Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup

The UK and Ireland box office enjoyed a strong May, with revenues rising 19% year-on-year to £130.4 million. A diverse mix of blockbuster franchises, biopics and original horror titles helped drive growth, proving that audiences are still eager for the big-screen experience. Michael and The Devil Wears Prada 2 led the way, while breakout horror hits Obsession and Backrooms demonstrated that fresh intellectual property can still generate significant buzz and ticket sales.

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LinkedIn is introducing more detailed post-performance analytics, giving users greater visibility into who their content is reaching. The update will show how much engagement comes from existing connections versus users outside a creator’s network, helping marketers better understand content distribution and audience growth.

The new insights provide valuable context beyond likes and impressions, allowing businesses and thought leaders to assess whether their content is successfully expanding reach or primarily engaging existing followers. For brands investing heavily in LinkedIn content, these additional metrics could help refine content strategies and identify the types of posts that drive broader discovery.

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Google continues to push AI-powered search experiences forward, with growing speculation around AI Mode becoming more prominent within Chrome and the wider search ecosystem. The development signals Google’s intention to make conversational AI interactions a core part of how users discover information online.

While traditional search isn’t disappearing overnight, the continued expansion of AI-powered discovery suggests that search behaviour is entering a new era, one where visibility may depend as much on AI understanding your content as it does on ranking highly in search results.

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Google has issued further clarification around how advertisers can use audience targeting within Demand Gen campaigns when sensitive audience categories are involved. The update aims to help advertisers better understand compliance requirements while ensuring campaigns continue to meet privacy and user protection standards.

The clarification serves as an important reminder that audience-first advertising must be balanced with responsible targeting practices. Advertisers operating in sectors that could fall within sensitive categories should review campaign setups carefully to ensure they remain compliant with Google’s policies.

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WhatsApp is rolling out a range of football-themed updates ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. New features include themed calling effects, stickers, updated icons and improved discovery tools for World Cup-related channels, all designed to encourage fan engagement throughout the tournament.

The move reflects Meta’s broader strategy of turning major global events into engagement opportunities across its platforms. By integrating event-specific experiences directly into messaging, WhatsApp is creating more ways for users to interact with content and conversations around live sporting moments.

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