Azlan Raj

Its about staying relevant and understanding that your wisdom comes from years of developing the right structures, culture to have high performance teams that can continue to innovate product for marketers with an end outcome that is commercially profitable.... #ageism #advisoryboard #commercialstrategy #culturalsuccess #people #techsuccess

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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 :

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Thanks to Campaign UK for the great coverage of our CMO survey. This was one of the most fascinating findings from the report; a dramatic year on year shift in attitudes to AI and creativity. CMOs are significantly less likely year on year to agree that AI can never create content that moves their audience or represents their brand. But they also want to see creativity across more and more aspects of their business-from CX to Commerce to Sustainability. So I see it more as AI giving extraordinary human creatives super-human ability to scale and adapt. AI not as competitor but as collaborator and copilot. https://lnkd.in/ea49vgan

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Impact is our output. We talk about modern marketing being able to deliver two types of impact - cultural and commercial. How do we move beyond the brand purpose debate and into a more grown up and nuanced conversation about the different types of impact we all create as marketers every day? Come and join us to find out.

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What makes a great, future ready WPP Global Client President? Find out in the final episode in Anna Hickey's brilliant 'Mechanisms that Matter' series; a deep dive into how to build a better agency/client operating model. Watch the wrap up discussion between Anna and WPP's Chief Client Officer Jane Geraghty here 👇

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We have partnered with Mi3 to survey Australia's top marketers, gaining valuable insights into drivers and obstacles to growth. Follow the link to download the report. Let us know what you think. Jen Davidson Anthony Gregorio Paul McIntyre

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When 3 out of 4 people say what they value from brands today has changed over the last 5 years, building reputation and equity is harder than ever. I spoke to the Financial Times Raconteur | B Corp™ about the findings of Weber Shandwick’s global research into what consumers really value today and how to navigate this change. #agencyvoices #brands #brandstrategy #marketing #reputation #PR #comms

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In a digital marketplace brimming with conversation, #demandgeneration isn't about creating noise - it's about turning up the volume on what really matters to target audiences. ​ In the knowledge, we explore the subject of demand gen, its relevance within a #marketingstrategy and what it means to #B2Bmarketers of today. Download your copy! ​ ➡ https://lnkd.in/enmKK7Yc

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My latest article for Marketing Procurement iQ examines the detail of how Principal/Proprietary/Inventory (PM) media works in real life and how remarkably small the benefit is for advertisers compared to the process behind it. And assuming that the various inherent pitfalls are avoided. This is quite a big assumption when the conflicts of interest are unavoidable. Not to mention a study showing that two thirds of post-campaign audits revealed non-compliance with agreed protocols for PM as well. The only certain aspect is that the agencies earn more and advertisers won't know how much. Everything else is vague at best. The surprising thing is that any advertisers do it. Media Marketing Compliance Stephen Broderick Elliot Sherrington Fiona Foy Tony Whittingstall David Reid Jane Dormer Sharon D'Cruz Molly S.

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Excellent investigation into the ethical concerns using GenAI imagery in advertising. The authenticity gap is real and can't be overcome. Thanks, Jasmine Glasheen for bringing us the story on The Robin Report #genAI #marketing #advertising #authenticity

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What is the hope for attracting talent to the advertising industry in the next 3 years? The ad industry is no longer attracting young people and Crispin Reed shares his research into why. Big thanks to both Brian Jacobs and Crispin for sharing the story behind the 'Who Cares?' initiative - a movement to address the ad industry's many issues, which include: * Distrust (ad-fraud, non-transparent media and technology deals, inefficiency) * People are bombarded with irrelevant, intrusive ads that often annoy * Dissatisfaction in the industry (from within and externally from clients) * Diminishing pride in creativity, across all disciplines * A business model that is not fit for a modern creative industry This episode is now live on the Creative Agency Account Manager podcast (link in the comments below).

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Richard Shotton and Rory Sutherland share powerful strategies in this blog that could transform how you think about branding. A quick read could lead to your next big idea!

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This is unbelievably good. I doubt any CFO in history has read your IPA effectiveness case study but they might be interested in this. A way to show the future value of advertising spend now - in terms of discounted cashflow. The deck illustrates the power of discounted cashflow as a measure that allows finance departments to compare advertsing to other forms of investment. It shows how adverting is often a less risky investment in than others a company might make and it shows that great creative (god knows how they are evaluating this and a bit of me fears its some hokey pretesting method) and high value media channels. More than that magic numbers have a tool for calculating discounted cashflow. All of this leans into the increasing conversation about whether advertising should be seen as capital expenditure or operating expenditure in that potent advertising creates assets (real assets not pieces of copy) that the business will benefit from in the future and for a number of years. Best thing I've read in ages.

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Do you approach a brand portfolio strategy differently from how you would approach a single brand strategy? what are the big watch outs and tings that you need to get right? I set down with Iosetta Santini in another summer morning to share the learning that we have developed at Foresight Strategy through work with some of the most complex brand portfolios. Here is a preview - for release later this week! #consumeranalytics #brandportfoliostrategy #foresightstrategy #challengevittorio

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Brand has always been a concept that connects and influences across business functions - and company culture is one of the most important areas to align with. But when you're 'staging an intervention' in brand or culture (or both) how do you line the pieces up? Here are some thoughts - with appreciation to my colleague Claire Gallagher for her input. #brand #brandstrategy #purpose #organisationalculture #values

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An arresting morning with Ipsos UK, Lori Meakin, Fernando Desouches and Mike Nicholson from Progressive Masculinity, talking about the oh so very many threats facing young boys - and young girls - today. Brands and companies have a powerful and hugely important role in helping to protect them, and here’s the sweetener (thank you Samira Brophy for the stats), it can actually help the bottom line. So brands, let’s be careful about what we say, how we say it, and where we say it #redefiningmasculinity #progressivemasculinity #genz #toxicmasculinity

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Its nearly Q4 (!!!) and I know lots of you have been (and still are) deep in planning and imminent activations! If you are looking for some festive insights download our report and talk to one of the team! A great write up from #performancemarketingworld and Sarah Tsirkas #winningQ4 #digitalfootfall #ecommerce #blackfriday #cybermonday #gifting #mediaplanning #mediabuying #teads #ctv #omnivideo #mediabuying

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Great to see this write up of Ekimetrics' roundtable with a veritable who's who in Luxury Fashion. Plenty of food for thought from the industry in the article, plus there's an accompanying paper, 'Driving Long Term Performance with Customer Lifetime Value' - link in the article or directly here: https://lnkd.in/evywmZdc Matt Andrew and Inge Hatton get all the cool gigs.

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