Observed Signal · Jul 8, 2026 · Conference Remarks · Source: Digiday · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Former Analyst: Advertising Has 'Lost Its Way'
At an IAB Europe forecast panel on July 7, 2026, Ian Whittaker — a former City equity analyst who runs Liberty Sky Advisors — said the advertising industry has "lost its way," arguing that media buying has become commoditized and agencies have retreated to formulaic CPM and cost-based metrics instead of value-based pricing. Whittaker blamed decades of scaling media buying and treating creative as a bonus for leaving the industry competing on price, and urged a shift toward judgment-driven, track-record-based agency pricing. The article notes IAB Europe reported industry growth of 10.5% last year to €131 billion, underscoring that growth continues despite these structural issues.
Industry commentary from a recognized analyst highlights structural issues in agency pricing, media commoditization and the need for value-based conversations — relevant to agency-client strategy but not an immediate technical or regulatory change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Ian Whittaker, who runs Liberty Sky Advisors, said "Advertising has lost its way" at an IAB Europe forecast panel on July 7, 2026.
- Whittaker argued that decades of scaling media buying commoditized the industry and that creative was often treated as a free add-on.
- He said the industry relies on formulaic metrics such as CPMs rather than engaging in value-based conversations and judgment-driven pricing with clients.
- IAB Europe reported market growth of 10.5% last year, bringing the market to €131 billion.
- The article was published on Digiday by Seb Joseph on 2026-07-08.
Connected Companies & Entities
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