This week’s podcast sees Chloe Redfern, Matt Vera Bazley and Rachel Gardner catch the running bug and get all broody over the latest royal baby.
The 2018 London Marathon was the hottest on record, with the mercury hitting a sweat-inducing 24.1C. Whether you did it dressed as a rhino or in high-tech sports gear, reaching the finish line was one heck of an achievement.
Facebook published its content removal policies for the first time, giving the public a rare insight into the rules it uses to decide whether content is acceptable. Will sharing its polices put an end to criticism, or encourage more people to challenge the moderator’s decisions?
A new Prince of Cambridge was born and the media devoted more than 80 pages and hours of coverage to his arrival. Was the intense media coverage all too much, or is our fascination with all things royal an important part of being British?
The weather next week will be changeable, with a downpour of fries followed by an upturned chicken nugget box. At least that’s the forecast according to McDonald’s, which has partnered with the Met Office for a digital outdoor campaign that uses real-time weather data. Highly creative? Or somewhat confusing? One thing we’re sure of is that this marketing campaign is making us hungry for more sunshine.
Featuring everything from fake models to award-winning rappers, this week’s Headliner podcast has it all.
Sir Martin Sorrell, the head of the world's largest advertising company WPP, has stepped down after an internal investigation into claims of personal misconduct. The news has rocked the world of comms, with many people coming out of the woodwork to either mourn his departure, celebrate the changing of the guard or pontificate about the future for WPP.
Thinking of buying a house in the next decade? If you were born in the 80’s or 90’s, then think again. Recent reports suggest that up to a third of millennials will be forced to rent a property for the rest of their lives. If you’re a member of generation rent, why not get in touch on Twitter and share your take?
High street pub-chain JD Wetherspoon recently called time on social media by closing its profiles, reportedly due to the bad publicity that surrounds social. It’s a bold but perhaps not surprising move for a brand that had 900 social channels which were kept hectic by customer service chatter. What does it mean for Wetherspoon, for its loyal patrons and the role social media plays for brands today?
You’ve heard of people photoshopping their pictures to look better, but how about creating a fake model to pose in the photos with you? Yes, CGI models are the hot new thing, with Miquela Sousa, better known as Lil Miquela – an American computer-generated model – taking the Instagram selfie scene by storm. Yet this raises some serious questions about the nirvana of authenticity. Is this the future of modelling, or will the real thing always win?
In a landmark move for both music and the awarding body, rapper Kendrick Lamar made history by becoming the first non-jazz or classical artist to receive a Pulitzer Prize for music. The award was given in recognition of his coveted 2017 album, Damn, which organisers said offered "affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life". Excuse us whilst we stick it on repeat for the hundredth time.
This week’s podcast sees Chloe Redfern, Alanna Duffield and Ollie Pink discuss everything from new political parties to proper punctuation.
Having announced a £75 million boost in research funding, Theresa May has officially declared war on prostate cancer. The move has helped spur conversation about the disease, driving awareness and highlighting how the issue can affect men of all ages.
Tony Blair has recently had to deny any ties with a new UK political party. A fledgling “centrist” party, partly funded by the founder of LoveFilm (the now redundant mail-order video rental service) is set to compete in the next general election. Will this be a revolution for the ages, or a flash in the pan?
French President Emmanuel Macron met some resistance when attempting to re-assert French over English as the EU’s lingua franca. Many linguists believe this won’t happen anytime soon, but could the EU soon be speaking the language of love?
Speaking of language, the team digress to discuss their favourite punctuation from the ellipsis (“The raised eyebrow of punctuation” according to Alanna) to the sorely underused em dash—Ollie gives us a lesson on why we should love grammar.
Finally, research has revealed that trying to live up to the achievement of their parents is making men depressed. Studies have shown that men who are unable to better their parents are likely to suffer from anxiety levels similar to those going through a divorce. Are you still struggling to surpass mum or dad, or have you resolved to forge your own success?
Tensions around the gender pay gap reached new heights last week, as the deadline for businesses to reveal their own internal pay disparities loomed large. Which companies were the worst offenders, will the results affect the way we view certain brands and, perhaps most importantly, will the forced-transparency lead to positive change?
Disney has recently offered to buy Sky News, a move to help to alleviate fears that Rupert Murdoch will control too much of the UK news media. However, it also opens the door to other bidders, such as Comcast, to come calling. Is diluting Murdoch’s media ownership a positive move, or could this be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen?
Our special segment this week features Oliver Pink and guest-host Matt Gray discussing the latest on the Salisbury poisoning, including reluctant Russians and bashful British politicians.
De La Rue filed a legal action against the Government after losing their tender for creating passports. It’s a move which has enraged red tops while seemingly uniting free market Leavers and Remainers. But is this a big fret over nothing, or a welcome distraction from Brexit boredom?
Last but in no way least, the team take an in depth look at their favourite 2018 April Fools’ campaigns. From chocolate mayonnaise to space-aged whiskey, were you tricked by any troublesome brands this year?