Omnicom Media names Sandra Sotelo PHD EMEA chief executive
Campaign’s Ben Bold reports that Omnicom Media has appointed Sandra Sotelo as chief executive of PHD EMEA, a senior leadership move at the agency’s regional operation. The article is paywalled and does not detail her prior role or start date.
IPA data: ROI is up 4% since Covid, but profit from campaigns fell 11%
The Media Leader’s Catherine Offord argues that AV planning has splintered as budgets chased fast, measurable returns, citing IPA Databank research from Les Binet and Will Davis.
DC Thomson picks agency for three brands
Campaign’s Eszter Gurbicz reports that Beano owner DC Thomson has appointed an agency to handle work across three of its brands, following a competitive pitch process.
Arcade CEO: premium creators are the ‘new primetime’ for brands
The Media Leader’s Charli West reports that Arcade CEO Matt Elek is repositioning the Sidemen’s management firm as a creator-first entertainment company.
Mediacorp debuts shoppertainment microdrama Love Angels across social and TV
C21Media reports that Singapore’s Mediacorp has launched Love Angels, a 20-episode microdrama billed as its first “shoppertainment” title, embedding products into the plot for a content-to-commerce ad campaign across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, MeWatch and Channel 8 with QR-code purchase links.
Target brings TikTok’s top sleep brand to 550 stores
Digiday’s Gabriela Barkho reports that Target is launching Mellow Sleep, TikTok’s top-selling sleep brand, in 550 stores starting October 18 before going nationwide by year’s end.
Circana’s Lindsay Pullins links retail media to CTV measurement
Ad Age profiles Lindsay Pullins, who joined Circana in May as senior VP of global retail media and commerce after working at Roku, focused on connecting ad exposure to actual purchase behavior across retail media and connected TV measurement.
Orange to carry ReelShort microdramas across Africa, Middle East
C21Media reports that Orange Middle East & Africa has signed a multi-year deal to distribute ReelShort’s microdrama content through its Max It TV service across 17 markets, launching in a first wave by the end of 2026.
Skydance’s $11 billion stock drop outran its $1 billion warrant payout
Puck’s William D. Cohan reports that Skydance stock fell 24 percent after 471 million warrants, valued at $1 billion, went to minority shareholders, but the stock lost $11 billion in value, far more than the warrants’ worth.
Publicis posts 25th straight quarter of outperformance, holds full-year guidance
MediaPost’s Steve McClellan reports that Publicis Groupe grew net revenue 7.9% to 3.8 billion euros in Q3, with 5% organic growth, and reaffirmed full-year guidance of 4.5% to 5%.
Tubi built an R.L. Stine horror franchise to bridge its Gen Z and 40-plus viewers
The Hollywood Reporter’s Abbey White details how Tubi’s Josh Van Houdt turned a Front Street Pictures deal into a three-picture R.L. Stine franchise, with Pumpkinhead spending two weeks on Luminate’s Top 10 before a sequel and clown-themed threequel followed.
MSQ names Stagwell’s James Townsend as new group CEO
MediaPost’s Steve McClellan reports that MSQ has named James Townsend group CEO, succeeding Peter Reid, who moves to executive chairman, with Townsend arriving from Stagwell where he ran Stagwell EMEA and the Brand Performance Network.
Wayfair goes long on football with a family-first spot
eMarketer’s Christopher Wood reports that Wayfair is running a family-focused ad during football programming, betting that a softer, home-and-family creative angle will resonate more than a hard-sell pitch during the high-viewership sports window.
Q5: broadcasters risk losing audiences they don’t own on borrowed platforms
The Media Leader’s Graham Page argues that broadcasters chasing reach on YouTube and social platforms risk building audiences they never own, citing the Washington Post’s loss of its audience when creator Dave Jorgenson left in 2025.
Evan Shapiro values Skydance at $29 billion amid ‘Ellison Risk’ debt pileup
Media War & Peace’s Evan Shapiro launches an interactive Media Map App and pegs the newly merged Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery entity, which he calls “SKID,” at a $29 billion valuation despite deal prices near $88 billion to $111 billion.
USGA names Gupta Media as paid media agency of record
MediaPost’s Steve McClellan reports that the USGA picked Gupta Media as its paid media AOR after a competitive pitch, replacing Carmichael Lynch to drive ticket sales for upcoming U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open events.
MRC strips Nielsen PPM accreditation in 4 markets, denies it in 18 more
MediaPost’s Joe Mandese reports that the Media Rating Council has revoked Nielsen’s PPM accreditation in Baltimore, Jacksonville, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and denied accreditation for 18 other markets under review, including New York, Boston and Washington DC.
Media sellers consolidate across UK, Japan, Germany and China
Madison and Wall reports this week’s international news centered on who controls premium media inventory sales, citing the UK weighing intervention in Sky’s ITV deal, Japan’s top networks forming a joint ad-trading company, and German publishers filing for a shared sales house.
Nagmeh Taheri lands growth role at Stagwell
Campaign’s Lucy Shelley reports that Nagmeh Taheri has landed a growth-focused role at Stagwell, though the article’s paywall limits available detail on her exact title and remit.