Stephen Lepitak

A blog from The Drum's editor, Stephen Lepitak, covering reaction to events in media, social media, marketing, advertising and communications in general.

America's plan to ban TikTok is more about advertising dollars than protecting privacy

American threats to ban TikTok more about protecting ad dollars than privacy

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

The Drum’s executive editor Stephen Lepitak takes a cynical look at the potential banning of TikTok in the US,... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 09/07/2020

Advertising

Stephen Lepitak: Why the current pandemic is an opportunity to change business processes

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

So, you know the reason. And you know that precautions need to be taken in order to safeguard the health of others to battle this... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 03/03/2020

Events

The problem with curbing celebrity tabloid reporting is, it sells

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

It’s been a weekend of huge outcries in the UK. The incredibly sad news of a celebrity death has the nation baying for the... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 16/02/2020

Media

Sir Martin Sorrell a year on from his WPP departure

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

It’s now a year since Sir Martin Sorrell departed WPP — a day that was always due to come, but no one... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 14/04/2019

Advertising

The Drum's themes and contributors for 2019

The Drum reveals its plans, contributors and editorial themes for 2019

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

Happy New Year and welcome to the future - again. ... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 14/01/2019

Advertising

Why have the ad agency networks just become ‘creative’ again?

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

I found it odd when Publicis Groupe’s (then) newly installed chief executive Arthur Sadoun started talking about making the... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 12/12/2018

Creativity

Why The Drum is backing the timeTo campaign

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

Times are changing and, thankfully, so are attitudes in the workplace. From gender pay to sexual harassment (neither of which has ever... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 31/10/2018

Modern Marketing

video

Why Wunderman will be WPP’s jewel in the crown under new regime

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

It wasn’t a surprise that within weeks of Mark Read taking over the reins at WPP, he would move to fill the void left at the top of... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 12/10/2018

Advertising

As WPP’s new CEO Mark Read must exorcise the spectre of Sorrell and transform it technologically

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

And so as all eyes await white smoke to appear from the rooftop of Farm Street – although that may be the dust unsettled by... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 31/08/2018

Digital Transformation

Mark Read is still the favourite to land the top job at WPP

WPP’s next chief executive: the case for Mark Read

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

On the evening of April 14 two statements were released, one by WPP and the other by its talisman, Sir Martin Sorrell, both explaining... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 21/08/2018

Career

Sir Martin Sorrell was advertising’s answer to Sir Alex Ferguson

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

Whoever replaces Sir Martin Sorrell in running WPP had better not have vertigo: they are coming in at the top and it doesn’t get... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 15/04/2018

Advertising

International Woman’s Day: F*ck off brands

International Women’s Day: F*ck off brands

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

It is always a danger entering into the equality debate as a white male, but it’s one I continue to feel strongly about. ... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 07/03/2017

Modern Marketing

Samsung will forever be known as the company that made the exploding phone

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

Samsung could have been forgiven for being pretty smug earlier this year as the electronics maker seemed to have dented Apple with its... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 11/10/2016

Public Relations

Whoever buys Twitter needs to deal with impossible conundrum of ridding it of its trolls

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

For years there have been rumors of an acquisition when it comes to my own personal favorite social media platform - Twitter.... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 28/09/2016

Media

The self-perpetuating Donald Trump presidential marketing theory

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

Watching the first presidential debate live on Twitter last night, it was hard to remember a more polarised pair duking it out to become... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 27/09/2016

Media

Twitter tears Chris Evans' Top Gear a new one...mostly with lots of love for Matt LeBlanc

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

And so the new dawn for the BBC's most successful show, Top Gear has broken and the response on social media was predictably negative... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 29/05/2016

Entertainment

WPP's trouble with Sorrell's successor

Opinion: Stephen Lepitak

I looked at the queue waiting for the session that rivalled my own panel at the end of the first day at Advertising Week Europe on Monday... Read more

Stephen Lepitak - 19/04/2016

Advertising