Most read: WPP-backed Refinery29 appoints London team for UK launch
Refinery29, the US-based fashion and lifestyle media company, is with a new London-based editorial team of 11, led by editor Sarah Raphael, the former acting editor of i-D, ±±¾©Èü³µpk10's Omar Oakes reports.
The UK team has been tasked with developing original content on beauty, news, entertainment, wellness and lifestyle, as well as curating content from the US site, Refinery29.com.
The move comes after WPP made a $50 million investment in Refinery29 in April.
The website was co-founded as a hyperlocal blog by Justin Stefano and Philippe von Borries in 2005, but has since developed into an online magazine for young female readers.
Refinery29 is also hoping to launch France and Germany editions in early 2016, as well as "additional markets", the company said.
Read on for more on .
Break ups: TfL ends 15-year relationship with M&C Saatchi
, ±±¾©Èü³µpk10's Gurjit Degun reports.
as part of a statutory review, which includes work for the Greater London Authority and its services such as the London Fire Brigade, the Met Police and the London Legacy Development Corporation.
The review was open to agencies outside of the government roster.
±±¾©Èü³µpk10 revealed there were 10 agencies on the longlist last month: FCB Inferno; Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO; Bartle Bogle Hegarty; Engine; Leo Burnett; M&C Saatchi; Ogilvy & Mather; Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R; DLKW Lowe and VCCP.
TfL is also reviewing its media business. MEC is the incumbent. It is the first time the reviews are being run simultaneously. The process is being handled by AAR.
Read on to .
Research: Smartphone use in UK to break 50% barrier for first time
More than half of people in the UK will own a smartphone by the end of this year for the first time, according to , ±±¾©Èü³µpk10's Omar Oakes writes.
The media agency’s New Media Forecasts report researched smartphone use in 47 countries. The UK is expected to have 69% smartphone penetration by 2018, making it the 25th highest country in the world in terms of the proportion of people using the devices.
By the end of 2015, 51% of people in the UK will have access to a tablet, up from 40% at the end of last year. The UK will have the seventh-highest tablet penetration at the end of this year. It is expected to climb to sixth by 2018 with 65% penetration.
The UK will have 57.7 million internet users by the end of 2015, up by 1.8 per cent year on year. This number is expected to reach 60.8 million by 2018.
Click on over to find out .
Christmas ads: H&M and Katy Perry, Samsung, Quality Street
Like tequila shots at the Christmas party, the seasonal ads keep on coming. , starring Katy Perry as a glittery sugar plum fairy in a world of giant, wheeling gingerbread men and whirling tin soldiers.
, which features people allowing their old TVs to be damaged so they have an excuse to buy a new one.
that aims to usurp Coca-Cola and its holiday truck as the first sign of Christmas.
#Fails: The 8 most useless movie tie-ins
As Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters soon – and the merchandising hits stores even sooner – ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 US's Daniel Bukszpan looks back fondly on .
We may quibble with the James Bond/Daniel Craig popsicle (perfect for hen parties) and the Hulk "Smash!" cologne, but the Fifty Shades of Grey Vermont Teddy Bear was all kinds of wrong. Bukszpan writes:
Fifty Shades of Grey is the story of a young woman who embarks on a sadomasochistic relationship with a handsome young businessman. Based on the highly successful book, many companies probably wanted to create a tie-in with it somehow, but just couldn’t see a way to do so without making something ridiculous.
Vermont Teddy Bear, which normally makes the giant, overstuffed bears used for parental apologies to six-year-olds, had no such problem. It made a bear in the image of Anastasia Steele’s cruel captor, complete with suit, tie and handcuffs. The limited-edition keepsake , so get yours now before the company repurposes it into something people might actually buy.
Compiled by Jonathan Shannon
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