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Contact:

Kara Gelber

pr@stagwellglobal.com

This year’s programming will inspire conversations surrounding every facet of sport

NEW YORK and AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, today announced a new roster of athletes and brand partners confirmed to activate at SPORT BEACH 2025.

Throughout the year, Stagwell is expanding SPORT BEACH’s presence by bringing SPORT BEACH Clubhouses to major industry and sporting events worldwide.

“Our Clubhouses at SXSW, Super Bowl and the World Economic Forum reinforced how sport is a door opener into conversations driving the business, cultural and innovation landscape, and how important it is to be having these conversations now,” said Beth Sidhu, Stagwell’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer.

Newly Announced 2025 Athlete & Media Partners

• Jordan Chiles (gymnastics) – Jordan Chiles is a renowned gymnast and two-time Olympian. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she helped secure a silver medal for Team USA with a standout performance. A passionate advocate for body positivity and mental health, Chiles inspires young athletes around the globe. In 2022, she became one of only three Black gymnasts to sweep the podium at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, and the following year, she earned two NCAA individual titles with UCLA while embarking on a new chapter as a Nike athlete. Returning to elite competition in 2024, Chiles played a key role in leading Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, cementing her status as a trailblazer in the sport.
• Akbar Gbajabiamila (football and media) – Akbar Gbajabiamila, a returning partner to SPORT BEACH, is the current Host of NBC’s four-time Emmy-nominated series American Ninja Warrior, Emmy-nominated host of CBS’ hit show, The Talk, Roku’s newest original series, Fight To Survive, and he also joined NFL Network’s Good Morning Football for the 2024-2025 Season. Akbar also recently hosted the breakout hit, “Tokyo Live!” which debuted on Peacock and covered the Tokyo Olympics as well as hosting multiple seasons of American Ninja Warrior Jr and Team Ninja. Akbar’s critically acclaimed book “Everyone Can Be a Ninja: Find Your Inner Warrior and Achieve Your Dreams,” aims to encourage readers to never give up no matter the obstacle. Akbar is honored to leverage his formidable professional platform to inspire and motivate others as well as advocate for those in need. Currently, he serves on the board for the Asomugha Foundation, which provides pathways to college for disenfranchised youth, as well as for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
• Emma Hayes (coach) – Emma Hayes is one of the most influential and accomplished football managers of her generation, known for her leadership and transformative impact on the women’s game. With a coaching career spanning over two decades, she has played a pivotal role in shaping modern football and driving the professionalization of the sport. As the head coach of Chelsea Women from 2012 to 2024, Hayes led the club to unprecedented success, securing seven Women’s Super League (WSL) titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, and a UEFA Women’s Champions League final appearance. Under her leadership, Chelsea became a dominant force in both English and European football, known for their attacking style, depth of talent, and winning mentality. In 2024, Hayes took on a historic new role as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT), bringing her strategic expertise and elite-level experience to one of the most successful teams in international football. Beyond her coaching achievements, Hayes is a respected media analyst, keynote speaker, advocate for gender equity in sports and author of “My Leadership Playbook.”
• Scotty James (snowboarding) – With two Olympics medals, 10 X Games Medals and three World Halfpipe Championship Gold Medals, there is no bigger name in snowboarding than Scotty James. Scotty just made history in Aspen, winning his fourth consecutive and 7th Gold Medal at X Games –tied for most ever in the Men’s Super Pipe. Off the snow, Scotty is making an impact in the entrepreneurial space, producing top-quality content via his owned and operated production company 11Oakland. He is also building out a comprehensive portfolio of strategic investments across the technology and consumer product industry, headlined by his recently announced role as a strategic advisor and investor for the X Games. Through this position, Scotty plays a pivotal role in guiding the growth and direction of the X Games business through forging strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, contributing to strategic planning, facilitating athlete feedback, and much more. On top of that, Scotty most recently released two children’s books “MOOKi vs The Big Scary” and “MOOKi vs The Terrible Toys” with Penguin.
• Joakim Noah (basketball) – Joakim Noah played 13 years in the NBA (9 with the Chicago Bulls). He was a two-time NBA all star (2013/2014), 2014 Defensive Player of the Year and 2015 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy award for citizenship. He made the All NBA First Team in 2014. In 2010, along with his mother, the sculptor and expressive art therapist Cecilia Rodhe, Joakim started the Noah’s Arc Foundation, which aims to give youth a stronger sense of self using art and sports as tools for development. Noah’s Arc has worked extensively with youth in Chicago, as well as Joakim’s father Yannick’s hometown of Yaounde, Cameroon. The foundation continues to operate in Chicago and in continental Africa to this day. In 2022, Joakim was named an ambassador for the Basketball Africa League, highlighting his vision and commitment to the African diaspora on a global level. In 2023, Joakim in conjunction with his Noah’s Arc Foundation restarted the ONE CITY Basketball League in Chicago with 28 different violence interruption groups. In 2023, Joakim was named an ambassador to the NBA. Joakim is also an NBA Africa investor to the BAL Ambassador Line.
• Derrick Rose (basketball) – Derrick Rose is a former NBA MVP and 3x NBA All-Star. Rose attended Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, where he became one of the most highly recruited high school basketball players in the country. In the 2008 NBA Draft, Rose was selected as the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s most exciting young players, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2009 and becoming an All-Star in each of his first three seasons. He is the youngest player to be named MVP in NBA history. Rose’s impact goes beyond the basketball court. He is also known for his tireless dedication to his community. In 2014, Rose donated $1 million to After School Matters, a Chicago charity that provides innovative out-of-school programs for teenagers. In 2018, Rose announced the launch of The Rose Scholars, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money to high school students for their college expenses. He is also the author of I’ll Show You, which was published in 2019. After 15 years, Derrick retired from the NBA in 2024 and will have his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls in the 2025-26 season
• Shannon Sharpe (football and media) – Shannon Sharpe is a former American football player and sports television personality known as one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game, and he is returning to SPORT BEACH once again this year. During Shannon’s time in the NFL, his accomplishments led him to the Hall of Fame Class of 2011. These included becoming a three-time Super Bowl Champion, eight-time Pro Bowler, and four time First-Team All-Pro. After hanging up his cleats, Shannon launched an award-winning broadcasting career, culminating in the creation of Shay Shay Media—his production powerhouse. Under Shay Shay Media, Shannon produces two of the fastest-growing podcasts in history: “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.” In 2024 alone, these shows amassed over 1 billion views on YouTube and generated more than 9 billion impressions. “Club Shay Shay” also broke records with the most-watched interview of the year, surpassing 87 million views and won an award for Outstanding Podcast – Society and Culture for the 2025 NAACP Image Awards. “Nightcap” with Chad Johnson has become the fastest growing live stream in YouTube history reaching over 4 billion impressions. In 2024, Shannon earned widespread recognition, with accolades from iHeart Radio, the Webby Awards, and the BET Hip Hop Awards. He was also celebrated as NAACP Image Awards’ Entertainer of the Year Nominee, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 Media Maven, and one of The New York Times’ Breakout Stars of 2024. Beyond media, Shannon is an accomplished entrepreneur. He’s the founder of the fast-growing clothing brand EIGHTYFOUR and in 2021 Shannon co-founded the award-winning Cognac brand “Le Portier” inspired by his grandmother, Mary Porter. His “Shay” by LePortier has been recognized at the World Sip competition as #1 VSOP for taste. Shannon is also currently a contributor on ESPN’s “First Take” with Stephen A. Smith.

Newly Announced 2025 Brand Partners

• Epidemic Sound has transformed the soundtracking experience for global brands and professional creators, with an expansive catalog of world-class music and sound effects that’s seen and heard over 2.5 billion times a day around the globe. Providing a direct license model that comes with all rights included and next-generation soundtracking tools, Epidemic Sound empowers creators to unlock more feeling in everything they create and share their stories with the world. Epidemic Sound continuously enriches its world-class catalog of music by teaming up with artists, composers, and producers to create tracks spanning all genres, while supporting them financially and creatively.
• Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform, igniting the passions of sports fans across several distinct businesses and experiences. Through Fanatics, fans can buy their favorite jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, autographs, and memorabilia; collect physical and digital trading cards; attend sports fan festivals, and much more. With the launch of Fanatics Advertising, brands can now participate in this vast ecosystem by engaging fans across the Fanatics portfolio. From advertising across Fanatics.com, league and partner sites, and related apps; to reaching consumers via its Sports Retail Media Network; and at Fanatics Fest, the world’s largest arena for sports and collectibles bringing more than 100,000 fans together to celebrate their favorite leagues, athletes, and celebrities. If brands want to be where sports and culture converge, the Fanatics platform is the place to start.
• Meta returns to SPORT BEACH for a second year, elevating the sports experience through innovation and connection. As Meta builds the future of human interaction, SPORT BEACH attendees will engage in cutting-edge activations, from immersive Quest MR experiences—like watching a game courtside—to exclusive activations on our private charter flight. Meta’s presence underscores its commitment to reimagining how fans connect, play, and experience sports in the digital age.
• New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States¹ and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, disability income insurance, retirement income, investments, and long-term care insurance. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies.²
• Peloton is a fitness and technology company that motivates more than six million Members globally to grow stronger every day. Peloton provides Members with expert instruction and world-class content to create impactful and entertaining workout experiences for anyone at any stage in their fitness journey, at home, outdoors, traveling, or at the gym. Peloton and select Peloton Instructors will be bringing an engaging fitness experience to this year’s SPORT BEACH.
• Premion is a 16-time award-winning, industry-leading CTV/OTT advertising platform. With the scale to reach streaming TV viewers across all 210 U.S. DMAs, Premion’s platform is purpose-built with a local-first approach, delivering CTV and omnichannel advertising with tailored campaign performance that prioritizes premium content, brand safety, advanced targeting, and measurable outcomes. In 2024, Premion was recognized with the CYNOPSIS Best of the Best Award for Best Ad Targeting Solution and the Digiday Media Award for Best Use of Audience Insights. The company earned “TAG Platinum” status and is certified by the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) for Brand Safety, Against Fraud, and Against Malware. For more information, visit www.premion.com.

Previously announced SPORT BEACH brand partners include: Ad Results Media (ARM), The Athletic, Channel Factory, The Chicago Bulls, Clio Sports, Microsoft Advertising, NBCUniversal, Scripps Sports and VII(N) The Seventh Estate.

For the full roster of leaders, innovators, and cultural influencers joining SPORT BEACH 2025, visit sportbeach.com.

Stagwell invites brands, athletes, sports leagues, media platforms and other interested parties to reach out to SportBeach@stagwellglobal.com to get involved.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.   

Contact:
Kara Gelber
PR@stagwellglobal.com 

———————–

1 Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/4/2024. For methodology, please see https://fortune.com/franchise-list-page/fortune-500-methodology-2023/.

2 Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 10/4/2024: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com 

Building on this momentum, Stagwell hosted its biennial APAC leadership summit in Bangkok from March 5-7, 2025: a platform for bringing together the network’s regional leaders and reinforcing the network’s strategic vision. Together with Stagwell’s agencies and affiliates, senior leaders from both ADK and Stagwell attended the summit, engaging in high-level discussions on integration, collaboration, and the role of APAC in global success.

Stagwell also leveraged the APAC leadership summit to relaunch its Global Affiliate Program, which bolsters full-service and specialty digital solutions for clients worldwide. By engaging in strategic partnerships with regional affiliates, Stagwell builds on its commitment to delivering next-generation marketing solutions tailored to today’s evolving consumer landscape.

“We’ve spent the past year expanding Stagwell across APAC, and now have 2,500 people in the region,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn at the summit. “The most important thing for me in founding Stagwell was a collaborative culture where agencies work together while still maintaining their unique character. We’re now right-sized to win bigger and better.”

About Stagwell:
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Media Contact:

Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Ben Allanson ir@stagwellglobal.com 

NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) will be hosting a virtual investor day on April 2, 2025 beginning at 10:00 AM ET. Visit this link to register.  

The virtual event will feature presentations from Mark Penn, Chairman & CEO of Stagwell, Frank Lanuto, Chief Financial Officer, and many additional business leaders about Stagwell’s strategic and financial outlook for 2025 and beyond.

A recording of the presentation will be available after the event on Stagwell’s website, www.stagwellglobal.com.

Visit this page to view upcoming investor events and programming from Stagwell. Reach out to ir@stagwellglobal.com with questions.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.   

IR Contact:
Ben Allanson
IR@stagwellglobal.com

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Ben Allanson ir@stagwellglobal.com 

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, today announced its participation in two upcoming investor conferences in February and March 2025. 

• February 24: J.P. Morgan 2025 Global Leveraged Finance Conference – Stagwell management will participate in 1×1 meetings throughout the day in Miami Beach.
• March 3: Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference – Stagwell management will participate in a fireside chat from 4:50pm-5:25 PM PST. Management will also be available for 1×1 investor meetings throughout the day in San Francisco. The fireside will be webcast and can be accessed here. 

Visit this page to view upcoming investor events and programming from Stagwell. Reach out to ir@stagwellglobal.com with questions.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.   

IR Contact:
Ben Allanson
IR@stagwellglobal.com

Starbucks x Anomaly

Starbucks “Hello Again”– Anomaly helped Starbucks power its comeback with a bold new campaign. The coffee giant, which recently introduced an initiative focusing on its personal touch, featured a pre-game Super Bowl ad backed by AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” A follow-up post-game ad used the same song to promote a free tall coffee for rewards members the day after the game.

Off the Field

Outside of the national stage, clients and agencies made a splash.

Allison

Allison helped clients including Budweiser, GoDaddy and Booking.com with media strategy leading up to the Big Game, securing hundreds of media placements and millions of impressions for Budweiser’s Clydesdale Super Bowl return; GoDaddy’s launch of its AI-powered website builder, GoDaddy Airo; and Booking.com’s bookable Big Game experience with exclusive access to Super Bowl tailgates and meet-and-greets.

Allison also supported several high-impact onsite activations for clients Dexcom, Good Sports and GNC. Dexcom debuted at Radio Row with Mike Golic Sr. sharing his diabetes journey and how its Stelo biosensor helps manage glucose. Good Sports brought Kyle Rudolph to promote youth sports accessibility, while GNC created buzz with branded Lyft cars, a smoothie hut, and appearances by Steelers legends Joey Porter Sr. and Ryan Clark.

Anomaly

Anomaly collaborated with Don Julio and Popeyes to launch a limited-edition Championship Lineup menu. The one-day-only menu blended Louisiana-style fast food with luxury spirits, featuring a Tequila Don Julio Reposado flavored chicken sandwich and wings.

Code and Theory

Code and Theory partnered with the NFL to reimagine the fan-first experience with the new NFL app, enhancing game-day streaming and real-time stats. The app integrates personalized content, live updates, and streamlined navigation, creating an immersive, user-centric platform for football fans.

Ahead of the Big Game, Code and Theory also helped an NFL playoff championship team, The Washington Commanders, with a major rebrand – twice. The agency led the transition from the team’s original moniker to the interim “Washington Football Team” and, ultimately, to the powerful and permanent identity of the Washington Commanders.

Colle McVoy

Colle McVoy partnered with Perdue Chicken, where Comedian Wayne Brady “winged it” with improvised livestream performances during the game drawing from key game moments, commercials, and viewer requests. The partnership encouraged viewers to rethink Super Bowl rituals.

The agency also debuted a fresh spot with Frank’s Red Hot featuring Paris Hilton. The ad showed Paris whipping up gameday recipes while inviting fans to show how they spice up their dishes with Frank’s. Viewers had a chance to win cash prizes, along with a crystal-bedazzled bottle of Frank’s RedHot.

HUNTER

HUNTER partnered with TABASCO and local Chef Alden Boudy to showcase how TABASCO can elevate pizza on National Pizza Day in New Orleans. The agency also supported media relations for STōK Cold Brew Coffee’s Super Bowl ad featuring Wrexham AFC, Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds, and Channing Tatum in a fun campaign to elevate goal scoring celebrations. Lastly, HUNTER helped launch TurboTax’s 12^thannual Super Bowl commercial, securing high-impact media coverage for the brand’s Big Game creative featuring Issa Rae.

Jasper Advisors

Jasper Advisors supported NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman and WNBA’s Shana Stephenson ahead of Super Bowl Weekend, preparing Berman for media interviews and Stephenson for a panel on sports, community, and identity.

Trade X Partners

Trade X Partners developed and activated for Perdue Chicken supporting “Game Day” with Super Bowl adjacent content starring actor, chef and Perdue partner Valerie Bertinelli telling “CBS Mornings” how she likes to serve up her wings.

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Ben Allanson ir@stagwellglobal.com 

NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, today announced Chairman and CEO Mark Penn will attend the 27^th Annual Needham Growth Conference in New York City.

Penn will participate in a fireside chat on January 15, 2025, at 12:45 p.m. ET. Penn will also be available for 1×1 meetings with investors.

The fireside chat will be webcast and can be accessed here. The recording will be available for 90 days following the event.

Visit this page to view upcoming investor events and programming from Stagwell. Reach out to ir@stagwellglobal.com with questions.

About Stagwell 
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 35+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. 

IR Contact
Ben Allanson
ir@stagwellglobal.com

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Ben Allanson ir@stagwellglobal.com 

NEW YORK, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, today announced its participation in several upcoming investor conferences throughout December 2024. 

• December 3: Wells Fargo TMT Summit – Stagwell management will participate in a fireside chat at 3pm PT and 1×1 meetings throughout the day in Los Angeles.
• December 4: UBS Global Technology Conference – Stagwell management will host 1×1 meetings throughout the day in Phoenix.
• December 9: UBS Global Media Conference — Stagwell management will host 1×1 meetings throughout the day in New York.

Visit this page to view upcoming investor events and programming from Stagwell. Reach out to ir@stagwellglobal.com with questions.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients.  www.stagwellglobal.com.

IR Contact:
Ben Allanson
ir@stagwellglobal.com   

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Madison Wick

pr@stagwellglobal.com 

Survey fielded after the U.S. presidential election reveals 57% of U.S. adults say misinformation and “fake news” are key issues impacting trust in news media

Notwithstanding, 71% of Americans believe companies should advertise in news media, viewing it as essential support for journalism

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — 65% of Americans say advertising in news is important, though trust challenges remain, according to a survey Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) released on November 14 as part of its Future of News initiative. The post-election flash poll conducted by Stagwell and its research consultancy HarrisX, which surveyed 1,510 U.S. adults between November 11-12, reveals Americans’ perspectives on the media landscape, factors influencing their trust in news media and public support for brand advertising in news.

Key findings from the post-election survey include:

• Trust and Perception: 65% of U.S. adults say it’s important for companies to advertise in news, and 66% have a more positive perception of companies that do so.
• Preferred News Sources: Local (73%) and broadcast TV (67%), newspapers (66%), and radio (65%) are the top trusted news sources.
• Misinformation’s Role in Breaking Trust: The main issues impacting Americans’ trust in news media are misinformation and fake news (57%), poor separation between news and opinion content (46%), and sensationalism and bias (44%).
• CTA for Younger Generations: 56% of Americans say it’s important for younger generations to watch the news more than they currently do.
• Factors to Increase Trust in News: To build trust in news media, Americans want more emphasis on fact-checking (58%), clear separation between news and opinion content (58%) and a balanced perspective on all issues (54%).

This study follows Stagwell’s U.S. and U.K. News Advertising studies released earlier this year which reveal ads placed adjacent to news topics such as politics, inflation, and crime perform as effectively as those placed next to business, entertainment, and sports stories.

“Americans continue to recognize the importance of news and the importance of advertisers supporting the news industry,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. “But all is not completely rosy as questions about trust, particularly among Republicans, continue to dog the industry.”

These findings highlight the continued importance of news media as a platform for brand engagement. Stagwell is committed to initiating data-driven discussions with advertisers about their investment in news. This topic and more were discussed at the Future of News post-election summit in Washington on November 14.

To learn more and get involved, please contact futureofnews@stagwellglobal.com.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading global research consultancy that regularly conducts major market research, public policy polling and social science studies and consulting engagements in more than 40 countries around the world. It is a proud member of Stagwell Global (STGW). Learn more at www.harrisx.com.

Contact
Madison Wick
PR@stagwellglobal.com

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Kara Gelber

pr@stagwellglobal.com 

In line with the inaugural study, the new survey of 22,116 U.K. adults conducted by Stagwell research consultancy HarrisX, reveals ads placed adjacent to news topics such as politics, inflation and crime perform as effectively as those placed next to business, entertainment and sports stories.

“Our research continues to show brands should embrace advertising on news platforms rather than shy away from it,” said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. “Investing in news offers business leaders the ability to reach incredibly valuable audiences. According to our new study, 25% of Brits are news junkies — on average checking the news four times a day and reading nearly five news articles per day.”

Additional findings include:

• 76% of the British population follows the news closely or very closely, including 25% who check the news an average of four times per day.
• Among Gen Z, a key demographic group for advertisers, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to high-quality news articles on the Middle East conflict was 61%, compared to 58% for inflation and 57% for crime—differences that are statistically insignificant. To compare, purchase intent was 59% for entertainment (widely considered a ‘safe’ news topic.
• Among mothers, another key target for advertisers, the average purchase intent for brands whose ads were placed next to articles on crime (a potentially negative story), and sports (a more neutral story) were each 66%, showing no difference between the two.

Stagwell is committed to initiating data-driven discussions with advertisers about their investment in news. This topic and more will be discussed at tonight’s Future of News summit which will be held at Stagwell’s EMEA headquarters in London.

Interested parties can request a copy of the research here. To learn more and get involved additional questions, please contact futureofnews@stagwellglobal.com.

About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading global research consultancy that regularly conducts major market research, public policy polling and social science studies and consulting engagements in more than 40 countries around the world. It is a proud member of Stagwell Global (STGW). Learn more at www.harrisx.com.

Contact
Kara Gelber
PR@stagwellglobal.com 

ABOUT THE AGENCIES BEHIND THE WORK

Code and Theory works with a best-in-class, diverse, global client base. At the core of our work sits the strategy and analytics teams, which focuses on consumer-first, omni-channel solutions throughout the entire customer journey.

Explore the entire SPORT BEACH case study here

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

Stagwell’s inaugural Sport Beach (2023) earned widespread positive recognition — a first-of-its-kind event on-site at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. It featured curated innovation and marketing panels celebrating the intersection of sports, technology, and culture. Stagwell, a leading global marketing and communications group, aimed to double down in 2024, elevating the flagship summer event at Cannes with more original programming, activations and a star-studded lineup of world-class athletes and marketers, including Megan Rapinoe, Travis and Jason Kelce, Alexis Ohanian, Tammy Henault and more than 100+ renowned marketing leaders.

While the in-person event was gaining momentum, Stagwell needed to ensure its digital ecosystem across web and app were as premium and dynamic as the event itself. Stagwell tapped Code and Theory for a comprehensive digital transformation, designing and engineering an all-new Sport Beach website and app. In less than five months, Code and Theory created an entire Sport Beach ecosystem to support event marketing, attendance, engagement, and immersion — all while embodying Sport Beach’s spirit of play.

Designed for Speed & Play

Inspired by the visual ID from 72andSunny (another Stagwell agency) and incorporating Material Design principles, we crafted a fully bespoke digital experience for Sport Beach. Our web approach was iterative, building pages and functional components that resulted in a scalable experience that gave Stagwell full creative and operational control for not only this event, but future event iterations too.

We designed the Sport Beach app to deliver the beauty of Cannes’ beaches with the ease of scheduling and information at our user’s fingertips. The app’s main objective was making scheduling clear, compelling and fast. We leveled up the experience by giving users the ability to build their itineraries manually or through our AI Assistant in less than three taps.

AI That Anticipates User Needs

The app’s cornerstone was an AI Assistant that could answer a myriad of questions about the event (from how to access the beach to event schedules to best local restaurant picks) and tailor event recommendations to each user based on their interests. Using Stagwell’s Enterprise ChatGPT as a backbone large language model, we fine-tuned our AI on a large, static dataset about Cannes and Sport Beach. We leveraged Sanity, our CMS for the event, to constantly update changing events or critical event information.

While the AI Assistant interfaced with the CMS to update its context, it also interfaced with an event recommendation engine developed in-house and hosted on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, taking advantage of Code and Theory’s partnership with Oracle. The AI Assistant “got to meet” each user during a conversational onboarding interview, and saved those learnings to suggest customized itineraries, ensuring attendees wouldn’t miss relevant content. As that content shifted (speaker changes and event schedules moving), the recommendation engine and the AI Assistant could rely on their connection to the CMS to ensure their responses were explicit, accurate, and based on real-time feedback.

Powering Rapid Innovation

Code and Theory leveraged Sanity’s Content Cloud to manage all event content, including sessions, speakers, event details and more. The combination of Sanity as a content provider and Vercel as a hosting platform enabled Code and Theory to rapidly build a recommendation engine and AI chat, significantly accelerating development and reducing delivery time. This approach allowed real-time data integration and scalable solutions, feeding first—and third-party data dynamically to the AI chat system.

Our Impact

• 89% User registration completion rate (+50% over the industry average)
• 30M Impressions from press in People Magazine, Ad Age, Adweek, Digiday, Page Six and more
• Both the app and website were designed, engineered and launched in less than five months

There’s no sign of slowing down for Sport Beach, which earned more than 30M impressions from the press in publications ranging from People Magazine to Adweek and Ad Age. By building the digital ecosystem to scale for future events, Stagwell is primed and ready for Cannes 2025.

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals.