Advertising & Marketing 2020 seminar series

All our events are free of charge and include breakfast from 8:30am. Seminars start promptly at 9:00am.

Please register for each event using the link below. If you have any questions, contact our events team.

1. Advertising & Marketing annual review: The highs and lows of 2019 and looking forward with 2020 vision

Thursday 9 January 2020

We’ll take you through 2019’s key advertising and marketing regulatory and legal developments and consider what they mean for the industry today and in the year ahead. We’ll look at the first decisions on the new rule about gender stereotyping; the latest developments in influencer marketing besides disclosures; the ASA’s use of avatars to monitor compliance with age-restrictions; and two Judicial Review cases, challenging the ASA’s decisions about the definition of ‘fibre broadband’ and the efficacy of medical devices. We also look to the future and what to expect in 2020, such as the ASA’s new rules on competitor complaints and possible changes to the CAP Code in the light of the Equality Act.

2. The new IR35 regime: April approaches

Wednesday 26 February 2020

In a fundamental reform to combat so called ‘false self-employment’, businesses who engage freelancers will have to bear the risk of PAYE and NICs under IR35. This will apply to all medium and large businesses in the private sector from April 2020. Advertising agencies frequently use freelancers and will be particularly affected by the new rules.

This practical session will discuss the new rules, what we know about how HMRC will apply them, HMRC’s new tools and guidance (expected to be released in December) and explain how agencies can avoid running into problems. We’ll also discuss how the sector is reacting to the changes.

3. Patents for advertising agencies: harnessing creativity to generate new revenue streams

Tuesday 10 March 2020

With the prevalence of digital marketing, technology companies currently dominate the landscape in terms advertising related patents. However, for an industry based on creativity, are there more opportunities for agencies to use patents to create new revenue streams? In this session, we will explore not only how patents are currently used to protect core advertising activities, but also ways in which an agency might protect product and business model innovations they generate when working with clients, and how this may then be used as a tool for generating ongoing licensing and royalty revenues. 

4. Ambush ahead of the Tokyo Olympics 2020

Thursday 2 April 2020

With the approach of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games we’ll get you up to speed on the do’s and don’ts of marketing in connection with the Games, understand what is meant by ‘ambush marketing’, when Olympic themed advertising will infringe legal rights and the impact of the new rules relating to the use of Olympians by their personal sponsors. 

5. Mergers & Acquisitions: Current trends in agency deals

Wednesday 20 May 2020

The M&A landscape in the A&M sector continues to evolve with the traditional network holding companies, consultancies and, increasingly, private equity all jockeying for position. The number of deals in the sector remains strong, fueled by the number of buyers and the growth in martech and adtech. To hear what’s trending in these transactions, our Q&A panel session will take in the views of industry experts and stakeholders alongside our sector focused M&A lawyers. Topics will include the types of buyer in the market; different deal structures; earn outs – where are we now; post-deal integration; and Warranty and indemnity insurance. 

6. Keep the spark alive: Incentives, equity and beyond for independent agencies

Wednesday 17 June 2020

We’ll talk you through conventional employee incentive models; EMI options; hurdle shares; partly paid shares and cash bonus schemes and the pros and cons of each. We’ll analyse the current status of entrepreneurs’ relief which is relevant to all shareholders in independent agencies. We will also introduce you to some less conventional (but rapidly becoming vogue) business structures such as Employee Ownership Trusts, and look at how culture, ways of working and other non-financial incentives are having an impact on employee engagement and retention, particularly for the next generation of star performers. 

7. Protecting your business: Restrictive covenant issues for advertising agencies

Wednesday 16 September 2020

Protecting your agency from competitive threats is vital. Losing a team or a key employee to a competitor can be extremely damaging - you may lose clients, prospects and other valuable staff as a result and your confidential information may be put at risk. It is critical to put effective protections in place from the outset of the employment relationship and ensure that you are ready to take appropriate action when threats arise.

We talk you through all of the key issues, options and strategies in this highly practical session for HR, legal and any executives in ad agencies who need to grapple with these issues from time to time. 

8. Flexible working and the modern office: Is it working for you or giving you a headache?

Thursday 12 November 2020

With more and more companies introducing flexible working policies and remote working becoming ever common, we discuss both the possibilities and the pitfalls to avoid and how the physical office plays a central role in creating a sense of collegiality, cohesion and culture both in and outside of the workplace.

We will look into the future of work and how we expect companies to look and operate in the years ahead, as well as looking at recent examples, some to inspire and others to take as a cautionary tale. Advertising agencies rely on their people, so offering a more agile way of working combined with a great physical space is fundamental in creating a culture in which employees can thrive and be at their most dynamic.

Register for all events here.

The team

Lewis Silkin is widely recognised as the UK’s foremost advertising and marketing services law firm, having worked with the world’s leading advertisers and advertising agencies for over 30 years. The Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 directories each rate our teams at the highest level, based on interviews each year among clients and peers.

We have extensive experience of advising clients in the converged worlds of advertising, marketing and communications, media, brands and technology on issues relating to advertising clearance, intellectual property, brand management, commercial agreements, dispute resolution, property, M&A and managing people.

Adlaw blog

Visit adlaw.lewissilkin.net to keep up with the latest advertising news, and enjoy insights from the experts here at Lewis Silkin. To stay up to date, you can either register to follow the blog, or email info@lewissilkin.com to be added to the mailing list for our monthly update of latest stories.

Data protection

By registering for one of our seminars you agree that we may contact you in the future about our services, seminars and ongoing developments. If you prefer not to receive such information, or if you would like to change or update your details, please send an email to events@lewissilkin.com.