Future Proof

What does it take to turn consumer insight into innovation that builds lasting brand growth? In this episode of Future Proof, Dr. Nicki Morley speaks with Alex Wright, CEO and co-founder of DASH Water, about the choices behind building a Meaningfully Different brand. From spotting an opportunity in the soft drinks market to scaling DASH, Alex shares how staying close to consumers, combining multip...

In this Cannes special episode of Future Proof, Jane Ostler speaks with Kelly Ryan, Global Chief Brand Officer at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), about building distinctive brands in the age of AI. Kelly explains how TCS is helping organisations navigate AI transformation, why marathons have become a powerful expression of the brand, and why trust, creativity and "the power of the unprompted...

In this Cannes Lions special episode of Future Proof, Rachelle Minnis sits down with Dan Reynolds, SVP of Global Marketing at Hilton, to explore how one of the world's most recognisable hospitality brands is building long-term brand growth in an increasingly competitive market. Whether it's rescuing travellers from disastrous bookings, empowering creators to tell authentic stories, or usin...

For years, marketers believed brand building required long-form storytelling. But new evidence is challenging that assumption. Meta's Andy Childs and Connie Fichtner join Jane Ostler to discuss why short-form video is proving effective for both brand growth and performance, how advertisers should rethink attention metrics, and why creator-first strategies are helping brands like Vaseline conne...

In this special Cannes edition of Future Proof, Nicole Jones is joined by Phillipa Leighton-Jones, SVP, Global Head of Studio & Creative and Chief Custom Anchor at The Wall Street Journal, to explore how AI is transforming the way people discover information, consume media and engage with brands. Drawing on new research from WSJ Intelligence, Phillipa shares insights into changing consumer beh...

In this special Cannes edition of Future Proof, Duncan Southgate sits down with Rory Dolan, International CMO at Canva, to discuss how one of the world's most recognisable brands is navigating an AI-driven future. From democratising creativity to building a globally consistent yet locally relevant brand, Rory shares how Canva is embedding AI across its platform while keeping people at the cent...

In this Cannes special episode of Future Proof, Jeff Herman, EVP of Tech & Telco at Kantar, is joined by Menaka Gopinath, Chief Marketing Officer at the Project Management Institute (PMI), to explore what success looks like in an era of constant transformation.   Drawing on PMI's latest research, they discuss why delivering value matters more than simply being on time and on budget,...

In this Cannes special episode of Future Proof, Dr. Nicki Morley is joined by Marcella Wiwe, VP Marketing Denmark at Carlsberg Group, to explore how AI is changing the way brands innovate. From accelerating innovation cycles from months to days to identifying growth opportunities through consumer insight and real-world testing, Marcella shares how her team is using AI, experimentation and category...

In this Cannes special episode of Future Proof, Jane Ostler speaks with Dina Liu, Global Head of Brand Product Marketing at TikTok, about how AI is reshaping brand discovery and growth. From creator-led marketing and AI-powered content recommendations to the challenge of building salience in a fragmented media landscape, Dina shares how TikTok is helping brands stay relevant in an increasingly aut...

In this Cannes special episode, Jane Ostler talks with Charlotte Snelgrove from Octopus Energy (winner of the Blueprint for Brand Growth Experience Award 2026) and Peter Aitken from Kantar about the connection between customer experience and brand growth. From building a culture of agility to staying close to customer needs in an increasingly AI-driven world, they share practical lessons for busin...

In this Cannes special episode of Future Proof, Dr Nicki Morley sits down with Michael Swaisland, Vice President of Consumer Intelligence and Marketing Transformation at Arla Foods, to discuss how curiosity, consumer understanding and AI can work together to drive innovation. They explore turning insights into action, identifying the right growth opportunities, and why human judgement remains esse...

In this Cannes special episode of the Future Proof podcast, Duncan Southgate sits down with Mike Villalobos of Seedtag to explore how context drives media effectiveness. Together, they discuss the move from cookie-based targeting to contextual understanding, why interest, intent and emotion are becoming critical marketing signals, and how advances in AI could help brands better understand culture,...

In this Cannes special episode, Jane Ostler sits down with John Campbell, SVP, Entertainment and Streaming Solutions for Disney Advertising, to explore how video is driving culture, not just consumption.   From the success of Rivals and its brand integrations with Waitrose and Volkswagen, to immersive fan experiences around shows like The Bear , they unpack how streaming is creating new oppor...

Marketing is crossing a new frontier, where data, AI and automation are transforming how brands grow. In this special Cannes Lions episode, Jane Ostler sits down with Mars Chief Brand Officer Rankin Carroll to discuss how brands can navigate this shift, from redefining agency partnerships to building new measurement models across paid, earned and shared channels. Together they explore how technolo...

As brands compete for attention, creators are building something more powerful: trusted communities.   In this Cannes Lions special, Jane Ostler is joined by Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle from Google to explain why YouTube creators are reshaping how brands connect with audiences. From the role of trust in driving purchase decisions to the impact of pairing creator and brand content, this episode ex...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

As growth is reshaped by AI, rising expectations and ongoing economic uncertainty, brand leaders are under increasing pressure to make clearer decisions, faster. In this podcast series, Martin Guerrieria, Head of Kantar BrandZ, speaks with global brand builders about the signals transforming their category, the strategic choices they’re making in response, and how they are building brands that dri...

In this episode of Future Proof, Lynne Deason sits down with Annabelle Cordelli to unpack the transformation of Virgin Atlantic - from defining a clear global brand platform, to navigating the existential shock of the pandemic, and emerging with bold, culture-shaping work.   This is a story about the power of clarity, conviction and partnership. Together, they explore how a brand reconnects w...

Is AI reinforcing or diluting your brand? Which brands do LLMs choose to surface and why?    LLMs are actively shaping how brands are discovered, compared and chosen. They are becoming the new gatekeepers of growth.  In this expert roundtable, Kantar leaders, from across disciplines and markets, discuss how LLMs are reshaping brand discovery. You'll leave with clarity...