appearing on BBC Advertising‘s wide range of platforms, which includes BBC.com, lonelyplanet.com, digital apps as well as its network of commercial television channels, including BBC World News.
According to recent research by Toluna, TV and online are the most effective platforms for inspiring consumption of luxury goods among both men and women.
BBC Advertising has also today announced the appointment of Sarah Green to lead the new operation in Switzerland, based in Lausanne.
Reporting into BBC Advertising‘s Regional Director for France, Benelux & Switzerland, Laeticia de Belloy Green will be responsible for managing the existing international client base in Switzerland and for developing new business opportunities across the BBC Worldwide commercial portfolio.
Green commented, “Setting up this new office presents us with an exciting opportunity to connect international media buyers in Switzerland with all the fantastic content and innovative ways of delivery that only BBC Advertising can offer. I‘m excited about finding new opportunities and building fruitful new relationships.”
de Belloy said: “BBC Advertising is delighted to have Sarah heading up our new office in Lausanne. She brings with her great expertise, insight and enthusiasm and I look forward to seeing our business grow and develop in Switzerland.”
Digital
OpenAI drops Sora AI video tool, ends planned $1 billion Disney deal
Pivot to coding and AGI leaves media giant rethinking AI tie-up plans
CALIFORNIA: In a move that has sent ripples through both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, OpenAI has pulled the plug on its much-hyped AI video tool Sora, abruptly ending what was shaping up to be a landmark partnership with The Walt Disney Company.
According to media reports, the decision came with little warning. Teams from both sides had been working on a Sora-linked project when the shutdown was communicated, catching even those close to the collaboration off guard.
The fallout is significant. The move effectively scraps a proposed $1 billion, three-year agreement that would have seen Disney invest in OpenAI while opening up access to its vast library of characters for AI-generated short-form video content. The deal, however, had not been finalised and no funds had changed hands.
Sora, unveiled in early 2024, had dazzled the industry with its ability to generate cinematic-quality video from simple text prompts, triggering a wave of competing launches from AI players across the United States and China. Its sudden exit marks a sharp turn in OpenAI’s strategy.
The company is now redirecting its focus towards more commercially scalable areas such as coding tools, enterprise solutions and the long-term pursuit of artificial general intelligence. Internally, resources required to run the video model are understood to have weighed on other priorities, accelerating the decision.
Leadership roles are also evolving to match the shift. Sam Altman continues to steer the broader vision, while Fidji Simo’s remit has been realigned towards deploying AGI capabilities as part of a wider push to consolidate offerings into a unified platform.
For Disney, the setback is more strategic than financial. The company is said to be evaluating alternative ways to collaborate with OpenAI, even as it recalibrates its approach to generative AI in storytelling.
For the wider industry, the episode is a reminder that in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, even the most dazzling innovations can have a surprisingly short shelf life.
