Tag: Brands + Marketers

The most revealing aspect of this year’s festival may be the industry’s growing emphasis on execution.

A Q&A with Luke Judge, NED of Tangoo 

A Q&A with Ivan Doruda, CEO, MGID

By David Graham, COO, Mobsta The advertising industry already operates within an overwhelming volume of…

The mandate for marketers is clear: Stop chasing the myth of the Gen Z monolith.

By Nataly Kelly, CMO, Zappi OpenAI’s ads pilot reportedly crossed $100 million in revenue within…

The shift required is not complicated, even if it demands more intention.

The pattern is rather clear: Trust is becoming even more critical in the age of AI and LinkedIn is doing everything they can to protect its public image.

Creator marketing doesn’t reward optimization, it rewards rigor.

When these elements align, brands can turn attention into measurable outcomes and improve the return on every campaign.

By Shane Buckley, Head of UKI Restaurants, Uber Advertising From pre-match snacks to watch parties…

Marketing leaders do not need another year of chasing disconnected innovation.

In the end, my take on Kellogg’s strategy is that it is a great idea for this moment in marketing, authentic to the brands, and offers a great creative canvas, but Kellogg’s should start planning what’s next because these strategies have a shorter shelf life than the products they are helping sell.

As categories continue to slide into a homogenous and undistinguished middle, a mindset shift is required.

By Brock Berry, Founder and CEO of AdCellerant The advertising industry loves to talk about…

The next phase of advertising will not be defined simply by who automates the bid best.

Consumers move seamlessly across environments throughout the day. Media plans should work the same way.

The brands that win in this environment will not be the ones producing the most content. They will be the ones producing the most distinct, credible, and contextually relevant content.

The brands that win aren’t the ones with the boldest ambitions. They’re the ones honest enough to name their actual constraints—and ruthless enough to exploit them.

A new campaign from Heineken® 0.0 has revealed Serena Williams as its new global ambassador in a multi-year partnership, seeing her step back on court to surprise unexpecting padel players.

The next phase of marketing will be defined by who removes the most friction from decision-making.

Modern marketing is all about who has the most agile talent. By the time a performance gap is visible in your data, the opportunity to lead the market has already passed.

In the end, the goal isn’t a satisfied client who got the marketing equivalent of a pair of khakis. It’s a client who gets promoted because the work surpassingly worked.

By Ben Bloch, Founder & CEO, VenturePR For decades, the world operated within a very…

By now we should all be able to agree that design is not disposable—so why are we allowing brands to treat it as such?

Don’t try to please everyone. Know your audience, stay true to your DNA, and update with intent, not panic.

Building authentic, human connections with consumers requires marketers to lead with empathy, build community, invite participation, and champion new possibilities.

Understanding the present, systematically, professionally, and deeply catching its trends will become increasingly vital for any company or entrepreneur.

The future belongs to franchises that treat fandom not as a moment, but as a continuously evolving relationship—powered by intelligence, scaled by technology, and grounded in human emotion.

Supply path optimization is talked about  like a major initiative, but many brands don’t respond accordingly.

Authenticity comes at a premium, and in a media landscape dominated by personal devices and algorithm-driven content, appearing visibly in the real world carries a different kind of impact.

The question isn’t “what should our new brand look like?” It’s “what is the old brand preventing us from becoming?”

Industry leaders share their takeaways from this year’s Advertising Week Europe.

Creating a world-class client experience isn’t a methodology or a set of processes. It’s about showing a genuine interest in your clients every step of the way.

Apple didn’t succeed in OOH despite constraints. It succeeded because it embraced them.

A lot of advertisers are talking about using AI to build new creative from scratch but that misses the point.

By combining insights into community influence with precise mail targeting, brands can convert human trust into commercial outcomes, proving that traditional channels still have a role to play in a modern, data-driven marketing strategy.

Until the industry starts talking seriously about share, what drives it, what limits it, and how to grow it, OOH’s future will be defined more by comfort than conviction.

In a media landscape defined by fragmentation and algorithms, formats that generate both real-time engagement and sustained distribution are poised to hold the advantage—and livestreaming, amplified by clipping, is quickly becoming one of them.

The brands that performed best on Oscar night were not the ones with the biggest budgets. They were the ones that understood their audience and showed up with intention.

Some luxury marketers do stand out for the way they apply these sort of principles to position aged products, historical places and various heritage and legacy brands.

For marketers and brands, the takeaway is clear: nostalgia doesn’t just tell us what people like — it tells us why they buy.

The next era of brand experience won’t be defined by prediction, but by stewardship.

Better questions allow systems to produce better answers, and better answers lead to better decisions.

Global campaigns should be the most powerful work a brand produces. Yet somehow, they’re often the most forgettable.

Overreach can feel opportunistic very quickly, particularly when emotion is involved. Brands that navigate these situations successfully tend to share three characteristics.

The lesson for marketers is simple: protect what makes you distinctive, but express it in a way that feels current.

The question for every brand right now isn’t “how do we buy more attention?” It’s “why would anyone choose to participate?”

The future of brand influence is not about the loudest single moment. It is about the longest presence.

Ultimately, the reason everyone has their own “flavor” of SPO is because SPO is not one-size-fits-all.

The future of performance marketing isn’t about choosing the right channel. It’s about understanding contribution and rewarding it accordingly.

This isn’t just an AriZona story. It’s a warning for every brand navigating inflation, loyalty, and cultural relevance. When trust is part of your equity, protecting it isn’t optional—it’s the work.

Every platform requires its own strategy. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are not interchangeable.

It’s time for agencies to get beyond the Mad Men thinking. Their job isn’t to ask how to get the right message across a particular channel to maximise efficiencies, it’s how to get the most useful message out to drive growth where it’s most needed.

We asked industry leaders if they are expanding their thinking, or shifting it away from craft and judgement towards systems, speed and scale.

At what point does buyer insecurity harm conversions? It could be argued that it reduces purchase intent even before web visitors have taken their first action.

These brands don’t just grow faster—they’re also more resilient. During economic downturns, Go-to Brands lose only half as much market value as their peers.

Creators with meaningful audience relationships demonstrate that influence isn’t about size, it’s about impact

The bottom line? 2026 looks like a year of maturation. The shiny-object syndrome is fading, replaced by a focus on what actually works.

With game day just around the corner, now’s the time to pressure-test whether your measurement setup reflects how marketing actually works: in spikes of attention, shifts in timing, and campaign effects that ripple across channels.

Brands that build assets with these models in mind, and supply them with consistent, well-defined signals, are more likely to appear accurately and consistently as AI-first experiences expand.

In 2026, the luxury sector is poised to regain its sparkle, but only for the brands willing to rethink the fundamentals.

Q5 offers an opportunity to move beyond one-size-fits-all discounting. Instead of rewarding everyone simultaneously, brands can reward those who truly deserve it, for the work they do to better our communities.

The best experiences don’t need to explain the technology behind them. They’ll reflect confidence, clarity and care in how they were made.

Sean Adams, chief marketing officer, Brand Metrics, believes we can predict future ad outcomes using the unprecedented power of consistent measurement data

If 2025 was a year of change in the marketing world, 2026 will be even more transformative. We can anticipate significant leaps in AI, which will extend to creative decision-making, media targeting, and influencer marketing.

Your relationship goes beyond simply selling them a product.  You want them to buy from you multiple times. 

We’ve just launched our first-ever Holiday Sweepstakes, with ten grand prizes for ten small businesses in ten cities: $10,000 in IRL ad media, each.

As AI accelerates and marketing budgets tighten, creativity is thriving in chaos, but only when guided by clarity. The boldest ideas are coming from brands that turn evidence into conviction and use data to bring creative freedom.

Going viral is a sugar rush. Belonging builds enduring brand equity—the kind that keeps you relevant long after the spotlight fades.

Brands that invest in communities, foster dialogue across lines of difference, and tell honest stories don’t just earn attention—they earn loyalty.

The 2025 Go-to Brands List is a reminder that, even in a world obsessed with tech, trends, and transformation, the brands that win are the ones that make people feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Sustainability needs to taste simple, actionable, guilt-free, and unlock value pools that would be impossible to activate in a world pre-AI and pre-efficiency fever.

The future of influencer marketing isn’t transactional. It’s relational. And it starts with recognising that influencers are brand partners, not adverts.

If the deal sounds too good to be true, it’s probably because you’re paying for it somewhere you can’t see.

The future of growth belongs to the leaders, and the CMOs, who understand that visibility isn’t just exposure. It’s equity.

SMEs must be prepared to learn and experiment, but they don’t need to sit on the sidelines of programmatic. With the right guidance, they can claim their seat at the table – and challenge the dominance of legacy players with smarter, leaner campaigns.

Start saying no, to vanity, to product-first thinking and briefs with no heart. Tell your product team you’ll take it from here.

The label ‘influencer’ no longer captures this reality. It reduces a diverse ecosystem into a single, superficial category.

Thanks to the streaming revolution, viewers are turning away from linear TV in droves. Even sports are seeing seismic shifts in how fans engage with content.

We all know markets and media spaces are fiercely competitive and budgets are under the cosh. So, we don’t believe in only instinct to land unfair ideas.

True brand power comes from people talking about you because they want to – not because they were paid to.

While brands are unwilling to relinquish hard-won cohesion, there’s some movement toward pushing against monolithic rigidity, in favor of a more flexible, realist’s approach.

In a world optimised for clicks, the real opportunity lies in connection. And connection, when it’s done well, is still the most human story we can tell.

With a clear strategy, streamlined process, and creative bravery, brands can be both trend-savvy and authentic.

In a noisy, metrics-driven world, brands that master storytelling will do more than convert – they’ll connect. And connection is what drives sales, repeat purchase, and long-term growth.

Brand marketers should explore how real-world influence networks and word-of-mouth hotspots enable more effective omnichannel strategies. Understanding group behaviour is the skeleton key to unlocking full-funnel growth.

We spoke with Michael Pavone, the CEO and Founder of Philadelphia-based food and beverage marketing agency quench, about what he’s seeing in 2025 so far and what that might portend for 2026.

Music tourism isn’t just a cultural trend – it’s an economic force. It’s reshaping travel and changing the ways consumers are choosing to spend their money.

When the brand promise and employee experience don’t align, you lose talent, creativity and growth. That’s why the CPO + CMO Power Partnership matters, says Carol-Ann White, Group Chief People Officer at Landor.

The Q3 2025 IPA Bellwether Report arrives at a delicate time, as the market slowly regains its footing after a period of hesitance.

In this interview, Ivan Doruda, CEO of MGID, explains why the industry’s protective systems have backfired, how this has weakened the media ecosystem, and what advertisers can do to reverse the trend.

As commerce and retail initiatives take centre stage, PrOOH is uniquely placed to drive measurable outcomes – whether that’s influencing purchase intent, reinforcing key messages close to point of sale, or boosting ROI when paired with other channels.

Reach may open the door, but resonance is what closes the deal. In today’s creator economy, performance is the premium, and it’s time our contracts caught up.

With markets populated by near-identical products and differentiation becoming increasingly difficult, it’s not hard to see why brands are turning to mascots en masse.

In a country increasingly divided along political lines, the media we consume should strive to maintain balance and fairness.

Relying on TV or radio alone, or ignoring the power and measurability of digital, will usually lead to inefficiencies or missed opportunities.

By focusing on these five areas, advertisers can unlock the full potential of the open internet. In so doing, they can make every impression, every signal, and every dollar deliver real business value. 

The success of the genre confirms that 50+ isn’t just a consumer group worth chasing — it’s one that the smartest brands can’t afford to let get away.

In a market pressured by tariffs, supply chain constraints, and rising consumer expectations, auto brands cannot afford inefficiency in their media strategies.

With a marketplace in constant flux, brand leaders are looking to Advertising Week as the place to separate signal from noise, reconnect with peers, and walk away with insights that will actually move the needle.

DMEXCO has undergone an identity change in recent years, from Cologne’s answer to Cannes Lions with all the global hubbub it attracts, to a European-focused, business-first conference.

This era won’t be defined by commercial breaks or rented space alongside this new wave of entertainment — it will be about helping co-create it.

Instead of asking “what’s the minimum we can do to get this out the door?”—ask “what’s the sharpest, most emotionally resonant idea we can build a world around for our brand?”

Experian’s Debbie Oates explains that there’s help on hand to understand the new tectonic shifts in the make-up of the average UK household, so marketers can avoid being left behind.

The bridge between marketing and finance isn’t built on a false sense of certainty, but on honest, measurable uncertainty that both teams can plan around.

Once you define the problems you solve and for whom, your people can show-up as focused experts not hopeful generalists.

Brands need to move from risk aversion to value alignment. Stop worrying about backlash and start focusing on why you’re showing up.

The goal for any business should be to capture today’s demand while projecting and protecting a go‑to‑market narrative that is both clear and consistent.

If you’re a major brand or large agency considering starting an internal production offering, I see two main roads ahead of you.

Gaining consumer attention is a must for any brand, but in a more and more fragmented media world, the industry must seek fresh approaches to break through all the noise and clutter.

When leveraged ethically and insightfully, social norms tap into the deep emotional wellsprings of behavioral change —creating room for people to feel more seen and aligned with their values.

The underbelly of programmatic has always had issues like these. Right now, this double game appears to be a remarkably common state of affairs among ad platforms and their clients, and I think it’s time we all looked at it a bit harder.

Products (and charismatic CEOs for that matter) alone won’t protect businesses from the inevitable moments when something goes wrong – when tech falls behind, when consumer preferences change, or when market conditions evolve.

In 2025, 80% of women still can’t correctly identify a vulva on a diagram. That is a mind-blowing stat, and it’s frankly dangerous that we know so little about ourselves.

Brands are more successful when they integrate naturally throughout the process, instead of just popping in and feeling like an ad drop.

Misinformation isn’t just a problem for users anymore — it’s a branding crisis. As media platforms scale back moderation, advertisers are being forced into the role of risk manager—whether they like it or not.

Before your brand ever said a word, it could have dropped a beat. Not just any beat — the beat.

We still call it social media, but the way people use these platforms today has nothing to do with being social.

From creative and strategy to experiential and digital, here’s how key voices from across the industry are interpreting the latest findings, and what they believe marketers must prioritise to navigate the road ahead.

Whether it’s a last-second game winner, a viral TikTok trend, or a breakout Twitch stream, the path to relevance is no longer about reach alone. It’s about resonance.

During Converge @ Cannes, a group of brand, media, and advocacy leaders broke down why abandoning the LGBTQ+ community is not just a moral failure—it’s a catastrophic business decision.

What role do brands play in shaping those emotions to begin with?

The content arms race isn’t going away. But if brands want to thrive—not just survive—it’s time to rethink the systems behind the stories.

Whether it’s through purpose-aligned storytelling, wellness-infused activations, or simply giving people permission to breathe, the most resonant brand experiences this year felt human.

As social media drives more of our culture, risk-taking will become a necessity that brands can’t afford to ignore.

With a cautious but optimistic approach, marketers can not only withstand the perfect storm; they can chart a path through it. Growth is still possible, even in the unpredictable economy of 2025 and beyond.

Legacy publishers have always known how to tell stories. But today, storytelling alone isn’t enough. To thrive, they must also engineer how that story is experienced across platforms, formats, and communities.

The brands that thrive on social won’t be the ones chasing trends or chasing likes. They’ll be the ones that connect content to commercial impact and prove it.

The marketers who take the time to understand, respect, and speak directly to women—across generations—are the ones who will build loyalty, love, and long-term market share.

As your brand looks to the future, know who you are, stand strong by your value commitments, and don’t fall into the trap of risking long-term brand meaning.

We work in an industry that shapes how people experience the world, and we know that comes with responsibility. Let’s bravely think about what we can do about loneliness.

Lasting impact comes from seeing customers as individuals and designing experiences that reflect how they actually engage. That’s how brands stay in tune—and stay in business.

When internal marketing teams have access to platforms that can concept, launch and optimize campaigns in real time, the question becomes: what value is the agency adding?

Brands that lead with clarity and courage will win the next decade. Not because it’s trendy. Because it’s true.

The sentiment at Cannes was one of grounded optimism. There’s growing alignment around the need for outcomes, better measurement, and AI integration.

Let’s focus on what matters: insights fueled by data, strategy that responds to human needs, creative that connects emotionally, and measurement that proves we are on the right path.

The brands that endure are those designed to be both valuable and resilient — to attract investment today and withstand disruption tomorrow.

By Christina Cubeta, CMO at Scope3 In 1954, the first International Advertising Festival was launched…

Taylor Swift didn’t just reclaim her masters, she rewrote the modern marketing playbook.

The challenges of globalization are not insurmountable, but they require a strategic approach that balances local knowledge with global ambitions.

Your social presense, the signals, stories, platforms, and people that link you to your audience, is your commercial advantage. But only if you build it intentionally.

We asked leading voices from across the creative landscape what they’ll be watching for on the Croisette.

It’s no surprise then that B2B companies with a strong brand command a 46% higher market share and can often charge a premium.

An Exclusive Celebration of U.S. Latino Power in Marketing and Creativity!

Being valuably different, and not focused on being better, is the key to being a brand that stands the test of time.

As Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off, one thing is certain: the conversations won’t just shape headlines, but help define the next chapter of advertising. Industry experts weigh in.

Marketers should have more confidence in their ability to demonstrate how their brand influences pricing.

You either have health and wellness value in your brand or you don’t. If you do, then it’s time to determine how to incorporate this into your brand marketing and PR.

Emotional intelligence puts the human back in marketing, helping brands cut through biases and connect meaningfully.

When platforms extract value from communities without consent or reciprocity, they recreate the logics of empire.

Digital marketing is powered by fossil fuels. It’s time we started counting the clicks that cost the planet.

Where do you start when designing event formats that resonate across different markets while honouring different countries’ cultures?

Snapchat lets brands connect with audiences in a way that feels personal, interactive, and natural, like chatting with a friend. In an age of polished perfection, that kind of authenticity is what truly converts.

Planning around propensity, not persona, means the messaging is more relevant and consistent from the very top of the funnel to the bottom. Not brand or performance – just marketing, executed with purpose.

The tired consumer isn’t unreachable. Reach them with a tangible shift towards respect and understanding. If you can be that kind of brand, you’ll matter—now and long after the headlines shift.

Push forward, stay aggressive but flexible and always know the sun will rise tomorrow, even if ROAS doesn’t.

We sat down with Rob Rakowitz, Head of Marketing at Vidmob, to talk about how CMOs can find a path through current economic challenges, and why creative data is so important to brand growth and competitive leadership.

Automation has opened up incredible possibilities for marketing teams. But with great power comes great risk of sounding like every other brand in the feed.

Brand safety isn’t just about protecting your reputation—it’s about empowering your brand to thrive, innovate, and lead with confidence.

By creating connective tissue between message, medium, and moment, we unlock the kind of storytelling that earns attention and action.

The real question isn’t whether brands should embrace unhinged marketing. It’s how far they’re willing to go.

In an era dominated by endless short-form content streams, algorithm-driven feeds and AI-generated matter, people aren’t just tired – they’re tuning out.

We spoke with industry experts to explore how sensory marketing can breathe new life into customer interactions.

An always-on content strategy—which reflects a brand’s values—is key toward ensuring you stay connected with audiences so they feel top-of-mind.

By deepening their understanding of youth passions and fandoms, marketers can foster engagement that is not only meaningful in the present but also lays the groundwork for future brand affinity.

Shifting from traditional lead generation to genuinely influencing revenue isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential for marketers today.

Confidence isn’t just a nice-to-have right now—it’s essential. And brands and their marketers are at the heart of rebuilding it. It’s more than just putting out the right messaging.

As experiential marketing evolves, the brands that will stand out are those that treat taste not as an extra, but as a foundational element of storytelling.

With the pressure on new CEO Fernandez to improve performance, I wonder if increasing creator/influencer marketing is the right tactic for the company today.

For many brands, the real challenge is balancing the desire to disrupt with the need to be relevant. Disruption for its own sake rarely leads to long-term success.

The best agencies aren’t just winning pitches. They’re building trust. They’re engaging clients long before a formal process begins, proving their value beyond the work.

Combining agility with strategic vision, placing an equal emphasis on long-term vision and short-term adaptability, and integrating the best external talent available – these are the keys to success for founder-led businesses.

As we strive to better people’s lives, it’s essential that our actions and policies consistently demonstrate a commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable world.

While these experts may not have a crystal ball to see how the combined holding agency will ultimately play out, their collective opinion definitely skews towards the negative for the talent, clients and creative output.

Education-led marketing is a smarter way to connect with buyers, build lasting relationships, and drive real results. Ultimately, brands that make this shift don’t have to fight for attention. They stand out because buyers seek them out.

As content creation abilities and consumer expectations continue to evolve, it’s becoming ever more essential for brands to be bolder and embrace a new approach.

Without the right information, education and level of engagement, sustainability will always just be a buzzword that’s thrown around as a supposed point of difference for brands.

Is your video ad partner providing comprehensive campaign logs? Trade Desk and Google don’t do this, which amazes me.  Why don’t buyers demand full transparency in real-time? 

From re-emerging fashion trends to analog experiences, Gen Z is on the hunt for intentional simplicity. Brands have an opportunity to show up with IRL experiences to meet their demand.

Only time will tell how prevalent and enduring these architectural and experiential shifts may be, but for now ‘quiet luxury’ — at least in some parts of the premium category — seems to be making quite the statement.

In the age of AI and fragmented media, the challenge is not to replicate the “tipping point” of the past, but to forge new paths to influence, crafting compelling stories, building genuine relationships, and embracing the power of human creativity.

Fortifying talent and client relationships, specialized CRM tools place the thought of “I’d like to stay in touch,’ into decisive action – allowing contact information to be updated at the speed of a new hire.

Transforming digital advertising starts with those who can break free from this conventional thinking and lead the way.

Developing a unique and notable expertise, being ready to share it, and cultivating a community of followers are key steps to becoming a sought-after thought leader.

Before you can sell anything, you must establish trust, and credibility. That’s exactly what Aversano sought to do for The Cigna Group.

Consumers crave to connect face-to-face, not just within online communities. Sephora, Lululemon, Selleb and Tecovas are standout examples of brands tapping into this human impulse.

What’s they key to a successful influencer campaign? Keep things simple, stay flexible and always have a backup plan. Nail those, and your brand could be next in line for a viral moment.

Creating memorable campaigns requires strategic planning that begins with collaborative ideation and culminates in tangible brand experiences.

Marketers who embrace this shift by reframing purchases as smart investments, offering small luxuries that still feel attainable, and aligning with deeper consumer values will win.

Brands that fail to see that aren’t just outdated – they’re actively choosing to lose. The money, the influence, the future of spending power is right in front of us.

By identifying the core memories that their customers want to ignite, and by bringing them into the modern age with a fresh and relevant take, brands can evoke the positive emotions that come flooding back when reminiscing about simpler and fondly remembered times from our childhood.

With UK box office revenue totalling £979 million in 2024 and strong prospects for 2025 across both cinema and VOD streaming, the industry presents a wealth of opportunities for brands.

It’s time we all stepped up to create more pathways and authentic advertising. How will your brand drop the needle on diversity in 2025?

Customer success is your most valuable player. But it’s not just about playing the game; it’s about being prepared to change it, lead it, and redefine what success means repeatedly.

The passage of true love is anything but simple, but all brands should be chasing it.

Creative brand leaders should strive to find those sharp, unexpected, and strategic collaborations that can elevate a brand in meaningful ways and build long-term brand affinity, so the brand remains relevant and admired as generations pass and tastes evolve.     

There are so many opportunities for brands to support Gen Z in their dating lives and focus on fostering real connections. Gen Z will love them for it. And dating apps? They could take a cue from REI’s #OptOutside and help users to #DateOutside.

Despite the 15 years I spent agency-side, it was the three years client-side that taught me what it really means to “do marketing.” Here are nine lessons I wish agencies prioritised to become truly client-centric.

All too often, brands and their agencies rely on established channels without going the extra yard to see where else they can engage their audiences. By inserting their messaging into more intimate corridors of people’s everyday experiential lives, brands have the ability to connect to their audiences more seamlessly and meaningfully.

2025 is the year that we stoke the fires to keep the home fires burning, clamber out of our silos and get down to the business of delivering the most impactful, most creative and most effective comms for our clients.

According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 12% of US adults have taken a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medication as of May 2024—and those numbers are only expected to grow.

Forecasted weather data empowers businesses to anticipate rather than react. By understanding how customers respond to expected weather, companies can optimize inventory decisions, align campaigns with consumer expectations, and prepare logistics for potential disruptions.

People hate being screamed at by a sea of beige messages that aren’t interesting enough to merit a response. We’re sick of tricks. Sick of AI generated falsities, sick of AR, VR and whatever Meta black hole Zuck’s cooking up next.

There’s been a lot of chatter in the marketing world recently about the positive correlation between brands that take the time to truly understand their customers’ needs, desires and aspirations and business success.

The future of advertising lies in meaningful engagement, and branded content is the key to unlocking it.

While there are clear challenges ahead for publishers, a recent study from The Rebooting found that 80% of publishers expressed some form of confidence in their business.

How brands respond to the latest changes taking place on Meta’s platforms remains to be seen. But advertisers do have options, and this is a moment for them to rethink their approach to blocklists and banned words and take a fresh approach to their online advertising budgets and the role of news sites in their advertising mix.

Chrome has long been a linchpin in campaign creation, audience targeting, and performance analysis, offering seamless integration with Google’s vast ecosystem. Its sale could fragment this unified environment, forcing those in the advertising industry to rethink how they approach everything from data collection to media buying.

As we look to the future, the path forward is clear: focus on the customer, adapt with purpose, and create value that resonates in a rapidly changing world.

When creative and media teams have a collaborative relationship built on testing innovations and measuring lifts in performance, they can create a positive flywheel that powers higher performance now and in the future.

By analyzing data-driven insights, marketers can quickly determine which content is making the biggest splash — and go on to create more of it for stronger acquisitions.

The recent uproar surrounding Jaguar’s brand refresh has been astonishing. What began as a teaser of a new brand identity quickly spiralled into a feeding frenzy of criticism.

Hyper-personalisation should exist to enhance the user experience, but brands need to be wary of how close they are to crossing the line.

The future of customer loyalty is about creating meaningful, personalised connections that anticipate and fulfil customer needs in real-time.

As you plan for 2025 and beyond, ask yourself: could our marketing work harder? It’s time to try something different. After all, healthcare marketing doesn’t have to be mediocre; it’s only mediocre if we allow it to be.

The next time you find yourself fixating on attention metrics, take a step back and ask yourself: “Is this ad worth seeing?” If the answer is no, then it’s time to rethink your strategy.

In 25 years’ worth of Interbrand’s Best Global Brands, a personality brand has never featured in the top 100 – until this year. 

Forecasting the hottest gifts and trending recipes for the holiday season used to be straightforward: just check magazines or TV shows, where content was created months in advance.

New agency amplifies Horizon Media’s commitment to transformative, integrated marketing solutions that deliver impactful consumer engagement

By focusing on authentic human interactions at the core of their strategy, brands can foster meaningful connections and build loyal communities on TikTok. That’s how brands play the social media long game to win.

If Jaguar wants to course-correct, it’ll need to do more than ride the wave of modern design. It’ll take serious work to listen to its customer base, rebuild trust, and reclaim the emotional resonance that made its brand roar in the first place.

A Q&A With Amanda Williams, Senior Director, Client Experience & Integrated Strategy, Parallel Path, Boulder, CO

Heading into 2025, as more advertising dollars are poured into the industry than ever, we’re seeing marketers move away from brand storytelling and toward a scaled, transactional approach.

By Charlie Fletcher, Freelance Writer There isn’t a successful company out there that will tell…

By measuring genuine engagement with key moments rather than surface-level metrics, brands can build advertising strategies that deliver real value across platform boundaries.

In this industry where technological advancements are booming and we’re constantly being introduced to new touchpoints, it can be hard to focus on the simple truths of building great ads.

In 2025, the ability to navigate uncertainty with confidence will separate the leaders from the laggards.

These unreachable destinations ignite imagination. With the right stories and tech, they can become symbols of aspiration. The challenge is balancing adventure with responsibility, encouraging sustainable travel while protecting these extraordinary places.

If charities are to continue to garner the donations needed to further the causes they champion, a new approach to brand suitability is vital.

Performance marketers, relying on this shaky foundation, often over-credit mobile and desktop environments because their identity resolution seems “perfect,” while under-crediting CTV or larger screens, where device matching is weaker.

Asking these five questions and taking relevant actions will go a long way to ensuring you deliver effective marketing that drives business growth over the long term.

By building a memorable brand, B2B businesses can wean themselves off a relentless focus on ROI, and instead build successful relationships with customers and prospects in new, exciting and efficient ways, building long-term value.

Let a fluent device unlock entertainment and creative effectiveness for your brand by pairing a lovable character with engaging narratives, humor, and cultural references. Once your star is born, you won’t look back.

In the end, the brands that embrace this reality, that push past the status quo, will be the ones that redefine pharma advertising for good. The stakes have never been higher. The potential for breakthrough work is enormous.

With memorable takeaways that blend utility and appeal, brands move from a fleeting impression to a lasting presence, staying top-of-mind long after the trade show is over.

Enacting customer-centric privacy controls builds trust, further improving brand reputation. These policies can attract more customers.

While the 9:16 format may present some novel creative challenges, the potential for brands to improve performance and drive meaningful results is significant.

By Kim Lawton, Founder and CEO of Enthuse Launching a product is just the beginning…

The advertising sector fuels the UK economy. When a pound is spent on advertising it adds six to UK GDP, according to Deloitte. By boosting the influx of diverse talent we’re not just future-proofing our sector, we’re safeguarding the financial health of the country.  

Adults 50+ want to live life to the fullest, and having a pet is an important part of the 50+ lifestyle. Pet owners over 50 spend significant time and money to ensure their pets are happy and well cared for, so that their pets can live their best life, too.

We believe that brands, platforms and agencies all play a part in shaping the future of social media—that brands can help steer social media towards a more positive, authentic future is the driving force behind our work.

As I wrap up my season 4 viewing and start to dream of season 5, my ask to Netflix is to give a little screen time to some of the unnamed number-crunching-data-loving associates at Agence Grateau.  Data people are some of the best people.

While some factors may shift from one quarter to the next, these trends are likely here to stay for the foreseeable future. The convergence of media, the evolving impact of privacy regulations, the complexities of signal deprecation, and the integration of AI are not just passing trends but defining features of this modern era in advertising.

In this interview, the Head of Retention at Medialab discusses the importance of customer retention, effective strategies, and the role of technology and data in driving long-term customer engagement.

As content and commerce merge, we must act. Let’s create unforgettable experiences that captivate audiences and drive sales. Let’s dive into this thrilling new frontier. Here, innovation meets impact and every interaction sparks joy.

As we countdown to the 2026 World Cup, the evolving soccer culture in the U.S. presents thrilling opportunities for publishers and advertisers.

The more we shift our focus, the more we will also embrace new technologies and innovations that push towards these deeper goals and metrics. Let’s hope that this positive change in the US becomes the driving force for the next era in advertising. 

With election season approaching and a polarized market, along with a very crowded and expensive ad space, advertising in mobile gaming has never made more sense.

Ad resonance is more than just another marketing metric; it’s a vital driver of crucial…

By Steve Cwik, senior writer and brand storyteller for RAPP Positive marketing strategies can foster…

TikTok Advertising has quickly become the “new” Instagram or Snapchat and a highly effective way to reach young, affluent millennials and the early adopters who like to stay current on all the trends.

If we learned one thing from this year’s Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, it’s that we need more moments like it.

GPO Vallas and Ara Labs plan rapid domestic and international expansion to over 20,000 car top displays

We may live in an always-connected world, but that doesn’t mean employees should always be reachable. By following the above best practices, business leaders and managers can keep their team members operating at their highest levels, and their businesses will get a considerable boost in return.

If your brand chooses dialogue over monologue, engages authentically with its communities, remains ready to respond to its audience, and stays consistent with its own core truth, then you will have more than just a perfunctory social media presence. Instead, your brand will be part of the community and truly present.

Lead entrepreneurs have a critical role to play powering creative agencies through today’s competitive landscape.

Now the shockwaves have passed from Google’s latest announcement, it should be clear to all advertisers and agencies that even if the cookie isn’t cut off completely, its power will diminish over time.

By leveraging their position and visibility, brands can be prominent in helping drive healthy conversations, share useful information, and promote trustworthy news sources. They can help arm young voters with the insight they need to make the most of this cultural moment, proving their relevance to this audience, and forging connections that last through the election and beyond.

The message to the industry is clear: the evolving consumer landscape is calling for a new type of agency, one that represents the diverse mainstream, and balances inclusivity with specificity. 

To truly connect with today’s consumers, brands must become relatable. Audio storytelling accomplishes that goal in a unique way by allowing consumers to hear an unvarnished account of what a brand is doing and why.

As expectations for corporate responsibility continue to rise, brands have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in addressing environmental issues.

If it’s even a question in your mind, take the road less traveled, you’ll end up somewhere unconventional and divine.

We all know that great young talent is hard to find. If you’re lucky enough to hire someone who’s eager to learn and excited for their career in advertising, help to nurture that spirit every day.

Times of change can be turbulent, especially given the history and frequency of CMO-level turnover. Whenever that moment hits, agency leaders need to prioritize communication over remuneration.

It’s time to define your brand’s approach to doing B2B with a B2H mindset. If you focus, prioritize, and then test new approaches, you can create experiences that drive new impact and deliver more of the value needed to grow.   

Understanding the trends driving this marketing trend will help big brands and small businesses maximize their influencer relationships.

By engaging consumers mid-funnel and aligning with their values, brands can build stronger relationships, drive relevance, and ultimately improve conversion rates.

As a longtime runner and Nike devotee, I recently found myself with an unexpected dilemma. While shopping for new running shoes prior to a business trip, I was drawn to a pair made by On Running instead of my usual Nikes.

So, take the time to bring your employees along on the journey. Show them that you understand how valuable they are. And make sure your new brand is one that reflects your business as it truly is.

With the Paris 2024 Olympics underway, we have seen brands both big and small gear up to seize a unique and coveted opportunity to engage with global audiences. And there’s no surprise as to why.

When it comes to Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X, the suggestions and trends served up on social media play a big role in their spending decisions.

It’s important to recognize the real harm high employee turnover is having on your client relationships. The sooner you invest in programs employees want and need, the sooner you can retain the talent your clients deserve.

Women’s sports have secured a significant place in today’s world and will continue to do so in the future. Advertisers who recognize and capitalize on this opportunity will join a dynamic and influential movement.

Q&A with Jason Warner, Director UK & EMEA at SBS

No matter the brand experience there is one truth that will never go out of fashion. Fans seek out authentic experiences over fleeting trends. They want to feel like experiences extend and complement who they are, not fight and take away from their identity.

Everyone is talking about Gen Z, but most Gen Zers are still teenagers, whereas the entire millennial generation is at or near the peak of their purchasing power. 

To really connect with Gen Z, you’ve got to let go of the myths and see us for who we actually are. When you start to see us clearly, you’ll also see success, because messaging that truly resonates will build engagement and win our loyalty.

If that authenticity isn’t there, collaborations can look try-hard and superficial and can end up doing more harm than good.

Suddenly, more of the world wants to laugh. Or so it may seem. After many fallow years, when humour in advertising felt scarce, misplaced, or just absent – it’s slowly, tentatively making a comeback.

Advertising on premium news sites not only aligns with the activity of target consumers, provides better engagement, and provides better brand safety, but it also gives brands the opportunity to support journalism at a very trying time.

Ultimately, ensure you’re providing a sense of thrill and urgency by tapping into the universal desire to feel seen and heard. Start with in-depth social listening to mine for opportunities. It’s not just what consumers are saying but how they’re emoting and expressing, context matters.

Every business struggles at times; you need the courage to learn from your experiences and keep going. And remember, if you get it right, on the rollercoaster that is running your own business, the downs are right before the ups.

There’s no sign that the experiential marketing industry is slowing down, so the future looks bright. Marketers would be wise to get their ducks in a row now to reap the rewards.

Overall, Cannes Lions 2024 highlighted a dynamic interplay between sustainability, AI, media evolution, and creative excellence. The festival served as a platform for industry leaders to discuss and showcase how innovation and responsible practices can drive meaningful change and positive impact in the industry.

Cannes Lions 2024 reflected an industry that has progressed from talk to action when it comes to AI, cookies and commerce media. Elsewhere, chat on the French Riviera turned to the rise of CTV and the need to work harder than ever to gain consumer trust.

The concept of a channel multiplier effect in itself, isn’t a new one. Both client and agency side, we know that different channels can support and enhance the performance of each other.

In this dynamic era of the Experience Economy, where empathy, immersion, and memorable interactions reign supreme, businesses have a unique opportunity to create lasting connections with their customers.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE AUTHOR.

Many organizations are working towards this already, but significant opportunity remains for many others to understand the benefits of prioritizing sustainability.

For marketers, the implications are clear: leveraging graphic design in experiential events can significantly enhance audience engagement, encourage content creation, and amplify the brand’s presence in the digital realm. 

For PR and marketing professionals, understanding cultural shifts is an opportunity to create content your audience will resonate with. That’s a trend we can all get on board with.

Navigating the evolving sports media landscape requires brands and agencies to adopt strategic approaches that align with changing consumer behaviors and preferences.

By Tom Christmann, Executive Creative Director, Catch+Release “I’m a creative in advertising.” What a strange…

There’s a reason that “passion projects” are often met with skepticism inside creative companies.

To better understand consumers and the barriers ahead for EV brands, you need to focus on the entire journey from purchase to ownership to renewal and create better experiences during the moments that matter most.

Brands can use many techniques, including adding product schema and ensuring the site is mobile-friendly.

Despite having the resources to reach large consumer bases, even the largest brands are underperforming in reaching the mobile gaming-first audience.

Marketing as an industry has been guilty of keeping performance and branding in silos, but creative teams shouldn’t think that way. As I said before, a good designer – even one fresh out of school – knows how to create with a goal in mind.

With the threat of a potential ban getting closer, marketers are necessarily seeking guidance in these uncertain times.

The biggest lessons any marketer could learn from BTS’s cutting edge marketing is follow your fans, learn from them and grow with them.

Marketing to a global audience isn’t easy. However, you can streamline the process by embracing diversity while forging key partnerships in your target market.