The Future of Brands 2025: A Fusion of Creativity x Media

The Future of Brands is the number one conference dedicated to showcasing the power media and advertising can hold for brands.

Racing towards a future where both are supercharged by technology, data and science, brands face serious challenges—but even bigger opportunities.

 A Brand-First Perspective

The day kicked off with a panel featuring leaders from HSBC, Pladis, Giffgaff, and The Media Leader. The discussion? How media and creativity must be briefed and aligned together from the start. Why? Because when media and creative teams are siloed, campaigns lose effectiveness. Creative needs media, and media needs creative. That joint thinking is crucial—especially when outsourcing comes into play.

The debate around brand vs. performance also surfaced. But wait, can’t you do both?

HSBC’s Head of Advertising and MarComms, Kristy McCready made it clear: yes, and you should. It starts with knowing your audience, being brave, and moving away from playing it safe—which is exactly why HSBC has entered the TikTok space with confidence. And yes, it’s landing well.

Pladis CMO, Asli Özen Turhan added that while performance metrics matter, not everything should scream ROI. Sometimes, brand-building is the long game—and Pladis McVitie’s campaigns prove just that. They’re proof that brands can be the main character of their own growth story.

Asli also offered a great reminder: channel selection should come after the idea. It’s not about chasing trends—it’s about choosing creators and content that align with purpose, and then showcasing the idea in the right channel. And with IRL formats like OOH and direct mail making a comeback, integrated thinking is more essential than ever.

(Asli’s favourite campaign? McVitie’s ‘Light Up London’ to celebrate 100 years of chocolate digestives—biased much?)

 Specsavers: Reinventing with Consistency

Ian Maybank, Director of Connections Planning, Media and Insights at Specsavers, shared how the brand has kept its iconic message fresh. The strategy? Keep the big idea consistent and remix the execution depending on the platform. What works on social won't land on TV—especially when the average attention span is down to seven seconds.

Their multimedia model shows that when bold creativity meets the right media, magic happens. And yes, their latest stunt got the UK talking. Good or bad?

 Sky: Creativity Gets Expressive

Sky’s talk was a real highlight—with Simon Buglione, Managing Director of Brand and Creative at Sky, explaining how they’re moving away from purely rational branding and toward a more expressive, emotional approach.

They’re using AI as a creative teammate—one that throws 100 ideas at the wall, while humans decide what sticks. For their latest campaign, The Day of the Jackal, this meant AI-generated visuals at scale. (This did make me start watching the series last night!)

Aside, the message was clear: AI isn’t replacing creatives—it’s amplifying them.

When asked how Sky brought stakeholders on board with a new expressive brand identity, Simon’s answer was simple: “We built trust through experience.” Sky may have the UK’s largest in-house agency, but they also work with over 10 partners on audio alone. That’s a lot to juggle—and they’re doing it brilliantly.

(Insider secret? Their most-used AI tool is CoPilot—but you didn’t hear it from me.)

 Pandora x Grazia: Beyond Charms

In a refreshing partnership, Grazia’s Editor-in-Chief Hattie Brett and Pandora’s Head of Paid Media Ruth House discussed how Pandora’s goal was to evolve beyond being seen as just a charm bracelet brand.

The campaign, designed to boost awareness of Pandora’s wider offering, surpassed expectations—increasing consumer consideration by over 16%. It’s a great example of tapping into editorial partnerships to engage audiences across the funnel.

Check out their latest campaign.

 Let’s Make AI Less Binary

AI was, of course, a recurring theme—but Yemi Olagbaiye, Senior Commercial Leader at Softwire, brought a much-needed fresh perspective. Instead of the usual doom-or-boom narrative, he described AI as being in its "awkward teenage phase"—not fully formed, but full of potential.

AI won’t replace creativity; it will spark it. But someone still has to input the right prompts. In Yemi’s words: “AI is the brush. The artist is still human.” He argued that we’re heading toward a hybrid future—not full rejection or full automation.

The key? Lead with purpose, define ethical boundaries early, and never ditch the human signature.

 Do Brands Have to Think Like Media Owners?

According to Lloyds Banking Group, CScreens, People’s Postcode Lottery and Uncharted—yes. But with nuance. Brands are evolving beyond traditional roles and need to think more like media owners. That means fostering partnerships, curating quality content, and tailoring messaging for the right moments, and the right channels—a full-circle return to the earlier message that media needs creative, and vice versa.