Google Sued Following Accusations of Ad Fraud; WPP Reduces Full-Year Forecast Amid Lower Spending

In today's ExchangeWire news digest: Google faces legal action following accusations it misled advertisers; WPP lowers its full-year forecast; and UK households shun linear TV in favour of digital.

Google sued following Adalytics report

Google has been hit with a proposed action lawsuit following accusations of widespread ad fraud at the firm. A bombshell report from Adalytics, an ad campaign analytics firm, suggested that Google frequently violated its own standards with the placement of TrueView video advertisements. According to the lawsuit, Google misled advertisers, charging “hefty amounts” for online ads which were not served as agreed.

WPP reduces full-year forecast

The world’s largest advertising group, WPP, has reduced its full-year forecast as tech clients continue an abstemious approach to spending. The group revised its forecast from 3% - 5% to 1.50% - 3% after delivering a “resilient” performance in the first half of the year. WPP reported Q2 spending growth in all regions except for the US, which CEO Mark Read explained was impacted by “lower spending from technology clients and some delays in technology-related projects”.

UK viewers moving away from linear TV

Viewers in the UK are shunning broadcast TV in favour of digital services, according to Ofcom. The regulator’s 2023 Media Nations report revealed that broadcast TV’s weekly audience reach fell from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2021. Additionally, the average time viewers spent watching linear TV each day slipped to 2 hours and 38 minutes, down more than one-tenth from the previous year, while viewers of digital services have increased.

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Fact of the Day

4 hours and 28 minutes – the time UK viewers spend watching content across all devices.

Source: Ofcom

Last Week's Tech Teasers

WARC’s prediction that ad spend in cinema is set for a major uplift inspired Friday’s teasers. Are you certified fresh or a rotten tomato? Find out below: 

• 20% – the amount cinema spend in the UK is set to rise this year ?
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie – currently 2023’s highest-grossing film (yes, really) ?
• APAC – the region forecast for the highest cinema ad spend in 2024 ?
• USD$1bn at the box office – the milestone 'Barbie' is expected to reach  ?
• 37.2% –  WARC’s forecast growth for 2023 ?

Challenge yourself on ad tech, martech, media, and commerce, by signing up to The Stack, where we publish a new quiz every Friday.