The ad business is facing unprecedented change - the shift to online, the growth of the giant platforms, the explosion in adtech, the tsunami of data available to marketers. All are an inevitable result of changes in how we consume and measure media.
We think there have been and will continue to be unintended and unwelcome consequences of these changes. People are increasingly bombarded with irrelevant, intrusive ads that don't appeal, and often annoy. Their preparedness to see advertising in any way positively has reduced.
Attitudes towards the advertising industry as a whole have deteriorated and will continue to worsen. As one student respondent told us in our Recruitment and Well-Being workstream: “Why would I want to join an industry that bombards me with rubbish?”
We have a reputational issue that not only has a negative effect on the industry's ability to attract the brightest and the best talent, but also risks attracting attention from regulators and anti-advertising lobby groups.
We do not believe change to be bad - quite the opposite - but shifting focus so far away from effective advertising towards an obsession with data, away from brand building and towards short-termism, is neither desirable nor inevitable.
There is no point in ads that don't work, and what we're increasingly producing is advertising that not only doesn’t work but is at the same time unpopular with the public whilst abusing their trust.
The Advertising: Who Cares? movement was started because we believe that there are many of us who have both the desire and the skills to put the craft back into the ad business, to reclaim primacy for professional skills over machines and to create better advertising; advertising that resonates with the public and which works.
Who Cares? We think you do.
About
Brian Jacobs
Starting his career at the ad agency Davidson Pearce in the 1970’s, Brian worked his way through advertising and media agencies including Leo Burnett, Carat, and Universal McCann, as well as spending time at the research business Kantar.
Over his time in the business Brian has witnessed the decline of full-service agencies, the launch of media agencies, the move from media planning to planning across all communication forms and the spectacular growth of online media forms.
He has run media operations in the UK, across Europe and globally out of the USA.
These days Brian runs his own consultancy business, working for advertisers, trade bodies and agencies, as well as writing a blog (the Cog Blog) which launched in 2013 and is now close to its 500th edition.
Brian's particular specialism is in using data to help end users improve the effectiveness of their communications programmes.
Nick Manning
Nick is a commentator, author and speaker on advertising, with a specialisation in media.
He co-founded Manning Gottlieb Media in 1990, and following its purchase by Omnicom he became CEO of the OMD UK Group.
After 27 years in media agencies Nick became an independent media consultant, firstly with Ebiquity and then MediaLink.
At Ebiquity he led the team that produced the recommendations for advertisers that accompanied the K2 Intelligence report into media transparency in 2016.
Since 2019 he has run his own consulting business, advising advertisers and their trade associations.
Nick specialises in helping advertisers improve their effectiveness, accountability and transparency.
How you can help
Regional Conversations
We have a global problem, but we know that to get things done, we need to come up with ideas and solutions that are relevant and actionable regionally and locally. We are all for local conversations, with Who Cares? supporters driving change in their regions.
There is such a group flourishing in APAC; we will help make connections in order to set up other groups in other parts of the world.
We encourage local and regional events should there be a desire from our members to co-design, organise and participate.
Get Active
We know that there are plenty of passionate professionals who are frustrated at the state of the industry. We also know that it’s not in any of our natures to sit idly by as the industry deteriorates around us.
Here's how you can get involved, and help. Join us - we just need an email address. There’s no charge. You can do this below.
Social
Follow our socials wherever you can. Please be respectful of individuals’ rights to anonymity where requested.
Meetups
Host or attend meetups close to you. The more talk, the better.
AWC Summit 2.0 for 2025
We are currently planning the AWC Summit 2.0 for 2025.
This pinnacle event will be scheduled for Q4, 2025.
Join as a member to receive information on exact dates, venue and pricing as it drops.
We will announce how and when to reserve tickets in due course.
Join our growing community and we will explain how you can, if you so wish, volunteer for the workstream(s) of the most interest and relevance to you.
Join us
The Who Cares? movement is nothing without you, the people who care.
This is a grass-roots movement, built around the needs and expertise of users.
We are always keen to expand the supporter group and will guarantee anonymity to anyone who would like us to do so. We use emails to update the group regularly.
Supporters
