LAWSON

Notice of Delisting of Company Stock

Lawson announces the delisting of its company stock.

WPP Denies Break Up; Court Tosses Axel Springer Suit

In AdExchanger's Friday roundup, WPP’s interim leadership denied breakup rumors after CEO Martin Sorrell’s exit, with co-COO Mark Read stating the idea doesn’t make sense. Analysts, however, cite potential value for shareholders, noting a Kantar sale could return almost $5 billion in cash and that splitting WPP’s digital advertising, market research and other assets could boost the share price by about 40%. Axel Springer’s case against Adblock Plus was thrown out by the German Supreme Court; Springer plans to appeal to the German Constitutional Court, noting assets like Business Insider and Bild. FTC-related privacy matters persist as Google and Facebook face third-party audit requirements under 2012 consent orders, with privacy lawyer Megan Gray arguing audits are imperfect. Separately, eMarketer projects mobile will surpass TV in ad spend in 2018, approaching 70% of total ad spend and about 40% of digital ad spend.

Real-Time Automation Changing The Media Planner Roles Says Maxus Data And Insights Director Lawson

Martin Lawson was appointed Maxus Global's Global Data and Insights Director, signaling a strategic shift under WPP's GroupM umbrella toward data-driven, real-time media planning. Previously Head of Insight at i-level, Lawson will bolster Maxus's Relationship Media offering—a new agency model blending creative media thinking with live customer data. In the interview, he argues that traditional media agencies struggle to integrate digital strategy and measurement, creating an opportunity for nimble, digitally savvy agencies with strong buying power to lead. He explains that modern planners must manage large data volumes and increasingly automate real-time investment decisions via ad exchanges and DSPs, while still setting overarching strategy and ensuring cross-channel integration. Lawson also highlights upcoming trends, including moving from “mobile” to location-based advertising, and the need to incorporate non-digital channels into the customer journey. The discussion reflects ongoing industry evolution toward data-driven, flexible media planning.