As another year draws to a close, Aegis’ Jim Marshall looks at some of the more surreal, sad and interesting media events – and dishes out his award for the most pretentious (and exotic) agency mission statement.

In the run-up to the sporting season, the battle between BT and BSkyB continues – and with BSkyB refusing to air its rival’s multi-million pound ads, it’s clear that they’re taking the threat seriously, says Aegis’ Jim Marshall. But what exactly is it that BT is threatening? It certainly isn’t BSkyB’s football coverage…

In his latest article, Aegis’ Jim Marshall talks about the five communication functions of advertising, what it is about Twitter that he finds underwhelming, and why the Pope couldn’t quite dismiss that finger lickin’ good ad proposal from KFC.

Jim Marshall argues that newspapers still retain their potency for reporting and commenting on major news stories, despite those who suggest that newspapers are doomed. But this brings with it a responsibility which has greater significance and accountability in today’s ‘multi layered’ world of media – if newspapers are going to continue to be a gateway medium what they say has to be true.

Aegis’s Jim Marshall has just returned from the states where he was sometimes bewildered but often enthralled by the cultural differences between their approach to advertising and the UK’s. They might seem a bit odd at times, often irony-free and unapologetically intrusive – but are US ads simply less hypocritical?

It’s only mid-January but, as Aegis’s Jim Marshall marvels, there have been a number of high-profile media spats already. Let’s hope there are many more in 2013, he says – and that the Goliaths of the industry continue to find the going tough…

it’s so damned busy at this time of year for us media people; almost to the point where work starts to interfere with Christmas lunches, drinks and parties. So, when you do have time to shop, here’s a list of perfect Christmas pressies for overworked media execs…

Jim Marshall, chief client officer at Aegis, saw the US election campaign as a fascinating aspect of the American political way and a wonderful media jamboree, but thinks most people in the UK would be horrified if our own politics went the same way.

Jim Marshall, chief client officer at Aegis, on the world of previously paid for media moving successfully into the free media sector and questioning what is happening the other way around?

Jim Marshall, chief client officer at Aegis: What a difference a year makes…