With the new year just beginning to find its footing, 北京赛车pk10 hosted its traditional preview of what lies ahead for the industry.
“These are complex and challenging times. It’s an unprecedented scenario for commercial media,” said 北京赛车pk10 editor Maisie McCabe, setting the stage for an inspiring, entertaining and insightful outlook on the year led by the 北京赛车pk10 editorial team.
Avoid the slop
Nicola Fox, head of programmatic at event partner Talon was the first – but by no means the last – to mention the contentious topic of AI. She warned that brands have to be authentic in a sea of AI-generated ‘slop’ content, which risks creating widespread distrust.
“Digital has to call this out,” she said. “AI has benefits but they are futile if trust has been worn away.”
Fox championed physical media such as out-of-home (OOH) to build trust in a distrustful world – bridging on and offline to create much-needed authenticity. She added that OOH is a sustainable option, sure to please ESG compliance teams everywhere.
Brands step up
From a brand perspective, AJ Coyne, VP of marketing, Monzo, said brands had to appreciate the genuine difficulties consumers are still facing.
“We can’t gloss over this, and financial services needs to do better. We must understand their problems and show how we can help,” he said, citing Monzo’s 1p saving challenge, which encouraged small, manageable savings.
Charlotte Ford, marketing director at Ruggable, agreed that 2025 would see a shift from performance-focused to above-the-line brand campaigns. Both brands are increasing budgets this year.
This was welcome news to Channel 4 CMO Katie Jackson, who after a “challenging” 2024, advised advertisers not to put all their eggs in a single marketing channel.
“You need to build brands through every single touchpoint and piece of communication you put out into the world,” she said.
Jackson added that Meta’s about-turn on fact-checking could benefit traditional media players like C4, which has boasted that it “fact-checked the Zuck out of its news”.
Don’t discount diversity
At a time when blue chips from Meta to McDonald’s are abandoning their policies on DEI, Adele Lewis Bridgeman, founder of the Responsible Resourcing Agency, reminded the industry of the value of a diverse workforce.
“Even as some companies step away, talent still cares about representation, inclusion and reputation,” she said, stressing the need to balance people-focused policies with commercial goals.
Balanced media
The media panel featured three professionals starting the year in new roles. Paul Knight, incoming CEO of PHD, echoed the importance of diverse teams and pledged to equip them for success.
“We had a good 2024, but you’re only as good as your last job. We have to build on that success,” he said.
Genevieve Tompkins, CEO of Goodstuff, noted the tension between short-term and long-term goals.
“We need to engage CFOs and bring them on the journey as brands aim for long-term rewards,” she said.
Natalie Cummins, UK CEO of EssenceMediacom, insisted clients want results, not theory. She called for bravery and experimentation to uncover fresh ideas in media.
Perception battle
Three very different media owners conveyed the diverse challenges and opportunities 2025 brings.
For ‘legacy media’ such as the Telegraph, challenges include drumming home the value of fact-checked news while trying to support physical sales.
Davina Barker, sales director, Digital Cinema Media said it was a perception battle for the silver screen. “It’s seen as nice to have, but the reality is that big films deliver to an audience quickly. We’re trying to get people to think about it earlier.”
Reddit’s John Baylon struck an optimistic note, arguing that doom-and-gloom forecasts for 2025 are overblown. Media that offers authentic engagement will thrive.
The hangover… and the cure
Leo Burnett’s deputy chief strategy officer Tom Sussman described a “nationwide hangover” after years of crises: COVID-19, the cost-of-living crunch and global conflict. He offered advertisers a five-point plan, urging them to:
- Get down to the “empathy gym” and understand the public mood.
- Avoid overpromising.
- Be transparent.
- Offer a nostalgic “hug”.
- Focus on “ordinary hope” – achievable goals.
Get creative
To the question ‘What is creativity in 2025?’ Karen Martin, CEO, BBH issued an inspiring rallying cry: “Creativity is all we have and it’s why we get up in the morning. It’s our secret weapon and how we win. We need to nurture it, love it and care for it. Brands have big issues they cannot fix themselves, so they come to us.”
For creative agencies, increasingly under competition from creativity in myriad forms offered by others, there is a need for more collaboration than ever, said James Murphy, CEO, Ogilvy Group.
“Collaboration is our new superpower,” he said. “The market doesn’t always understand the breadth of capabilities within traditional agencies.”
Criticism of agency practices, such as being “too slow,” was dismissed by Larissa Vince, chief executive of TBWA\London. “We’re not slow – we’re striving for brilliance. And clients get that.”
Go rogue
At the creative coalface, Chaka Sobhani, president and global chief creative officer, DDB Worldwide, said big famous ideas that made people “feel” were the characteristic of great creative in 2024, naming Kellogg’s edible American football mascot and Orange’s celebration of women’s football as great work.
Jonathan Kneebone of Glue Society called for bravery and individuality in creativity. “It’s time to make creatives scary again – the SAS Rogue Heroes of advertising.”
The best creative could still change people’s day and provide enjoyment, he said, namechecking the Iams inflatable dog, which wedged between Chicago skyscrapers to highlight canine obesity.
In an age of AI, it is more important than ever that creative individuals become more individual, but the sector is still wrestling with how to incorporate it.
“The debate around AI is similar to that around digital 25 years ago when we said it was just another tool, but it changed the world. We do not have a choice about whether to engage with AI – it’s in everything,” said Iain Tait, co-founder, Food Arts & Technology.
Speaking up for the technology, Michael Acorn, global head of AI, TBWA\Worldwide called for it to be seen as an engine for growth rather than efficiency, as so many did.
“There’s only so much you can save,” he said. “But as a driver of growth… it’s limitless.”
Limitless growth – is that too much to ask for in 2025?