Top UK Brands Spending in Digital: Q4 2024

1)  Tesco Mobile Ltd

Tesco Mobile is a division of Tesco Plc that provides mobile phone services through a partnership with telecommunications giant O2. The mobile network will see its marketing leader, Chief Customer Officer Rachel Swift, depart at the end of the month to become the brand and advertising director of Virgin Media O2. Her replacement has not yet been named, but we’re watching and will keep you posted. Tesco Mobile — primarily targeting Millennials and parents — will likely fill the vacancy, update its strategy, review its agency roster, and increase spending.

Digital and social insights

• YTD spending: £1.7m (407.2m impressions)
• YTD purchase channels: Programmatic (94%) and direct (6%)
• YTD ad locations: Instagram (68%), itv.com (9%), TikTok (8%), YouTube (5%), and Facebook (4%)
• YTD social post type: Image (73%), video (23%), and carousel (3%)
• H1 2024 spend: £1.1m (306.3m impressions)
• H1 2023 spend: £1.8m (663.9m impressions)
• Total 2023 spend: £2.9m (1bn impressions)

Current agency roster

• BBH London: Creative
• EssenceMediacom: Media
• John Doe: PR

2)  TotalJobs Group

As a division of StepStone, Totaljobs Group operates several recruitment/job board websites, one of the largest of its kind in the UK and Europe. The job board recently skyrocketed its digital display, spending £598.7k YTD and £71.4k during the same period of 2023. The company, which targets businesses, Gen-Z, Millennials, and Gen-X, will likely increase spending (especially since it typically spends the most during the back half of the year) and review its agency roster. Digital accounts are especially vulnerable since digital accounts seem to be a priority now.

Digital and social insights

• YTD spend: £598.7k (192.4m impressions)
• YTD purchase channels: Google DV360 (76%), Criteo (17%), and Google Display Network (4%)
• YTD ad locations: dailymail.co.uk (17%), rightmove.co.uk (3%), readytogo.net (3%), mirror.co.uk (2%), and aajtak.in (2%)
• STP 2023 spend: £71.4k (29.2m impressions)
• Q1 2024 spend: £540.6k (177.5m impressions)
• Q1 2023 spend: £43k (15.7m impressions)
• Full 2023 spend: £1.3m (457.3m impressions)

Current agency roster

• Frank PR: PR
• VCCP: Media and creative

3)  Vodaphone

Vodafone is a multinational telecommunications company and one of the world’s largest subscribed mobile phone service providers. The telecom group markets its products and services internationally. It just inked a multiyear deal with the Scottish Rugby Union, with its logo on the back of the shirts for the men’s and women’s teams and serving as the principal partner of the Scottish Rugby Women’s Pathway. Vodafone also sponsors the Irish Rugby Football Union, All England Lawn Tennis Club, and Welsh Rugby Union.

We told you about Chief Brand Officer Maria Koutsoudakis in June. The company also recently appointed a UK CEO and shot up digital display spending, with Leo Burnett picking up UK creative in January. The company will likely promote the new sponsorship, ink more sponsorships, increase spending, and make more agency changes.

Digital and social insights

• YTD spend: £13.2m (5.5bn impressions)
• YTD purchase channels: Programmatic (93%), Direct (7%), and Ad Network (<1%)
• YTD ad locations: YouTube (26%), Facebook (17%), x.com (13%), dailymail.co.uk (9%), and Instagram (8%)
• YTD social post type: Image (53%), carousel (26%), and video (21%)
• H1 2024 spend: £9.7m (3.9bn impressions)
• H1 2023 spend: £11.3m (3.1bn impressions)
• Full 2023 spend: £22.6m (6bn impressions)

Current Agency Roster

• New Commercial Arts: Global brand brief for Vodafone Business since August 2023; Global creative since October 2020
• Carat: International media since September 2019; retained in August 2022
• Tin Man Communications: UK consumer PR since July 2022
• Right Formula: Sponsorship support since December 2021
• Freeman: Experiential
• Leo Burnett: UK creative

4)  Volvo Cars UK Ltd

Volvo Car UK Ltd is a multinational automobile manufacturing company. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology, and training support to Volvo automobile retailers throughout the UK. The carmaker recently boosted digital media by 1.2%, spending £8.6m YTD and £8.5m during the same period of 2023. Brand media is also on an upward trajectory since it has increased since 2022. Last October, we told you about UK Managing Director Nicole Melillo Shaw and Global Marketing Head Gretchen Saegh-Fleming. The company, which targets Millennials with a male skew, will likely continue to increase spending — especially in digital media, and review more of its agency roster. It’s already launched a global media review because digital accounts are especially vulnerable.

Digital and social insights

• YTD spend: £8.6m (1.8bn impressions)
• YTD purchase channels: Direct (89%), Display & Video 360 (10%), and Taboola (<1%)
• YTD ad locations: Facebook (35%), Instagram (30%), YouTube (21%), rightmove.co.uk (6%), and TikTok (3%)
• YTD post types: Link (34%), video (28%), Reel (14%), photo (12%), story (10%), and carousel (2%)
• YTD YouTube video duration: 15 seconds (72%), 10 seconds (24%), and six seconds (4%)
• STP 2023 spend: £8.5m (1.6bn impressions)
• H1 2024 spend: £7.2m (1.5bn impressions)
• H1 2023 spend: £6.6m (1.3bn impressions)
• Full 2023 spend: £14.3m (2.7bn impressions)

Current Agency Roster

• Mindshare UK: Media since April 1999
• Grey London: UK creative since June 2015

5)  ITV Network

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