Uncensored CMO: 70 Years of TV Advertising – Why It Works & the Best Ads of All Time

Guest: Dame Carolyn McCall, CEO of ITV
Host: Jon Evans
Date: October 1, 2025
Episode Theme: Marking the 70th anniversary of UK television advertising, Jon Evans sits down with Carolyn McCall to explore TV advertising’s enduring power, ITV’s transformation, iconic ads, and lessons for today’s marketers.

Episode Overview

The conversation celebrates 70 years of TV advertising in the UK, reflecting on the evolution, impact, and future of the medium. As CEO of ITV and recently-appointed President of the Marketing Society, Carolyn McCall offers unique perspective on advertising’s pivotal role in culture, business performance, and creative innovation. Together, Jon and Carolyn dissect advertising classics, effective campaign strategies, the continuing relevance of TV, and the innovations shaping the next era of broadcast marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

ITV at 70: Pride, Transformation & Purpose

• Celebrating heritage: ITV’s regional origins and storied creative legacy (Granada, Yorkshire) are a source of pride, but there’s deeper satisfaction in how ITV has kept pace with rapid technological change.
• Recent transformation: The introduction of streaming (ITVX) and a sharp focus on adapting to data and digital have redefined ITV’s business.
  • “So we've had to do so much from a technology data advert. Advertising has changed beyond belief and that has kept us very much on our toes.” — Carolyn McCall [01:31]
• Creativity & commercial imperative: ITV’s unique position as a public service and commercial broadcaster means balancing purpose, responsibility to society, and the need to fund operations via advertising.

The Centrality (and Underrepresentation) of Marketing in Business

• Boardroom gap: Less than 4% of board members have marketing backgrounds, a major missed opportunity.
  • “The key thing there is to get marketers at the center of conversations in organizations... It's not just about the ad. It starts with the consumer.” — Carolyn McCall [02:35]
• Marketer empowerment: The Marketing Society aims to give marketers confidence, skills, and global networking to claim leadership roles—ranging from operational excellence to CEO positions.
• The CEO pathway:
  • Do diligent research before taking the top job—understand operational realities, set your vision, and listen widely across the business before making decisive moves.
  • “Don't sit in an office listening to people present to you when you're a CEO... go out and talk to people right around the company... listen, listen, listen, and then act quickly.” — Carolyn McCall [05:38]

Serving the Nation: TV’s Social & Emotional Responsibility

• Public service meets commerce: ITV’s remit covers news, live sport, drama, and reality TV, all underpinned by ad funding.
• Entertainment funds serious journalism: Big shows (Love Island, I’m a Celebrity) subsidize public service content like regional news and impactful dramas (e.g., Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office).
  • “A lot of the entertainment shows... fund news and fund things like Mr. Bates in the Post Office.” — Carolyn McCall [08:34]
• Powerful storytelling: TV dramas can move public sentiment, influence government, and drive real-world change.
  • “This is what I'm saying. I think the impact is an emotional impact... it shows the power of TV better than most things, actually.” — Carolyn McCall [11:10]
• Example: Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office led to a government debate and attempted restitution for victims, highlighting TV’s social influence.

Competing in a Streaming World

• Global pressures: ITV can’t match big streaming budgets, so it focuses investment on core strengths—entertainment, reality, sport, news, and drama.
  • “We have to make sure every penny we have is well spent... [and] be very focused on what we're really good at.” — Carolyn McCall [12:01]
• Strategic content partnerships: ITV Studios both competes and collaborates, selling shows to Netflix, Disney+, and even the BBC.
  • “There's that interesting thing where we are often partners with people and then we're also competing with them.” — Carolyn McCall [13:34]
• Younger audiences: ITV chooses not to chase Gen Z with bespoke content, but instead attracts them through mass moments (football, Love Island).
  • “We’re not going to create content to chase them... it was a big content decision.” — Carolyn McCall [24:01]
  • Gen Z still constitute a large chunk of ITV’s audience for certain flagship shows.

Longevity & Creativity in TV Shows

• Formula for hits: Flagship reality/entertainment shows endure by balancing consistency with fresh ideas—an “80/20 rule” (80% familiar, 20% new each year).
  • “Once you've had a hit, you want to keep it.” — Carolyn McCall [15:55]
• Research insight: Familiarity breeds attachment, both in TV and in advertising (System1 “Compound Creativity” study).
  • “The more consistent a campaign was, the more people actually liked it.” — Jon Evans [16:27]

TV Advertising — Still the Most Effective Medium?

• TV’s unique impact: Decades of research show TV advertising delivers unmatched emotional resonance, brand uplift, and return on investment (ROI).
  • “TV is proven to be the most effective advertising channel and it also has the best return on investment.” — Carolyn McCall [20:34]
  • Internal ITV research: TV drives ~20% incremental web traffic, 10% more sales, and 25% higher brand enhancement [21:30]
• Performance v. brand:
  • Jon and Carolyn critique the rebranding of “performance marketing” as the only effective option—TV performs at scale, and truly effective marketing uses both brand and direct response (“outcomes and effectiveness”).
  • “Performance marketing is the biggest branding kind of stunt in history, isn't it?” — Jon Evans [20:25]
• Attention economy: Ubiquity & Lumen research adjusted CPM for attention, revealing TV to be the most cost-efficient channel—even for Gen Z.
  • “Even for Gen Z, they were consuming more TV advertising when you adjust for attention than any other channel.” — Jon Evans [22:49]
• Behavioral evidence:
  • Just Eat ad example—viewers claim “no one watches ads anymore”, but are demonstrably influenced by TV ads in real time, showing the power of emotional, memorable creative [24:01].

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Listening & learning on the ‘frontline’ as CEO:
  • “On my first flight as CEO, just went up to talk to the crew... I did it with them and I was just listening. I learned a lot.” — Carolyn McCall [07:08]
• Emotional power of storytelling:
  • On Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office: “The impact has been phenomenal. I think the reason it had that impact is because it told human stories.” — Carolyn McCall [09:52]
• Cross-mediated partnerships and competition:
  • “Everyone buys from ITV Studios... we are often partners with people and then we're also competing with them.” — Carolyn McCall [13:34]
• Repetition as creative strength:
  • “Yorkshire tea’s a great example of that. Great end line, very consistent. Repeat, repeat... repeat it 100%.” — Carolyn McCall [32:42]
• "Does what it says on the tin":
  • Classic product-driven creative is still memorable (Ronseal), showing less is often more [34:00].

The 70 Greatest TV Ads: Emotional & Cultural Impact

• Ad legends: The Living Room Legends campaign identified the top 70 UK TV ads—average scores in the top 5% for emotional engagement.
  • “The average, I think, was over four stars... way above the average of most ads.” — Jon Evans [25:35]
• Standout ads (personal and industry):
  • Smash Martians (“The best thing about that whole evening wasn't speeches, it was the advertising reel.” — recounted by Carolyn McCall [26:03])
  • Skinhead “Points of View” (Guardian): taught context and prejudice, used as an educational tool [26:03]
  • John Lewis Christmas, for warmth and nostalgia;
  • Drink driving PSAs, for lasting cultural and behavioral impact (“They make you cry.” — Carolyn McCall [27:16])
  • Cadbury’s Gorilla—joyful and surprising (“It’s just so ridiculous and it is joyous.” — Carolyn McCall [28:20])
  • Compare the Meerkat—subverting category norms through entertainment and surprise [29:05]
  • ITV’s “Britain Get Talking”—national conversation on mental health, breaking the “fourth wall” with celebrity talent and measurable cultural impact [29:28]
  • Vinnie Jones, British Heart Foundation—life-saving CPR awareness (“They've actually measured the number of lives saved.” — Jon Evans [31:32])

Innovations & The Future of TV Advertising

• Ad formats aligned with consumer behavior:
  • “Pause ads”—contextual ads shown when viewers pause content, capitalizing on in-moment attention [36:17]
  • Channel innovation: ITV Quiz repurposed a closing channel for interactive content, tripling audience numbers [36:27]
• Mass and precision:
  • ITV’s USP: simultaneous mass reach + increasingly personalized, data-driven targeting [36:40]
• Ad-funded entertainment:
  • Deep partnerships (e.g. Love Island x Boots), integrating sponsors into content and merchandise [37:40]
• SME accessibility:
  • Streaming (ITVX) and GenAI-driven creative enable smaller brands to participate in TV advertising, tested rigorously for effectiveness [35:15]
• Ongoing challenge: Maintaining creative standards and inspiring advertisers to prioritize quality, emotion, humor, and repetition—ingredients that endure even as platforms evolve.

Important Timestamps

• [00:54] ITV’s 70th anniversary reflections
• [02:35] Carolyn’s vision for the Marketing Society and the central role of marketing
• [05:38] Leadership advice for aspiring CEOs
• [08:34] Balancing public service and commercial demands at ITV
• [09:52] Impact of Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office
• [12:01] Competing with streaming giants
• [13:34] Strategic multi-platform partnerships
• [15:55] Longevity and consistency in hit shows and campaigns
• [17:54] Relevance and ROI of TV advertising
• [21:30] Effectiveness data: TV’s boost to web traffic, sales, and brand
• [22:49] Adjusting CPM for attention — TV’s efficiency, even for Gen Z
• [24:01] “Nobody watches TV ads” — evidence to the contrary
• [25:35] Overview of the Living Room Legends report on the 70 best TV ads
• [26:03] Standout moments: Smash Martians, Skinhead “Points of View”
• [27:16] Drink driving campaign’s emotional impact
• [28:20] Cadbury’s Gorilla and the power of joyful surprise
• [29:28] ITV’s “Britain Get Talking” and societal impact
• [31:07] British Heart Foundation’s Vinnie Jones campaign
• [32:42] Classics that endure: Yorkshire Tea, Tesco, Ronseal
• [34:00] “Does what it says on the tin” — product simplicity
• [36:17] Innovations: Pause ads, ITV Quiz
• [37:40] Ad-funded programming and creative partnerships

Conclusion

The episode offers an engaging, honest, and practical look at why TV advertising remains a powerhouse after seven decades—fuelled by emotion, reach, story, and continuing innovation. Carolyn McCall underscores the vital role of marketers in business leadership, the irreplaceable influence of television on culture and commerce, and why creativity, consistency, and listening to audiences matter more than ever.

Notable Quotes

“We've had to do so much from a technology data advert. Advertising has changed beyond belief and that has kept us very much on our toes.”
— Carolyn McCall [01:31]

“Don't sit in an office listening to people present to you when you're a CEO... go out and talk to people right around the company... listen, listen, listen, and then act quickly.”
— Carolyn McCall [05:38]

“TV is proven to be the most effective advertising channel and it also has the best return on investment.”
— Carolyn McCall [20:34]

“Performance marketing is the biggest branding kind of stunt in history, isn't it?”
— Jon Evans [20:25]

“Drink driving... makes you cry. Because they often base them on true situations and stories... They've been very consistent.”
— Carolyn McCall [27:16]

“You don't forget that line, do you? ...repeat it 100%.”
— Carolyn McCall on Ronseal [33:55]

“Our job is to inspire advertisers to do what we've just been discussing... humor works, repetition works, romancing product does.”
— Carolyn McCall [34:37]

End of Summary