Kelli Nelson

Not everyone likes to hear this I know but standardisation and getting the fundamentals right are key to the success of retail media. Let’s work together as an industry to make this happen

14

For a decade, We Are Social has been publishing the Think Forward trend report that provides valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the future of online culture and how brands can effectively engage with their audiences in this new era. This year’s report - Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web - is now live. Here are the trends shaping how people seek a more balanced and fulfilling online experience with a renewed focus on joy: 🐵 Primal Renaissance: A return to rawness and authenticity in online self-expression. 🌈 Low-stakes Social: The rise of wholesome content and a desire for relaxed online spaces. 🍃 Intentional Consumerism: A shift towards mindful consumption and sustainable spending habits. 👯‍♀️ Modern Mythmaking: The rise of interactive entertainment and audience participation. 🤗 New Intimacies: The craving for genuine connection and a sense of belonging in the digital world. The social media landscape is at a pivotal moment, where people are increasingly seeking authenticity, levity, and genuine connection amid rising concerns about its impact. These trends reveal not just the challenges but the profound opportunities for brands to step up. By championing intentional consumerism, fostering meaningful communities, and embracing cultural nuances, brands can be part of creating a healthier, more human digital world—something Australians are clearly craving. Sign up to access to the full report :

27

Another month, another batch of rich, culturally relevant insights for brands from DRUM. This time from our Strategy Director Adam Wyatt on all things AI, entertainment and a renaissance in analogue formats... 👇👇👇 #brandsinculture #brandpartnerships #media #advertising #genai #music #brandedcontent #entertainment #culturalinsights #brandstrategy

18

Another great campaign with Circana for Heineken & Fosters Shandy. Showing that it's possible to deliver instore sales & drive brand uplift through ID free targeting: 💸 Results included: an ROI of £3.45 (almost three times the £1.25 benchmark); a 2.7% sales uplift, which extended to a 1.2% sales uplift for the overall Fosters brand. 💬 Heineken’s programmatic lead Dan Glynn noted: “By using combined intent personas and point-of-sale data, we’ve been able to measure ROI without the reliance of cookies, IDs or other people-based tracking methods." ✅ Brand lift study also showed a drop in competitor brand perceptions among those exposed to the campaign. Link to the full article in the comments below. Nano Interactive

20

1 Comment

In Kantar's first ‘Diary of a CMO’ Mary Kyriakidi discusses with Prof. dr. Koen Pauwels whether attitudes drive sales? … or is it sales that drive more sales? 🌴 🌞 😎 As my thoughts are focused on my imminent holiday next week, I wanted to ground what Mary Kyriakidi and Prof. dr. Koen Pauwels discuss with evidence we’ve picked up within #Travel and #Tourism on our #Kantar #BrandDynamics trackers. -         🏆 Mary and Koen discuss how BOTH attitudes and sales are important - and we find a very close correlation between behaviour and predisposition in Travel sectors. In fact, the correlation sits within the top 20 of all categories on #Brandz -         🏆 We know situational factors like routes and availability drive behaviours for many brands, Ryanair - Europe's Favourite Airline is a great example where Presence unlocks sales -         🏆 Perceived Difference helps creates penetration – look at Emirates, Airbnb and Booking.com – all exhibiting a strong differentiational-pull! And not only does Difference make your brand stand apart and drive sales but it also makes your brand worth paying more for and reduces price elasticity  -         🏆 And the importance of both long-term planning as well as short-term executional wins - having strategies that build predisposition longer-term as well as driving immediate behaviours – I could site so many Travel Brands here but let me pick a few I haven’t mentioned TUI, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.com, British Airways Please catch Mary’s video here… Piers Lindsay-Taylor Suzannah Rowland Debbie Lawson Ben Krzysica Jamie Donovan

11

1 Comment

“Consumers don’t give a shit about your brand” “This ad is good, which means it probably won’t win at Cannes” Classic Mark Ritson at Insights by Kantar IGNITE event today Shock factor and humour aside, I agree wholeheartedly with his sentiments. And in his talk Ritson landed three key messages about brand growth: - Never underestimate the power of salience. “First you must know that it’s me. Manage for attention not image, trade taste for attention. Think about Brewdog” - Consitency is king. Ads don’t wear out (we’ve proved this! -https://lnkd.in/gKwgKiPz) - 50/60% of your spend should be focussed on long term brand building. You won’t see this return on the balance sheet. It’s mass market. It’s about ensuing the people who aren’t shopping your category now, but might in the future, think of your brand first (see point one) A cracking presentation as always. #KantarIgnite

1,223

78 Comments

No one: Me: Hey, let's do a year in review of best bits of strategy I wish I'd thought of... 💫 It’s that time of year when we can finally pause to take stock – not just of the mince pies consumed (plenty, thanks), but of what’s been cooking in the world of 'brand' this year. Spoiler: it’s been a mixed bag, but there’s plenty to cheer about and I wanted to share some highlights. So (drumroll) these are my 'strategic show-stopper shortlist 2024.' The agencies/brands/campaigns digging deep, challenging norms, and pulling out gold. (Essentially they’re the ones making me say on the daily, “I wish I’d thought of that.”) 👉 Barbie: Okay, yes, it’s still the campaign everyone’s referencing, but it deserves the hype. It's a masterclass in aligning brand heritage with modern cultural relevance. 👉 Yorkshire Tea: Quietly doing what they do best—unapologetically owning their quirky, rooted-in-the-north identity. Their campaigns don’t just sell tea; they sell a sense of northern pride and belonging (and as an adopted northerner I wholeheartedly approve) 👉 Oatly: Controversial? Always. Memorable? Definitely. Their ability to spark conversations (and arguments) is what keeps them relevant. 👉 Volvo's "EX90 – For Life": As an expectant parent, this one hit differently. Telling the story of a pregnant woman narrowly avoiding a zebra crossing accident thanks to Volvo’s safety tech. It’s a masterclass in blending putting the technical innovation front and centre with raw human emotion and it made me teary. Winner. 👉 Adobe’s “Creativity for All” B2B campaign: A brilliant reminder that even in B2B, people—not products—are at the centre. They’ve reframed their tools as enablers of human creativity, turning what could have been a dry sell into something emotionally resonant and pretty damn purposeful too. The key takeaway? Whether it’s B2C or B2B, the best marketing this year has put people at the centre. Even in highly technical or complex sectors, the most compelling strategies have been the ones that connect with human emotion—sparking curiosity, joy, or belief. Here’s to more big ideas, bold moves, and brilliant strategies in 2025. Ideas leaning into creativity AND commerciality, with human nature at the heart and great strategy that isn’t just clever for the sake of being clever; it drives results too. What on your strategic shortlist this year? Let’s swap notes 👇

15

3 Comments

What do clients really want (and need) from agencies? During a recent CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing panel event, Sharon Jiggins emphasised the critical role of consumer insights and the responsibility agencies bear in genuinely engaging with their target audiences. #CreativeAgency #AudienceInsight #Advertising

20

Reflecting on the latest report, I’m encouraged by the resilience brands are showing in challenging times, as evidenced by an uptick in ad spend. We’re seeing advertisers get creative, using innovative digital formats to connect with consumers and guide them from awareness to conversion. However, with such a significant portion of budgets going into programmatic, it’s critical that independent agencies also have access to these tools. By ensuring digital efficiencies are available to all, not just the largest players, we can help keep these agencies competitive and maintain their essential role in the media ecosystem. If you'd like to discuss these insights or explore how programmatic can drive growth, feel free to get in touch. #DigitalAdvertising #Programmatic #MarketingInsights #IndependentAgencies #AdSpend #MediaEcosystem #InnovationInMarketing SBS Sara Haile

10

As part of our research in the lead-up to this webinar, we partnered with Opinium to explore consumer perspectives on the use of humour in healthcare. Without giving too much away, our findings helped understand where humour can be effectively applied, the contexts in which it should be used, and which types of humour might best convey a brand's message. Register here to learn more: The Power of Humour in Healthcare - https://lnkd.in/eUn9ew4X #healthcare #comms #communications 

4

1 Comment

In 2019 Cadbury UK launched a masterclass in our first Principle: Distinctiveness. And no, this campaign doesn't feature a sad lass on a bus, or in a petrol station, or a drumming gorilla. And it's not even about purple as a 'distinctive asset'. The launch of their Dark Milk was an impressive exercise in decision making - by being ruthless in deciding who their product isn't for, they could position it much more clearly, and therefore develop a much more distinctive proposition to an older audience. Instead of being a forgettable half milk, half dark chocolate hybrid, this creative gave it a shot at being the chocolate for those old enough to know better. #advertising #marketing

7

For a decade, We Are Social has been publishing the Think Forward trend report that provides valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the future of online culture and how brands can effectively engage with their audiences in this new era. This year’s report - Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web - launches today. Here are the trends shaping how people seek a more balanced and fulfilling online experience with a renewed focus on joy. Primal Renaissance: A return to rawness and authenticity in online self-expression. Low-stakes Social: The rise of wholesome content and a desire for relaxed online spaces. Intentional Consumerism: A shift towards mindful consumption and sustainable spending habits. Modern Mythmaking: The rise of interactive entertainment and audience participation. New Intimacies: The craving for genuine connection and a sense of belonging in the digital world. Sign up to access to the full report : https://lnkd.in/gjEc7YzZ

14

Brands drive economic growth - and let's face it the UK needs as much of that as it can. This is an article by my colleague Rob Allen about how we can ensure the success of British brands. #BritishBrands #immersivebranding #branding

20

Welcome to “In My Humble Opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK agencies that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud. You will hear industry leaders and experts talk about their views and opinions on deliberately provocative subjects such as the impact of technology on brands and consumers, the future of our industry, the generational divides, diversity and inclusion and more. This is Episode 1 - ‘In My Humble Opinion...nobody ever got fired for buying the safest brands.’, a deep dive into the often-overlooked importance of brand in B2B marketing and purchasing decisions. We're joined by Billy Hamilton-Stent, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Pro, and special guests Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz from Marketplace Innovation at LinkedIn Marketing Services. What do we cover? 💡The challenges of measuring brand impact in B2B marketing 💡The need for a more holistic approach to B2B marketing strategies Whether you're a B2B marketer, sales professional, or business leader, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of brand in driving B2B growth and success. Enjoy! https://lnkd.in/eZGG_Rxc #B2BMarketing #IMHOPodcast

18

In our latest case study, we helped a Mens Underwear Brand 🩲 identify how they can stand out from their competitors and produce distinctive content highlighting their strengths. Our partner brand is in a bit of a tough spot, sitting somewhere in the middle between an iconic competitor that consumers view as the quality, fashionable, stylish brand 😎 and a disruptor brand considered to be the easygoing, relatable, affordable option 😌. So how can this brand stand out? We uncovered that consumers view this brand as a modern 🏙, reliable 🤝 Mens Underwear brand that delivers your daily essentials 📅. This brand can additionally highlight these equities in their content: ☁️ Made from soft fabric 🙌 Provides excellent support 👁 Pays attention to every detail These equities are "ownable" for the brand. By having users highlight these differentiating brand equities in content, they'll build a distinctive narrative that will make their brand stand out.

7

2 Comments

Business investment is expected to gradually recover in 2025. (Hooray!) But this still means marketers must squeeze the most from their carved-up budgets in the meantime. (Boo.) So we've put together our top tips here...

7

1 Comment

Despite all of the controversies and set backs that we saw in brand safety this year, I was encouraged by the industry coming together this week at the Brand Safety Summit Series to have open, honest conversation about where we are and where we need to be. Some key themes that spoke to me over the last couple of days were: Transparency: Black box solutions are no longer sufficient and brands need the tools to understand 1) where they ran and 2) what placements are blocked and *why* (see: Time’s TSwift POTY article). This is an especially prescient point as new black boxes enter the fold in the form of AI and LLM’s. Authenticity: A lot of brand safety is driven by fear (no brand wants to be featured in the next Adalytics report), but there’s an opportunity to reverse that mindset and use it to create authentic connections with new and existing audiences in high quality, relevant content that reflects your brand values. Supporting Quality Journalism: While important, keyword blocklists and domain-level controls operate as blunt instruments that have put tremendous revenue strain on the Fourth Estate. We can do better by deploying nuanced content-level controls and trusting consumers to know the difference between adjacency and endorsement. “Brand safety is a team sport” is a line we heard over and over, so I’m proud of the work we’re doing at PEER39 to support publishers, advertisers, agencies, and other adtech companies in making the internet a safer place. That’s just my two cents, would love to hear your takeaways if you went! In the meantime, here’s our dear leader Mario Diez onstage for the CTV panel.

35

Today we recorded our #OPEN #HeritageNetwork podcast exploring a topic that is often overlooked but deeply important: #MentalHealth within the #SouthAsian community, which is especially timely as we continue with our South Asian Heritage Month celebrations here at IPG Mediabrands UK. In this episode, I sat down with two incredible guests, @Sandi Kaur and Ameisha Nand from KINESSO UK&I - Together, we navigated the unique challenges faced by South Asians in the UK, the cultural nuances that influence our experiences, and the silence that often surrounds mental health in our community. Mental health is a critical issue, but did you know that South Asians in the UK are significantly less likely to seek support compared to the general population? Shockingly, only about 3% of South Asians access mental health services. This gap needs urgent attention, and that's exactly what we discussed. This conversation is just the beginning of a crucial dialogue that needs to be heard and we break the silence and explore what it means to be truly “Free To Be Me” in the context of mental well-being. 🎙️ Here's a sneak peak in... full video coming soon 🙏 #SouthAsianHeritageMonth #SAHM #MentalHealthAwareness #Podcast #FreeToBeMe #CommunitySupport #HeritageNetwork #MBOpen #IPGMediabrands #Kinesso

62

4 Comments