Future Proof

There is a lot people don’t know about eBay, says Gareth Jones. In order to bust some of those myths – around things like delivery and newness – the online shopping platform is spending more and more on traditional media channels like radio and TV. Telling these stories and reaching a wider audience is helping them achieve longer term success, he explains, and complements their digital advertising...

Technology and data now sit at the heart of marketing, and AI has quietly embedded itself in our culture. But how can we use it to produce adverts that make an impact? Why is human creativity still important? And what are the big questions we need to be asking about evolving technology... not just from a business perspective, but for society as a whole? In part one of a two-part discussion, Perry...

If enjoying food makes us choose to consume more of it, then learning how to trigger greater levels of enjoyment could be a valuable tool in a brand’s repertoire. How can you encourage consumers to buy, consume and enjoy your products? What if they really think they won’t like the flavour combination? And why do choices around packaging – size, wording and related ‘content’ – matter? Andrew and Ta...

How do you bridge the gap between creative and media teams to deliver more effective campaigns? How do you encourage users to actually watch a video ad on their mobile device? And how do you achieve mass reach without losing personalised, contextual relevance? These are just some of the questions Jane and Felipe discuss with Grant Gudgel, the head of Teads Studio in North America. They talk AR, AI...

What makes Pinterest different to other platforms? Jon Kaplan, Global Head of Partnerships, explains to Jane and Felipe how users (or Pinners) actually appreciate content from brands on this channel, as they find inspiration for everyday products, seasonal ideas, or major life moments such as planning a wedding, a new baby, or house renovations. Jon tells us what innovations are new and coming soo...

Nick Lawson, CEO EMEA and client practice lead at MediaCom, spoke to us in Cannes about the changing world of the media agency, how the industry has evolved, why clients look to media agencies for growth solutions… and what the future might look like. Will technology replace people, or just boring tasks? What skills do agencies need? What role can media agencies play? And why has Nick stayed at th...

The Culture Next global trends report from Spotify explains how younger audiences are changing – experiencing screen exhaustion and re-evaluating their relationship with digital media, they are moving to new channels and expecting new, personalised but connected experiences. With these trends and the ubiquity and innovation in audio, says Danielle Lee (Global Vice President, Partner Solutions at S...

Steve Hatch, Vice President Northern Europe at Facebook, and former CEO at MEC (now Wavemaker) talks about the difference between his current job and working at an agency, and what has changed at Facebook in the last few years – particularly recently, in terms of promoting the social good done by the platform, and minimising harm. He also tells Jane Ostler about the latest innovations and applicat...

What is the role of the CMO? How is it changing? And, most importantly, what makes a really good one? Jane Ostler interviews Nadine Dietz, chief community officer at AdWeek and host of the CMO Moves podcast, during Cannes Lions 2019. Nadine talks about her conversations with CMOs, the traits she finds they have in common, what they do differently… and even some of the secret dreams they hold. Host...

Jane and Andrew speak to Bruce Daisley, VP EMEA for Twitter, about the role the platform plays in society and the marketing mix, as well as his own work around positivity at work. Bruce discusses recent innovations at Twitter to make conversations healthier, the best ways brands can use Twitter (both for starting conversations and gathering feedback to use as fuel for a campaign) and what makes po...

June saw the release of the  BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands of 2019 , with Amazon taking the top spot for the first time. But why does it matter? How does it work? And what makes the difference between a top performing brand and those that drop off the list? Doreen Wang, global head of BrandZ for Kantar, tells Jane Bloomfield about the key themes, provides insights for growth and offer...

With more data at our disposal than ever, new tools, new tech, machine learning… are machines about to replace creatives? Tara Walpert Levy (VP, Agency and Brand Solutions at Google) says no, but brings to life several examples of where technology and insights – specifically from Google – are empowering creatives and creative work. On the stage at Google Beach as part of Cannes Lions, she discusse...

We know that marketing think they are doing a good job when it comes to gender portrayal... while most consumers actually don't feel they are accurately reflected in advertising. Cindy Gallop, CEO and Founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, argues that the only solution is hiring and promoting more women within the advertising world, and ensuring that women are writing, creating, producing, directing and appr...

Today at Cannes Lions, Jane Ostler spoke to Chris Duffey, Head of AI Innovation and Strategy at Adobe and Anthony Reeves, Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman and WPP ACE, who has also been ECD at Amazon. They discussed the real applications of AI – the truth beyond the hype – and the way it might change the role of creatives and the structure of the agency. The lively debate covers the importance of...

BrandZ data shows the biggest brands in the world are now technology brands. Where does that leave brands who make physical products and companies like Unilever? Kantar’s Jane Ostler speaks to Sophie Galvani, Global Brand Vice President for Dove Masterbrand, Unilever, about the way Dove and Unilever connects with consumers, raises confidence and self-esteem in young women, partners with third part...

Today Jane Ostler speaks to influencer and content creator Dominique Davis (@AllThatIsShe) and Neil Waller, co-founder and CEO of Whalar, the influencer marketing platform, live at Cannes Lions. As young people in particular spend more and more time online, and with news that Instagram is the fastest growing brand in the BrandZ Global Top 100, the power of social media as a channel for reaching co...

Welcome to Future Proofing Creativity, recorded live at Cannes Lions in June 2019.   This episode features Hesham Tohamy, head of P&G’s North America Feminine Care business, and Global Leader for the Always brand. At Kantar, we know brands with purpose have a higher brand value. But what does purpose mean, and has that meaning changed in the last few years? Why does a brand need to have a purpose,...

How can brands move beyond stereotypes? Why does it matter? And what does it look like in a world where 84 men each week are taking their own lives, due to various forms of crisis? James Scroggs, chairman of the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and master of the side hustle, speaks to Tara and Andrew about the changing notion of masculinity, the role of brands and the power of advertising...

Branded content is absolutely everywhere… but why? What format works best, at each stage of a customer’s journey? How transparent should you be? And how much branding is simply too much? Dr Alex Connock, Associate Fellow at Said Business School and founder of Missile Digital, talks to the Future Proof podcast about his research and industry experience, sharing insights for marketers exploring the...

The Initiative for Real Growth has analysed a huge range of research, including hundreds of C-suite interviews, to uncover the factors that drive sustainable, top-line business growth. In this episode of Future Proof, co-founder of the Institute for Real Growth Marc de Swaan Arons (Kantar) talks us through the findings, and explains what distinguishes an over-performer from an under-performer. He...

We talk all things gender in advertising with Angeline Martyn, Head of Private Sector Engagement at UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) and a spokesperson for the Unstereotype Alliance. At the heart of the discussion is the latest  AdReaction research  from Kantar, looking at how different genders respond to advertising, and what marketers should b...

What’s in a name? When you are a global company, known throughout the world for health and hygiene products including TENA, Tork, Bodyform, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa, it’s actually pretty crucial. Gabriella Ekelund talks to us about how Essity went about choosing a new name, the approach to stakeholder management, the rebranding process, and the reception it received....

Recorded live at Saïd Business School (Oxford University), a panel of experts talk about the What Women Want? initiative by Kantar, launched in 2018 to explore the last 100 years of marketing to women – and looking at how self-esteem can play an important role for brands looking to reach a wider audience. The panel was made up of members of the What Women Want? steering committee: Phillipa Snare,...

The BBC’s public purpose is to inform, educate, entertain and bring the country together. Measuring and improving this is at the heart of the corporation’s research strategy, as Director of Audiences Nick North explains. So what does the BBC know about you? How are they using customer and behavioural data to create and improve TV and digital content, and the overall quality of the experience? And...

Yasmeen Ahmad from Teradata tells us what Artificial Intelligence (AI) actually means, and where it can be valuable for businesses – particularly for marketing teams. Cutting through the nonsense to explain how AI really works, Yasmeen points to the value, the risks, and the key things to consider when you bring AI into your organisation.  Hosted by Andrew Stephen, L'Oreal Professor of Marketing a...