Channel 4 vs ITV

Faith In Nature Debuts First TV Ad in 52 Years

Faith In Nature, a UK-based eco-friendly personal care brand, launched its first-ever TV advertisement in its 52-year history, winning a slot through Channel 4's B Corp competition. The ad, titled 'Bees R Good', features a DIY-style production with employees in homemade costumes, celebrating the brand's commitment to nature and its unique corporate governance where 'Nature' holds a board seat. The campaign premiered on Channel 4 on October 4, 2026, and will air until the end of October. The ad was created by creative agency Dream Quickly, directed by John Ogunmuyiwa, and produced by Blink Productions. Faith In Nature shares a £600,000 prize pool with four other B Corp winners.

• Faith In Nature aired its first TV ad in 52 years.
• The ad 'Bees R Good' premiered on Channel 4 on October 4, 2026.
• The campaign was created by Dream Quickly and directed by John Ogunmuyiwa.

Channel 4's Katie Jackson on marketing for talkability

At The Drum Live, Channel 4's chief audience and marketing officer Katie Jackson discussed the broadcaster's 'talkability' strategy, which aims to spark conversations around its shows. Campaigns like the mysterious giant notes for drama 'Tip Toe' and the 'Fountain of Filth' installation for 'Dirty Business' were designed to generate buzz and social sharing. Jackson emphasized that for 16- to 34-year-olds, having talked-about content is the second biggest driver of streaming platform consideration. Channel 4 has developed an internal index to measure talkability, tracking social sentiment and engagement. Jackson also highlighted the importance of balancing bold marketing with commercial responsibility, and advised brands to focus on audience reactions rather than internal opinions.

• Channel 4's marketing campaigns for 'Tip Toe' and 'Dirty Business' aimed to generate audience conversation.
• For 16- to 34-year-olds, talked-about content is the second-biggest driver of streaming platform consideration, per Channel 4 data.
• Channel 4 built an internal index to measure talkability, tracking social sentiment, likes, shares, and engagement.

PSBs Discuss YouTube Distribution Trade-offs in BBC Charter Inquiry

The UK's Communications and Digital Committee has written to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, setting out its views on the BBC Charter Review. The committee highlighted that the BBC's strategy of distributing content on YouTube involves a trade-off between reach and control. They support both third-party distribution and strengthening the BBC's own services, like iPlayer, but warn of risks to audience data and advertising revenue. The committee also said new obligations must be matched with adequate funding. Witnesses from Channel 4, ITV, and Sky shared their perspectives, with ITV expressing concerns about becoming a 'tenant' on iPlayer. The letter comes ahead of the government's White Paper.

• The Communications and Digital Committee wrote to Lisa Nandy MP with its view on the BBC Charter Review.
• The BBC announced 550 job cuts in June as part of plans to save £500 million.
• The BBC's public funding has declined by £1.3 billion in the last decade.

GVTLabs launches AskGVT to make video content searchable

GVTLabs, founded by InfoSum's Nick Halstead, has emerged from stealth with AskGVT, an AI product that makes video content searchable. The tool allows users to query a creator's video feed and receive text-based answers along with relevant video clips. It differentiates itself by sourcing answers solely from the creator's own videos, preserving their voice and expertise. Creators can offer access to their AskPage via day, week, or monthly passes, control which videos are searchable, and use a Studio for content planning. Enterprise products include GVTLabs Studio, Roster, and Channels for media companies and rights holders to mine their archives for insights or campaign planning. The company has appointed Rhys McLachlan, formerly ITV's Director of Addressable Advertising, as Head of Media Partnerships.

• GVTLabs launched AskGVT, an AI product for searching video content.
• AskGVT allows users to query a creator's video feed and receive text answers with video clips.
• Creators can monetize access to their AskPage via day, week, or monthly passes.

RTL Ad Alliance Expands to Spain

RTL AdAlliance, the international sales house owned by RTL Group, has formally launched in Spain by opening its first office in the country. The expansion is part of its 'Total Video' strategy, offering advertisers a single access point to premium European video inventory from broadcasters such as RTL, ITV, M6, Rai, and France Télévisions. The new office, led by VP of International Sales Artur Kobryn and a dedicated team, will sell TV and online video inventory. To support its growth, RTL AdAlliance has formed a strategic alliance with local broadcaster Atresmedia Publicidad. This move aims to compete for international advertising budgets that might otherwise go to US tech giants, capitalizing on Spain's fast-growing digital video advertising market. The initiative is part of a broader European expansion strategy led by CEO Stéphane Coruble.

• RTL AdAlliance has opened its first Spanish office and formally launched in Spain.
• The company formed a strategic alliance with Atresmedia Publicidad to support its growth.
• The office will sell TV/video inventory for European broadcasters including RTL, ITV, M6, Rai, and France Télévisions.

Transaction in Own Shares

ITV announces a transaction in own shares dated 17/08/2026.