In today’s Digest, we cover the Supreme Court rejecting Meta’s appeal in an addiction case, the Advertising Standards Authority banning betting ads featuring Kane and Haaland, and an IPA report warning that ‘small thinking’ is hurting advertising. 

Supreme Court rejects Meta appeal

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from Meta seeking to block a lawsuit accusing Facebook and Instagram of harming young users through addictive platform design. The decision allows a case brought by the state of Vermont in 2023 to proceed, adding to mounting legal pressure on social media companies over claims that they knowingly built features that negatively affect teenagers’ mental health and wellbeing.

Meta had argued that Vermont courts lacked jurisdiction because neither the company nor the design of its platforms had direct ties to the state. Vermont officials countered that the widespread use of Facebook and Instagram by teenagers within the state was sufficient grounds for the lawsuit. 

ASA bans betting ads starring Kane & Haaland

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned two Instagram adverts for an online betting brand featuring footballers Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, ruling that the content was “irresponsible” because the players were deemed to have strong appeal to under-18s. The regulator said the ads breached its rules on gambling promotion following a complaint and subsequent investigation into posts published in November.

The adverts, posted by Oddschecker, included betting-related claims linked to the two players, such as odds activity around major tournaments and awards. While the company argued the posts were editorial in nature and restricted to adult audiences, the ASA said this was insufficient, noting that some underage users may misrepresent their age when signing up to Instagram.

‘Small thinking’ is killing advertising 

A new report from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), authored by Les Binet and Will Davis and released on 27th May, warns that advertising effectiveness is being eroded by short-term thinking, fragmented measurement, and underinvestment. Titled Go Big or Go Home, the analysis argues that marketers have become overly focused on efficiency metrics at the expense of long-term brand growth, leading to weaker commercial outcomes and missed opportunities for scale.

The authors contend that the industry is “thinking too small” and call for a return to bigger, more ambitious strategies that prioritise sustained market share and profitability over narrow ROI optimisation. Their recommendations include stronger focus on budget-setting as a primary growth driver, improved collaboration between marketing, finance, and sales teams, and greater investment in broad-reach media and bold creative work.