Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup

Meta has begun rolling out advertising on Threads to all global users, expanding paid social inventory beyond Facebook and Instagram. This means brands can now reach more than 400 million users with a variety of formats: including image, video, carousel and Advantage+ catalogue ads. This will be applied directly within Threads feeds. For paid social teams, this is significant: Threads offers a new surface for creative testing, audience engagement and broader funnel activation alongside traditional Meta placements. Integrated campaign planning can now include Threads as a priority placement to diversify audience reach and meet users earlier in the discovery journey.
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New benchmark data shows Google search and Shopping ad clicks reached their highest level in five years in Q4 2025, with overall search ad spend up 13% year-on-year. Click growth was particularly strong, while average CPCs stayed stable, offering advertisers deeper reach at consistent costs. Growth was driven by AI-fuelled query expansion and shifts in auction dynamics including reduced Amazon participation in Shopping auctions. Microsoft and Amazon ad channels also saw strong performance, underlining how search continues to anchor performance media strategies even as other formats compete for attention. This signals resilience in search advertising and fresh opportunities to capture high-intent audiences.

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Amsterdam has formally voted to ban advertising for meat products and fossil‑fuel‑related goods (like petrol/diesel cars, air travel and cruises) in public outdoor spaces, including billboards and bus shelters, making it the first capital city in the world to impose such a restriction. The measure was approved by the city council and is expected to take effect from 1 May 2026, though implementation may be phased due to existing contracts and legal considerations. Supporters say the ban aligns public spaces with climate and health goals, shaping social norms and reducing the visibility of high‑emission products. Critics, including advertising associations, argue it could challenge freedom of speech and complicate commercial contracts.

For OOH planners and advertisers, this marks a significant shift in public‑space policy that could influence future outdoor ad regulations across Europe.

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The UK Government has announced plans to update its nutrient profiling model, which determines what foods are classed as “less healthy” for advertising restrictions. The current model is over 20 years old, and revised thresholds for sugar and other nutrients would bring more products into scope of the existing TV watershed and online ad bans aimed at children.

The Department of Health says the changes could significantly reduce childhood obesity, while industry bodies warn tighter rules may limit the promotion of healthier reformulated products. A public consultation is expected before any changes are applied.

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Amazon Ads’ Marketing Trends 2026 report highlights seismic shifts advertisers should expect this year  with AI powering both creative and strategy, streaming now commanding nearly 45% of TV viewing, and interactive video ads becoming a key engagement driver. Interactive formats like pause ads and cart‑enabled placements are shown to boost both brand metrics and purchase intent, especially on streaming platforms. Prime Video’s ad‑supported tier has expanded to millions of monthly viewers globally, underscoring the importance of designing campaigns that are not just seen, but engaged with across screens. For media planners, these trends emphasise a multi‑screen, interaction‑centric future, where linear TV gives way to digital engagement ecosystems.

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