Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup

A new report from GroupM and Mindshare UK highlights how regional stereotyping in advertising is alienating a significant portion of the UK population. The Shaping the Nation study, which surveyed 10,000 people across Britain, found that over a third (35%) of consumers feel their local area is underrepresented in ads. While there’s a clear demand for more authentic, regionally sensitive campaigns, more than half of those surveyed (52%) believe that the UK’s diverse community values should be better reflected in advertising. Brands that genuinely showcase different areas of the UK could unlock greater consumer loyalty, with 39% of consumers saying they are more likely to purchase from brands that do so.

For more actionable insights into how brands can connect with communities across the UK, download the full report here. 

Global is set to transform outdoor advertising with the launch of a groundbreaking immersive full-tunnel wrap on the Elizabeth Line. This dynamic new format will feature four 10-metre LED screens that wrap around the architecture of the tunnel, allowing brands to engage in a more interactive, immersive way. This initiative is part of Global’s expanded partnership with Transport for London (TfL), which will also introduce new digital escalator panels, cinematic Digital Gateway screens, and 1,000 new digital D6 and D12 sheets across the TfL network. Additionally, Global’s new audience tool, Access All Audiences, combines first-party data with real-time signals to enhance ad targeting and campaign efficiency, enabling advertisers to reach their desired audiences at the right time and place.

Following its Q1 2025 earnings call, Meta has highlighted five areas advertisers should focus on to improve performance across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and messaging apps. These include: leaning into AI-powered tools like Advantage+ and GEM, prioritising video content (especially Reels), experimenting with business messaging and AI agents, expanding reach via Threads ads, and exploring influencer partnerships through Instagram’s creator marketplace. While these recommendations are naturally aligned with Meta’s business goals, the data-backed insights suggest strong opportunities for brands looking to stay ahead of shifting social trends.

Read Meta’s full breakdown, including case studies and best practice tips, here.

Google is expanding its conversational AI capabilities in Search, enabling users to interact with a ChatGPT-style interface powered by its Gemini AI system. Initially limited to testers, AI Mode is now available to all Google Labs users in the U.S., with broader access coming soon. This update allows users to ask follow-up questions and discover new websites and businesses through a more natural search experience. Google is also introducing visual place and product cards to enhance the interaction.

What does this mean for your SEO strategy?
As search becomes more conversational, businesses will need to adapt their SEO strategies. Optimising for conversational queries, providing direct answers, and integrating visual elements could become key to maintaining visibility in this evolving search landscape.

Spotify is enhancing its advertising capabilities by adding podcast inventory to its recently launched Ad Exchange (Sax) later this quarter, following its initial launch with only music inventory. This expansion will offer advertisers more opportunities to target podcast audiences in addition to music listeners. Alongside this, Spotify is also rolling out generative-AI ads in the UK in Q2, enabling advertisers to create scripts and voiceovers within Spotify’s Ads Manager. The feature will incorporate UK accents, making it more relevant for the local market. Spotify’s move toward programmatic advertising and performance-driven campaigns is aimed at helping businesses, both large and small, engage with audiences more effectively.

TikTok has introduced a new option for its Promote ads, enabling brands to optimise for direct messages (DMs) through third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Line, and Zalo. This new goal replaces the previous ‘More TikTok messages’ option, allowing businesses to drive traffic to these platforms instead of just the TikTok inbox. Available for lead generation campaigns, this feature targets TikTok users who have a supported messaging app installed on their device. By offering more flexibility in lead management, businesses can streamline their outreach efforts and engage with potential customers on the messaging platform of their choice.

Google has announced significant updates to its AI-powered Performance Max campaigns, enhancing campaign transparency and reporting features. Advertisers now have access to detailed channel-level performance insights, allowing for easier identification of high-performing platforms. The addition of diagnostic reporting helps pinpoint potential issues, while the new Search terms reporting provides in-depth data on how Search is influencing campaign performance. These updates empower advertisers to optimise their strategies by fine-tuning creative assets and targeting to maximise conversions across Google’s full range of channels.

According to a new Adobe survey, 36% of consumers – including 39% of Gen Z – now start their searches on Pinterest instead of Google, signalling a major shift in online discovery. The platform’s visual-first, personalised results are proving more engaging than traditional search, with 80% of businesses saying Pinterest drives higher consumer interaction than Google, Facebook or Instagram. While brands are capitalising on Pinterest to drive traffic and build awareness, many still struggle with the time demands of content creation (61%) and navigating Pinterest SEO (47%).

Is your brand on Pinterest yet? If you’re not sure how to make it work for your brand, our social team can help you tap into its full potential – get in touch today!

Meta has refreshed its Advantage+ Catalog Ads by introducing new ‘dynamic overlays’ – sticker-style elements that showcase key product information like price, discount, percentage off, or free shipping, directly on ad creatives. These overlays are only available on the Facebook feed for now, but can be applied automatically or manually customised in terms of shape, font, position, and colour. While the function is similar to Meta’s previous labels, the ability to toggle individual overlay types makes this update a useful tweak for marketers aiming to grab attention and drive conversions.

Find out how to create a Meta Advantage+ catalogue ad with automatic text overlay here.

Google Ads has increased the Search themes cap in Performance Max campaigns from 25 to 50, giving advertisers more room to guide campaign targeting while still leveraging automation. The update follows feedback from marketers who found the previous limit restrictive – particularly those managing broad product ranges. Search themes act like keyword signals to steer Performance Max toward relevant queries, making them a valuable tool for shaping AI-driven campaigns without traditional keywords. The expanded limit gives brands more flexibility to align with user intent across diverse segments.