This week’s stories reveal a growing paradox in modern marketing. As algorithms become more powerful, brands are working harder to prove they’re human. You can see it in Dove exposing how social media algorithms flatten beauty standards, in Icelandair hiring a deliberately terrible photographer to showcase the country’s natural beauty, and in National Geographic transforming
This week, brands confronted a new reality. Emotion spreads faster than strategy. Discovery is migrating to AI platforms. Cultural narratives are written in real time by audiences, not companies. Frida turned Mardi Gras spectacle into postpartum advocacy while measuring backlash against its brand personality. A baby monkey and his IKEA plushie revealed how quickly culture
Take a step back and imagine the past week in your life. Chances are, it’s also been filled with stories. When we as humans come together, we may share a few facts and data points, but more often than not, stories are at the center of how we communicate, relate to one another, share and
Culture-shaping trends, provocative questions, and actionable insights from the frontlines of marketing’s future If you didn’t make it to SXSW London this year, don’t worry, I took notes. And not just because I’m a keynote speaker and marketing leader who loves a good trend. I was on the hunt for the ideas CMOs and marketing
Today is World Book Day and Copyright Day in the UK, and I have to admit – this one hits close to home. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been obsessed with stories. I used to say, “One day I’ll be an author.” To have done it twice still feels surreal – and with