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UK ad spend holds steady in Q1, to gain steam in 2012 on back of Olympics
MUMBAI: The advertising spends of UK have remained steady despite turmoil in the global economy.
In the first quarter of 2012, UK‘s ad spend increased by 1.1 per cent, according to Advertising Association /Warc study.
UK ad expenditure is expected to improve over the year, reaching overall growth of 2.5 per cent in 2012 with forecasts of a further rise of 4.4 per cent in 2013.
The ad expenditure is predicted to reach a value of ?16.8 billion in 2012 and ?17.4billion in 2013.
The report provides the comprehensive measure of UK advertising activity. It includes an overview of advertising spend by individual media, encompassing print, TV, internet, radio, cinema and out of home.
Internet spend is estimated to have grown by 11.1 per cent in Q1 2012 compared with Q1 2011 and is expected to remain strong throughout the year, with a forecast of 10.1 per cent growth and an overall value of ?5.3 billion in 2012.
Out of home saw a 3.1 per cent increase in Q1 2012, in a year when Olympic and Paralympic Games are expected to drive overall growth by 4.1 per cent to ?0.9 billion.
Radio grew by 6.9 per cent in Q1 with forecasts of 3.8 per cent (?0.4bn) in the year overall.
As per the report, the government ad spend is set to increase faster than any other category in 2012 which is traditionally a strong source of radio revenues. Cinema expenditure increased by 9.5 per cent in Q1 with a positive forecast of 3.1 per cent for 2012 (?0.2bn) as a whole.
Meanwhile, the television ad spends fell 0.7 per cent in the quarter but is expected to remain broadly steady with 0.3 per cent growth (?4.2bn) for the year.
The study revealed that the spend was weakest in press, with a decline of 10 per cent. Overall, press is forecast to fall by 5.1 per cent in 2012 (?3.7bn), though spend is predicted to stabilise in 2013.
Advertising Association chief executive Tim Lefroy said, “In the face of global economic uncertainty, UK advertising holds a steady course. Evidence shows that advertising invigorates GDP growth, so a healthy ad market is good news for the whole economy, not just advertisers.”
Warc data editor Suzy Young added, “It remains a very short term market. There is some evidence that TV advertisers, for example, have brought budgets forward to Q2 from Q3 to get the benefit of marketing spend now as prospects for the rest of the year remain unclear.”
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Hyphen launches sunscreen campaign featuring Kriti Sanon as SPF Police
Campaign drives SPF habit; Blinkit tie-up enables instant sunscreen delivery.
MUMBAI: No SPF, no mercy Kriti Sanon is out patrolling your skincare routine. Hyphen has rolled out a new campaign film starring its Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer Kriti Sanon, who steps into a playful alter ego as the brand’s “SPF Police”, turning sunscreen reminders into a full-blown public service announcement with a wink. The campaign kicked off with a cheeky social media tease suggesting Sanon had “stepped down” from her role, sparking chatter online before the brand revealed the twist: she hasn’t gone anywhere, she has simply taken on an additional avatar, one dedicated to ensuring people do not skip sunscreen.
The film leans into humour to drive home a serious point. In a slice-of-life setting, Sanon intercepts a gym-goer about to step out without sunscreen, promptly handing over Hyphen’s ‘All I Need Sunscreen’, which arrives instantly via Blinkit. The message is clear: forgetting SPF is no longer a valid excuse when it can be delivered in minutes.
Beyond the laughs, the campaign taps into a well-known gap in everyday skincare habits. Sunscreen, despite being one of the most recommended steps, is often the most ignored. By gamifying the reminder through an “SPF Police” persona, Hyphen aims to turn a routine into a reflex.
The multi-stage rollout from intrigue-led teasers to the final film has been designed to spark conversation while embedding the brand into daily behaviour. It also spotlights Hyphen’s quick commerce partnership with Blinkit, positioning accessibility as a key enabler of consistency.
Sanon, who remains closely involved in product development and brand strategy, noted that the idea stemmed from a simple insight: skincare works best when it is easy, habitual and hard to ignore. The campaign reflects that philosophy equal parts science, storytelling and a nudge you cannot quite escape.
The film is now live across Hyphen and Blinkit’s digital platforms, with further activations expected to extend the campaign’s reach and perhaps keep the SPF Police on duty a little longer.
