The Friday Five: Meta fined €91 million, UK brands see a 5% value decline, and sustainability improves ad performance

Hello and welcome back to The Friday Five.?

For October’s first edition, we have broken down this week’s most interesting digital marketing stories you need to know about.?

Today we look at ‘Meta’, which has cracked down on deep fake scams but has also been hit with a €91 million fine for improper password storage.?

We also take a look at research that suggests sustainable practices can improve ad performance, why humorous ads perform better, and a report that found a 5% decline in value for UK brands.?

With all these stories to get through, we haven’t got any time to waste! Let’s get going.

1. Meta fights back after Australians lose $43.4 million to social media scams

By working together, Meta and the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (ACFX) have removed over 9000 scam pages and 8000 celebrity deep-fake investment scams on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta’s new platform, the Fraud Intelligence Reciprocal Exchange (Fire) is responsible for the scam removals.?

Fire allows banks to directly report scams to Meta, so they can easily take action against investment scams which usually involve deepfake images of celebrities.

The urgency for stronger action against these scams came after Australians lost $43.4 million to social media scams in 2024; $30 million was related to fake investment schemes.?

Meta also faced pressure to crack down on deep fake investment scams from politicians and public figures.

The company is currently being sued by mining magnate, Andrew Forrest, due to a failure to tackle scams using his image.

Despite the success since the introduction of Fire, Meta’s work isn’t finished yet. Scam reports remain very high. Meta is working on automated scam detection programs and making user reporting an easier process.?

For more on this story, visit The Guardian .

2. Go green to make gains says new study

In a recent study conducted by the ANA’s Media & Measurement Leadership Council in partnership with Scope3, it was found that reducing carbon footprint can improve brand campaign performance.

The advertising industry contributes to carbon emissions; every 1000 ad impressions emit 50-1500 grams of CO2.

By adopting sustainable practices, like using green media products, updating inclusion and exclusion lists to eliminate high-emission, low-quality inventory, and optimising supply chains, brands (such as Coca-Cola and General Motors) achieved reductions of 3% to 36%.

This enabled the brands to redistribute their spending, hit KPIs earlier, and avoid overextending their budgets on bad inventory.

Additionally, simple steps like eliminating low-quality content and avoiding MFAs can have an immediate impact on reducing emissions.

These sustainable strategies not only contribute to environmental goals but also improve overall business performance.

To discover more, visit Marketing Dive .

3. Top Marks: Marks & Spencer brand value rises as top UK brands suffer 5% drop

Kantar Brandz data report shows that despite the UK’s top 75 most valuable brands experiencing a 5% decline this year, Marks and Spencer defies this trend with a 38% increase in brand value.

Kantar reports that UK brands are challenged with differentiation and consumer perception.

Adele Joliffe (Kantar’s head of brand consultancy) noted that while challenges remain, targeted marketing investments could help UK brands navigate uncertainties and position for long-term growth.

She said, “One-third of the brands we’ve evaluated this year could sell more if their products and services were easier to access – whether that’s through investment in store opening or online fulfillment for example.”

The report also showed a third of the top 75 brands have less than a 50% growth chance, and many struggle to justify premium pricing.

However, sectors like travel posted strong performances with 56% growth, providing opportunities for UK brands to rebound.

Although the overall decline continues, the drop was less severe than in 2023, signaling potential for recovery.

Read more on Marketing Beat .

4. Meta hit with €91 million fine for improper password storage

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Facebook’s parent company €91 million (￡75 million) for storing users' passwords with no encryption.

Meta actually self-reported the issue back in 2019, which led to the inquiry finding four different breaches of GDPR.

Graham Doyle (DPC’s deputy commissioner) said: “It is widely accepted that user passwords should not be stored in 'plaintext' considering the risks of abuse that arise from persons accessing such data.”

Meta was not only faced with a fine but the DPC also issued a formal reprimand.

This isn’t the first time Meta has been fined due to improper handling and storage of data. In 2023, the company was fined €1.2 billion for mishandling data transfers between Europe and the U.S., and in 2022, Meta was fined €265 million when user data was leaked to a hacking forum.

These recurring fines signal ongoing concerns with Meta’s data management practices, raising further questions about its compliance with global privacy laws.

Despite these penalties, Meta continues to dominate the social media landscape, with growing scrutiny on how it handles user data.

Learn more on BBC News .

5. People connect with brands that like to have a laugh, says a new report

Research has found that 90% of consumers are more likely to remember a brand associated with humour, and 72% would choose it over competitors, showing the importance of humour in an advertisement.

Although many advertisers have gone down different routes with their ads recently, humour’s presence is resurging; humour featured in 75% of winners at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival.

At the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, comedian Kenan Thompson spoke out and highlighted that laughter brings connection between businesses and consumers.

He shared how humour brings authenticity to brands by allowing consumers to resonate with them.

Research suggests humour is not something to be ignored and can be a powerful tool for brands to drive sales and build community.

The growing use of humour in advertising aligns with consumers' desire for shared experiences, especially in today’s divisive climate.

As brands seek to foster deeper connections with their audiences, leveraging humour can lead to increased engagement and loyalty.

Read more on Fast Company .

And there you have it!?

We hope you enjoyed this week’s Friday Five. Be sure to subscribe so you stay up to date with the latest digital marketing news!?

We hope you have a great Friday and an even better weekend. We will be here next week with another jam-packed Friday Five.

See you then!?