

Media Intelligence
WPP Media
Welcome to Media Intelligence, the official podcast from WPP Media, WPP’s global media collective. Dive into the heart of the media industry with us as we explore topics like strategy, technology, marketing, and the role of media in society. Featuring experts from our global agencies and divisions, we'll unpack how we're shaping a future where advertising works better for everyone. Whether you're a business leader or a media enthusiast, join us for insights that matter.
Welcome to Media Intelligence by WPP Media.
Welcome to Media Intelligence by WPP Media.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 22, 2022 • 51min
29/ July 22: Hashtag Mukbang
Amanda Grant, VP & Global Head of Social at GroupM, joins Kate as guest host this week as we get into the latest earnings reports from Twitter and Snap and discuss why social commerce has yet to gain as much traction in Western markets as it has in Asia. Then, Dade Hayes — business editor for Deadline Hollywood and author of the new book "Binge Times: Inside Hollywood's Furious Billion-Dollar Battle to Take Down Netflix" — shares insights on the streaming industry following this week's Netflix numbers. And, finally: mukbangs.
Related Links:
Binge Times by Dade Hayes & Dawn Chmielewski
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jul 15, 2022 • 45min
28/ July 15: Microsoft and Chill
With Brian out eating his weight in chocolate, Adam Gerber, GroupM's Executive Director of U.S. Investment Strategy, joins as guest co-host to discuss the recent flurry of major announcements, including Netflix choosing Microsoft as its ad partner, a tie-up between The Trade Desk and Disney and the latest in the Musk-Twitter drama. Plus, GroupM's Mike Fisher comes on to explain how Adam binge-watching Bosch led to a breakthrough study on the efficacy of CTV advertising.
Related Links:
How Microsoft won Netflix (Insider)
Disney inks major advertising deal with The Trade Desk (Axios)
Continuous Play (GroupM)
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jul 1, 2022 • 38min
27/ July 1: Where in the World Is Brian Sandiego?
Brian gives us an update on his European travels, including the latest chatter around the impact of inflation in the Eurozone. A quick look at U.S. political pressure on TikTok, the future of the metaverse and the latest in Disney corporate intrigue. And Kate sits down with Bridget Sponsky, Executive Director of Marketing at Ally Financial, and AJ Andrews, TV host and former Rawlings Gold Glover, to talk about the state of women's sports and representation off the back of the 50th anniversary of Title IX passing in the U.S.
Related Links:
The Metaverse in 2040
Barrier Breaking Women with A.J. Andrews
Ally Financial's 50/50 Pledge
AJ Andrews on Twitter and LinkedIn
Bridget Sponsky on LinkedIn
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jun 24, 2022 • 31min
26/ June 24: Post-Cannes Chocolate and Kummerspeck
Kate comes back from vacation with a first-hand account of consumer spending in action, lending some anecdotal evidence to the growth we're seeing in the services industry. Brian goes over his big takeaways from Cannes, including the future of Netflix's ad business and his conversation with Citigroup's Tom Singlehurst about the current state of the media industry, and he teases his upcoming chocolate marathon.
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jun 16, 2022 • 27min
25/ June 16: This Year Next Year Mid-Year 2022
It's finally here. Brian and Kate discuss the findings of GroupM's This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report, explaining why they still expect solid growth this year despite some economic concerns.
Related Links:
GroupM: This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising Report
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jun 10, 2022 • 37min
24/ June 10: What Has 10 Teams and is Big Enough to Scare Rupert Murdoch? Cricket.
Parveen Sheik, from GroupM India, joins the show to discuss the intricacies and high stakes of the imminent media rights bidding process for the IPL, India's top cricket league. But first, Brian and Kate go over some inflation statics from around the world and what that means for the price of bacon. Then a quick look at the current shipping logistics morass before getting into the surprising shakeup at the top of Disney. And get ready for next week, when GroupM will release its This Year Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report.
Music credit: Joseph McDade

Jun 3, 2022 • 26min
23/ June 3: Common Carriers, Content Moderation & An Economic Outlook
Brian and Kate briefly take us through the ad markets of Thailand and the Philippines as GroupM prepares to release the This Year, Next Year 2022 Mid-Year Global Advertising report. Then they examine the potential global impact of pending legislation and legal actions in the US focused on Big Tech's moderation of content and whether or not certain companies qualify as common carriers. Lastly, Brian explains why he thinks the economy isn’t necessarily on the brink of disaster.
Related links:
WSJ: Why Sheryl Sandberg Quit Facebook's Meta
Bloomberg: Jamie Dimon Says JPMorgan Is Bracing Itself for Economic ‘Hurricane’
https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Briefing-Room/News-Releases/Filed-Complaint-(Time-Stamped).aspx
Music credit: Joseph McDade

May 20, 2022 • 28min
22/ May 20: Not Live, but in Person
Brian buys his wife an anniversary gift and suffers the (retargeting) consequences. Then Brian and Kate discuss Texas Bill HB 20, which would limit the moderation of social platforms, and look at new retail sales data from China. Then Kate sits down with GroupM China CEO Patrick Xu and GroupM Poland CEO Izabela Albrychiewicz to talk about how they see their markets performing this year amid global monetary, health, and geopolitical challenges.
Music credit: Joseph McDade

May 13, 2022 • 23min
21/ May 13: Around the World in 22 Minutes
Kate and Brian offer a sneak peek at GroupM's forthcoming This Year, Next Year report with a round-the-world rundown of top trends, including recession worries in the U.K., lockdowns in China, the coming global expansion of major U.S. broadcasters. And, of course, we address the latest news on Elon Musk's Twitter takeover bid.
Music credit: Joseph McDade

May 6, 2022 • 41min
20/ May 6: Analyst Panic and Special Guest, Insider's Claire Atkinson
Brian and Kate address current analyst and investor panic as they dig into the latest platform and e-commerce earnings reports. Then Chief Media Correspondent at Insider, Claire Atkinson, joins the podcast to discuss the twists, turns, and personalities calling the shots at Warner, Paramount, and Disney.
Related links:
Claire Atkinson on Twitter and Insider.
Music credit: Joseph McDade


