National retailers have invested more in mobile (smartphone and tablet) advertising than any other type of retailer, accounting for 34 per cent of total retailer mobile spend in Q1, according to Millennial Media and comScore’s latest Mobile Intel Series.

Mass merchandisers, big box stores and large franchises leveraged their mobile advertising campaigns around national holidays and seasonal events, with retailers traditionally spending about three times more on mobile in Q4 than they do in any other quarter. Computers & electronics and clothing & luxury fashion were the next highest spending sub-verticals in Q1 2013.

Budweiser UK has released a 30” TV as spot featuring Jay Z following the global launch of its Made for Music platform.

Running in the UK from today (Friday 9 August), the ‘Dreams are Made’ ad is directed by Mark Romanek and features Jay Z amongst a host of creators and artists from around the world.

Set to Jay Z’s track ‘PSA’ and filmed in black and white, the ad aims to capture the spirit of a global generation, showcasing the many ways in which people create. The ethos of the work is explained through bold copy which appears in the ad ‘It begins and ends with what you make it’ and will run from now until 1 September.

“Budweiser Made for Music is a tribute to those who continue to put their energy and passion every day in the pursuit of their dreams. Jay Z represents these values and is therefore an incredible source of inspiration to us all,” commented Ricardo Marques, Budweiser’s global advertising director.

The ad is part of a global campaign for the Made for Music programme, running across more than 85 countries. Integrated OOH, print and online content will promote the initiative with Budweiser also bringing live music experiences to fans worldwide through over 160 events in 25 countries, including Jay Z concerts at the Budweiser Made in America Festival on 31 August and 1 September in Philadelphia.

UK marketing manager for Budweiser, Jennifer Anton, added: “Music is an important part of UK culture, something that everyone enjoys and anticipates. The launch of the Jay Z TVC is just the start of our plans to bring more music experiences to the UK as part of the Made for Music campaign.”

What a superb idea: treat cyclists as you treat horses on the road. It's simple and clear - we all know that you slow down and give horses a wide berth, so do the same to people on bikes. This lovely piece shows people being cared for just like our four-legged friends to emphasise the point. Only... why, in the name of safety, doesn't the woman at the end wear a helmet?

Agency: Newhaven (Edinburgh)
Film Prod Co: MTP (Glasgow)
Director: Guy Paterson

Paddy Power is set to launch its ‘Ball of Shame’ TV ad on Sunday 11 August to help out hard done by punters who find themselves at the receiving end of the mad and bad behaviour in football.

The campaign launches with a TV spot that looks forward to the new season and suggests what crazy behaviour we might encounter this year; encouraging fans to look out for offers whenever something mad and bad happens and get involved via social, outdoor, print, radio, TV and viral.

Offers have already begun with a £10 free bet paid out to Hull City fans following news today that the owner of the club has controversially changed its name to Hull City Tigers.

Over three quarters (85 per cent) of marketeers start thinking about work three days before they go back, a new infographic from Forever Creative has found.

The infographic also finds that 23 per cent of marketeers check their emails every day while away, the same per cent that never check their emails.

Eight per cent of those questioned suggested that they felt that they needed another holiday as soon as they came back.

ROI agency ZenithOptimedia has announced the launch of a new healthcare and pharmaceutical division, ZenithOptimedia Health.

Led by Richard Shotton, who will provide a full range of marketing services including media planning and buying, brand tracking, econometrics, SEO, PPC and conversion rate optimisation, ZenithOptimedia Health clients will benefit from a number of data sources helping them to better understand the range and influence of the media avenues available to them.

“ZenithOptimedia is well established in the healthcare and pharmaceutical field…We are aggressively targeting growth in this area and are continually looking to deliver new insights to enable our clients to make the most profitable decisions. ZenithOptimedia Health gives us an opportunity to further enhance our unique positioning and furnish our clients with an even stronger competitive edge,” commented Tim Hipperson, CEO, ZenithOptimedia Group.

Head of ZenithOptimedia Health, Shotton, added: “ZenithOptimedia Health is a compelling opportunity for clients, offering the benefits of a large agency whilst having the sector knowledge of a specialist.”

The healthcare and pharmaceutical division will also offer clients the opportunity to access media personnel – GPs, vets, pharmacists and specialists – as well as ailment sufferers to pre-test creatives and monitor campaigns.

Aldermore Bank has announced the appointment of Equimedia to handle its digital marketing strategy, as well as media planning and buying.

The agency will be tasked with recruiting new savings, mortgages, invoice finance accounts and attracting SMEs looking for business savings accounts.

Helen Walsh, head of digital marketing at Aldermore, said: “We’re so happy to be working with Equimedia. Since our opening discussions, their experience so closely matches our own that we know we have found a winning combination in our partnership.”

Andrew Burgess, Equimedia CEO, added: “We are delighted to have been selected to work with the energetic, ambitious team at Aldermore Bank and look forward to the challenge of helping them to develop their strategy and meet their business aims in 2013 as cost efficiently as possible.”

Equimedia was appointed following a competitive pitch.

Boots has launched a new phase of its Ta Dah! campaign, featuring real women aged between 25 and 55 using the brand’s No7 make-up range.

A TV ad for the campaign, created by Mother, launched yesterday, Friday 9 August; and is set to run through the month. TV will be supported by print and digital advertising alongside a fully integrated PR and digital campaign.

Elizabeth Fagan, marketing director for Boots UK, said: “No7 is a British brand drawing on over 70 years of experience in cosmetics and today sees the start of a celebration of colour. Our ambition is to represent real women showing how they feel when they try out a new look, be it a slick of lipstick or a sweep of blusher, we want to encourage women to release their inner Ta Dah!

“At No7 we’re proud that our customers trust us to listen to them and to continue to provide them with products that make them look and feel their best. Our hope is that they will be as excited about this campaign as we are.”

The campaign looks to promote the positive emotions women feel when trying on make-up.

Will Nicholls, business director at Mother, said: “Our approach with this campaign was very participatory. We used street-casting to invite a whole host of real women of all ages and from every walk of life, to take part. We used portrait photographer James Mollison to capture women’s raw and very real emotions once they had experienced a new look. The backdrops were handmade using silk and actual No7 makeup products to ensure the portraits were really brought to life through colour.”

Simon Lawrence, founder and CEO of Information Arts, has announced the launch of a new B2B agency, Uncommon Knowledge; which is set to work with Atelier Studios.

The new venture, founded in response to well-documented shifts within and convergences between the worlds of data, marketing and business strategy, will work with clients looking to employ a strictly data-first approach to their enterprise.

He is joined at Uncommon Knowledge by Simon Oliver, head of data science; Angela Beresford, head of insight and co-owner of Atelier Studios, Renaud Clarke, who will provide consultancy in digital marketing.

Simon Lawrence, CEO and founder of Uncommon Knowledge, said: “For many years, data has been treated as a periphery by businesses that habitually retrofit insight to creative and strategy. In my experience, many longstanding data agencies and consultancies are still acquiescing this practice, resulting in an industry that doesn’t ever reap its true value.

“I set up Uncommon Knowledge not to give data a facelift but to position it as the only true foundation of creative and strategic marketing. As marketers and businesspeople, technology and experience has put us in a stronger position than we ever have been to devise smart, measurable and accountable marketing for our brands.

“Our close partnership with Atelier Studios will afford us a seamless proposition for our clients. I am confident that their exceptional digital and creative offering powered by the unparalleled market intelligence of Uncommon Knowledge will result in a valuable and compelling proposition for our clients.”

Uncommon knowledge launches with clients such as Rygor Commercials Ltd, a Mercedes commercial vehicles dealership.

Ask.fm owners Mark and Ilja Terebin have appointed London law firm Mishcon de Reya to carry out an independent audit of the social media site and its safety features, following the suicide of Hannah Swift.

Swift, 14, committed suicide after she was bullied on the site; with Na href="http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/08/08/askfm-advertisers-laura-ashley-vo...">brands such as The Sun, Vodafone and Laura Ashley having since pulled their advertising.

The brothers said: "A team of lawyers and media specialists are currently undertaking a detailed examination and investigation of the various procedures and policies we have in place.

"They will report back to us with their findings and comprehensive recommendations in the next seven days."

Mishcon de Reya acted for Princess Diana when she got divorced from Prince Charles.

Should this subject affect yourself or any other young person you know, then ChildLine can be contacted on 0800 1111.

The Metropolitan Police are looking into whether it should investigate allegations of misconduct and fraud over payoffs to top BBC executives.

Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner for specialist crime and operations has revealed in a letter that the police are ‘gathering information’ to see if an investigation should take place.

This comes after Conservative MP Rob Wilson wrote to the police asking if an investigation would occur.

Rowley replied: "Officers from the fraud squad, specialist, organised and economic crime command (SC&O7) have been tasked to conduct an assessment of the information provided in your letter.

“We are currently gathering information to assist with our assessment and a decision will be made as to whether we progress to a full investigation in due course.”

This comes as the BBC prepares for its public accounts committee on 9 September.

Former newspaper owner Eddy Shah has claimed underage girls who “just go out and have a good time” are to blame for being abused, in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and subsequent Operation Yewtree investigations by Scotland Yard.

The 69-year-old founder of the Today newspaper made the comments during an interview on BBC Radio 5 live. He was recently found not guilty of raping a schoolgirl.

Speaking about Operation Yewtree – the police investigation into cases of child abuse following the Jimmy Savile revelations – Shah told BBC presenter Stephen Nolan: “Rape was a technical thing – below a certain age.

“But these girls were going out with pop groups and becoming groupies and throwing themselves at them. Young girls and young men have always wanted a bit of excitement when they are young. They want to appear adult and do adult things.”

When pressed on whether that meant some victims were to blame, he said: “If we’re talking about girls who just go out and have a good time, then they are to blame.

“If we talk about people who go out and actually get ‘raped’ raped, then I feel no – and everything should be done against that.”

Shah added that Operation Yewtree was “easy policing and easy prosecutions” and “based on emotion”.

The mother of Ask.fm founders IIja and Mark Terebin has claimed the parents of teens whose suicides have been linked to bullying on the social network are more at fault than the website.

Hannah Smith, 14, took her own life earlier this month after being bullied on the site and her death is the fourth to be linked to the social network. Ask.fm quickly apologised and called Smith’s death a “tragedy”, but a wave of brands went on to pull advertising from the site, including Specsavers, Vodafone and Save The Children.

In the latest twist to the situation, the two founders’ mother, Ludmila Terebin, told the Mail on Sunday: “I heard about this suicide case in the UK but I do not understand why my sons are to blame.

“What are they guilty of? I think we’d better look instead at the parents of these teenagers and at the way they brought them up.

“Of course, I sympathise with them. It is awful to lose your child like this but, I’m sorry, it is all to do with how you raise them.”

Terebin went on to say she didn’t understand why blame was being laid at the feet of her sons.

IIja and Mark Terebin have said they will cooperate with any police investigation and have appointed London law firm Mischon de Reya – the firm which acted for Princess Diana during her divorce from Prince Charles - to carry out an independent audit of the social media site and its safety features.

Should this subject affect yourself or any other young person you know, then ChildLine can be contacted on 0800 1111

The British public have ploughed £30,000 into a project which will see advertising billboards up and down the country replaced with some of the nation’s greatest artworks.

The Art Everywhere project raised the money from crowd funding and kicks off tomorrow for two weeks. As well as billboards, art will appear on buses, cabs and tube station digital screens.

The works chosen to go on show were picked by the public and include everything from The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s album cover to arts by John William Waterhouse, Bridget Riley, Francis Bacon, Tracey Emin and John Constable.

#ArtEverywhere has an interactive map on its website showing people were they can expect to see the works, and a Blippar app will provide more information on the works.

The project is supported and produced by Richard Reed, the Art Fund, Tate, Posterscope, Vizeum, 101 Creative Agency, Easyart, Blippar and ArtsMediaPeople.

The Department of Business has confirmed taxpayers’ money has been used for an advertising campaign encouraging the public to buy shares in Royal Mail following the government’s privatisation plans.

Engine Group has been appointed to create the advertising campaign and the Department of Business has refused to reveal how much is being spent on it. Co-founder of Engine, Julian Hough, said the agency was “delighted” to have won the contract for the “highly prestigious piece of business”.

Billy Hayes, CWU general secretary, was quoted in the Mirror as saying: “The government is splashing taxpayers’ money on a deeply unpopular privatisation programme.

“More than two-thirds of the public are against privatisation – a clear majority in any system.”

A YouGov poll revealed last month that just a fifth of the public supported the government’s privatisation of Royal Mail, with 67 per cent in opposition.

The BBC’s new director of news and current affairs, James Harding, takes up his post today, having been appointed to the role in April.

Harding, a former editor of The Times, has already spent time working alongside the team in the run up to taking over the post made vacant by Helen Boaden, who has moved to the role of director of BBC Radio.

Harding was hired following criticism over the corporation’s Newsnight programme, after it aired false allegations that Lord McAlpine was a paedophile and

According to the BBC, Harding will receive £340,000 a year.

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games has named five new sporting ambassadors a week ahead of releasing one million tickets for sale, with a new advertising campaign also beginning to roll out.

The campaign, which declares ‘when a city becomes an arena’ will run across cinema, bus sides and billboards to help promote the ticket sale, while Olympic Gold medlaists Jessica Ennis-Hill and Nicola Adams have also been named as official Games Ambassadors alongside Michael Jamieson, David Carry and Alan Wells.

The latest ambassadors will join Sir Chris Hoy, Billy Connolly, Martin Compston and Rebecca Adlington in promoting the Games next year.

The new advert, created by The Leith Agency with production by Freakworks, will run in cinemas from 19 August, featuring Ennis-Hill, Adams and Jamieson.

AdTruth has announced the appointment of James Collier as regional managing director of EMEA, to help drive the company’s growth ni the region.

Prior to AdTruth, Collier was European business development director at YuMe, a digital video advertising solution provider. He brings 13 years of experience to the role; having worked at News Corp, Badoo and Google.

Collier said: “As cookies continue to fall out of favour with both consumers and advertisers, AdTruth’s device recognition technology fulfills a strong need in the marketplace for a forward thinking solution that provides universality in both privacy, as well as on platform, whilst delivering tangible benefits in performance.

"I’m thrilled to be joining at a time of significant expansion and in bringing new likeminded partners to the AdTruth family.”

Collier will be London-based.

A number of jobs have been put at risk as Global Radio begins to integrate parts of Real & Smooth Radio Ltd into its business.

The news comes following a group-wide announcement this morning where it was revealed to staff that Smooth programming and sales teams in London and West Midlands would be merging with Global teams in London.

Smooth Radio’s programming team consisting of presenters, journalists, producers and administrators, currently based in Manchester, will now transfer to London. With programming to be handled by Global’s London headquarters in Leicester Square.

Glasgow-based Smooth Radio will continue to take networked shows from London, along with locally produced breakfast and drivetime shows.

A spokesperson for Global Radio has told the press that the programming team will relocate at “the beginning of October”.

Adding: “The Real and Smooth Limited Direct sales team will also relocate to Leicester Square and to the new Global broadcast centre in Birmingham by October. Remaining areas of business will continue to operate under hold separate.”

The two companies have been operating in a hold separate situation since Global Radio purchased GMG Radio in June 2012, the Competition Commission has been investigating the takeover ever since with recommendations top sell stations, including Smooth Radio in a number of regions. In March Global offered to sell Real XS and Gold East Midlands, but the deal was rejected by the Competition Commission.

A tribunal will now take place in October to argue against the Competition Commission’s suggestion that Global sell stations in Wales, Scotland, the Northeast, Northwest, East Midlands and Yorkshire. The only regions the Competition Commission is allowing Global to keep all stations are London and the West Midlands.

Paula Barrow has been appointed director of marketing at the University of Salford.

The role is newly-created and Barrow will be responsible for brand development, web and social media marketing and international student recruitment. She will leave her current head of university marketing position at the University of Manchester in November to take up the job.

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to combine my higher education knowledge and youth marketing experience to lead a bold, new marketing approach for Salford – there is certainly a great story for us to tell,” said Barrow.

University of Salford vice-chancellor, Professor Martin Hall, added: “She brings a wealth of experience gained in higher education and other corporate areas and joins us at an important time with the introduction of the Marketing and Student Recruitment Directorate and the development of a new strategic plan for the university.”

Barrow brings with her more than 20 years’ experience in marketing with a career that began at News International and progressed to American Express, PolyGram Home Entertainment, Levi Strauss and BBC Worldwide.

It was revealed today that in the last four years, university marketing spend has increased by 25 per cent.