IPA

Customers Mislead: Emotional Measurement Beats Focus Groups

Andrew Tindall, a senior leader at System1, reflects on being fired from The Young Apprentice in 2011 after a focus-group verdict and argues that customers' self-reports are unreliable. He reviews behavioural science (Lake Wobegon effect, say-do gap, heuristics) and cites academic studies and industry research to make the case for emotion-first advertising measurement. Tindall reports re-testing his Apprentice ad using System1's emotional creative testing and says his ad outperformed the rival on emotional response, brand recognition and predicted long-term brand-building. The piece advocates combining customer-centred research with emotional measurement and longer-running creative to improve marketing decisions.

Nielsen Acquires DoubleVerify; Disney Licenses IP to TikTok

VideoWeek's weekly roundup covers Nielsen's acquisition of verification specialist DoubleVerify for $2.15 billion, Disney's new IP-licensing deal with TikTok to allow creators to use clips from Disney shows and films, and mixed Q2 earnings across ad tech where CTV remains a key growth driver. The edition also reports a $567 million fine for Meta in a US child-safety case, PubMatic's launch of a governance framework for agentic/autonomous advertising, Teads' antitrust suit against Google, and other sector moves including investment talks around Origin, Snap's World Cup-driven ad boost, and multiple publisher and broadcaster developments.

FT's Georgie Cauthery: B2B Competes with Netflix, Spotify

Georgie Cauthery, creative strategy director for the Financial Times' EMEA B2B advertising, argues B2B brands must prioritise trust and human-centred creativity when using AI. Research by the FT and the IPA found 92% of global B2B decision-makers say misuse of AI would profoundly damage trust. The FT has implemented a custom GPT as a first‑pass compliance co‑pilot for sustainability copy alongside human review and ASA guidance to speed reviews while preserving accountability. Cauthery recommends investing in thought leadership and audio (podcasts/liquid content) to build long-term awareness, and she warns that B2B attention is increasingly contested by consumer platforms such as Netflix, Spotify and Instagram.