In today’s digest, we cover WPP’s profit falling 71% as the ad market slows, The Trade Desk shares dropping after its Q2 revenue is revealed, lawmakers urging Meta to remove Instagram map, and Havas launching AI tool to track brand visibility.

WPP profit falls as ad market slows; The Trade Desk shares drop after Q2 revenue

WPP’s pre-tax profit fell 71% to £98m in the first half of its financial year as clients cut advertising budgets in response to Trump’s tariffs. The company reduced its global workforce from 111,000 to 104,000 by the end of June and halved its interim dividend to £7.5p a share. 

Outgoing chief executive Mark Read said market conditions worsened between April and June, with clients distracted by economic uncertainty and trade policies. Shares in WPP have dropped by two-thirds under his leadership. The group also faces pressure from the rise of AI-generated ad campaigns, with Read noting that AI could allow the company to operate with fewer staff.

The results follow a challenging week for ad tech and media stocks. The Trade Desk posted Q2 revenue of USD$694m (£516.17m), up 19% year-on-year, but saw its share price fall after investors judged the results as underwhelming. CEO Jeff Green highlighted progress with the AI-powered Kokai platform, now handling three-quarters of client spend, and emphasised expanding joint business plans with agencies and brands. Shares still declined, reflecting market caution over the company’s growth pace and broader ad tech volatility.

Lawmakers urge Meta to remove Instagram map

US senators are urging Meta to shut down Instagram’s new map feature, saying it endangers children. The tool lets users share their location and see an interactive map in direct messages showing where others have posted geotagged content, which stays visible for 24 hours.  The location features can be turned off, but lawmakers say the safeguards are insufficient.

Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called Meta’s child safety record “abysmal” and pressed CEO Mark Zuckerberg to adopt stronger protections. They cited reports of location data being shared without consent, AI chatbots engaging inappropriately with children, and weak screening for exploitation. They also urged passage of the Kids Online Safety Act.

Havas launches AI tool to track brand visibility 

Havas Media Network UK has launched Brand Insights AI, a tool that tracks how brands appear across six major large language models: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Sonar, Grok, and DeepSeek. The system consolidates AI rankings, analyses hundreds of AI-generated queries, and identifies sources driving responses. It also offers content optimisation advice and tailored recommendations based on audience and competitive data.

The launch comes as consumers shift from traditional search to AI platforms. UKOM/Ipsos Iris data shows over a quarter of the UK’s online population use ChatGPT monthly. Similarweb ranks it as the fifth largest domain globally, behind Meta and Google sites. Havas says this migration is disrupting search marketing, making AI visibility critical for brands.

Chief digital officer Paul Bland said “The way AI platforms are surfacing information is rapidly evolving. With AI becoming the default interface for Search and discovery, brands need to adapt and optimise for the new discovery landscape.”