PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Quit complaining about pitches and do something about it
Campaign’s State of the Pitch survey aims to turn industry feedback into data-driven progress.
The reverse mentorship revolution: How immigrants are reshaping industry culture
What began as immigrants adapting to US business culture has become the blueprint American companies follow to thrive.
Humans Holding Multitudes (the new HHM)
When perfection becomes the price of belonging, true resilience drives creative progress
Failing the F-List: Why marketing’s annual naming and shaming fest needs to move on
Clean Creatives has spotlighted fossil fuel marketing, but Paul Mottram says the industry must now channel its influence into regulation, disinformation and systemic reform.
What the almost-cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel means for creatives
A pep talk for creatives in the age of authoritarianism.
Advertisers hold the keys to reviving UN sustainability goals
Most people are not reading through 50-page sustainability reports. That’s where creativity comes in.
Latin music isn’t crossing over — pop is catching up
A call for marketers to pay attention earlier and broaden their perspective at the influence of Latin music in the US.
What brands still miss about Hispanic audiences beyond Hispanic Heritage Month
There’s a huge opportunity for brands willing to see past the characterizations and tired tropes.
Why brands like Disney and Adidas win Hispanic Heritage Month every year
Spoiler alert — ROI is all about an ‘always on’ cultural strategy.
The 4ドル.1 trillion opportunity: Why Latino consumers are the future of brand growth
A thought leadership series in partnership with Remezcla for Hispanic Heritage Month.
From locker room to board room: Why athletes are taking the game to LinkedIn
Athletes are a growing force in LinkedIn’s creator economy, using the platform to share business milestones, attract investment and amplify causes, says MikeWorldWide’s Dorianne Ciccarelli.
The summer I turned pity: What work identity looks like after loss
The former CMO of The Female Quotient shares a look at life and work while grieving her son.
Moving on from Mad Men: why advertising needs a new kind of personality
"It’s not about Don Draper or Donna Draper," write Kathryn Patten and Sharon Powell. "It’s about a new generation of industry leaders shaping culture through fearless ideas, tech-savvy strategy, and empathy."
The Dentsu sale is natural selection; the dinosaurs of advertising are running out of time
Dentsu’s potential sale, WPP’s turmoil, Omnicom and IPG’s merger chase all point to the fact that the giants of advertising are stumbling. As TrinityP3's Darren Woolley argues, this is natural selection at work: adapt or go extinct.
Whittaker: Agency world will look significantly different in two years
A change of CEO at WPP and a potential sale of Dentsu’s international business are just two signs that major change is coming to the global agency sector.
When your ‘independent’ agency isn’t independent anymore
Actual independence is a competitive edge in a rapidly changing industry, says The Motion Agency CEO Kim Eberl.
Publicis and Omnicom Q2 numbers give mixed messages
Omnicom was solid, apart from poor performances in PR, health and brand/retail commerce, while Publicis continues to overperform.
What sets apart the ad agencies that win the pitch and actually keep the biz?
The pitch has become a high-stakes checkpoint for both sides but the real test comes after.
In today’s world, independence is not a limitation
Recent economic policies have triggered a handbrake U-turn toward domestication, setting the stage for America’s midsize agencies to flourish.
Brazil’s creative spotlight at Cannes and what comes after
A call to action to make creative for more than our highlight reels.
‘You’re going to Cannes Lions pregnant?’
Thoughts on the ‘motherhood penalty’ and destigmatizing parenthood in the workplace.
Is Cannes Lions a microcosm of advertising culture?
A reflection on the cultural pipeline of Cannes, from the villas to The Palais.
Cannes 2025: What does AI mean for the future of agency work?
4As CEO shares questions to unpack AI's real impact on agency creativity.
From boardroom to gallery: Qiana Mestrich’s art reveals the future of authentic brand engagement
Mestrich’s ‘The Reinforcements’ exhibition reminds us that marketing rooted in selective history is not just incomplete — it’s ineffective.
The other 11 months: What real LGBTQ+ support looks like
Inclusion isn’t a campaign, it’s a commitment. Silence is a choice.
Doubling down on DEI: Why internal comms must stay the course
SKDK’s Camille Meekins makes the case for why internal comms must stay the course amid political headwinds.
Sabrina Carpenter on ‘Fortnite,’ WWE’s bet on Vegas and more April cultural moments
A monthly roundup of culture-first campaigns at the intersection of music and advertising.
How leaders can build a neurodiversity-friendly workplace
Advocating for neurodivergent individuals reveals the value of flexible management and workplace practices that allow diverse talents to thrive.
The evolution of ‘the client’ from a straightforward descriptor — someone receiving services — to a phrase laced with frustration or negativity is easy to understand.
Less blah blah blah, more ta-da! How advertising can actually drive change
As the climate crisis intensifies and public pressure mounts, adland must play a greater role in driving meaningful environmental change.
Are Gen Zers just boomers in disguise?
Marketers have long attempted to distill generational behaviors into easy stereotypes, but Gen Z resists these tidy boxes.
How to overcome impostor syndrome: lessons from top creatives
Despite accolades and achievements, self-doubt remains a constant companion in the creative industry, with many professionals battling the feeling of being exposed as a fraud.
Parenting a neurodivergent child means living in a world of loops, love and relentless resilience.
Pitch. Win. Exit? How private equity is reshaping the agency model
Private equity is no longer circling the ad industry — it’s taking over. As agencies transform into investment assets, Helios & Partners CEO Humphrey Ho unpacks the high-stakes tension between creative independence and financial control.
The power — and problem — of ‘girl words’ in 2025
Brands need to understand that women can feel alienated due to the ‘broligarchy’ and the corresponding rise in hate speech.
Why more brands are finally ditching the perfect-family trope
Quantum's Rayhan Wildan Ramadhani explores how clever brands are embracing new family dynamics through fresh storytelling.
SXSW: Why independent agencies should still be trekking to Austin
The conference is a prime opportunity to build cross-industry relationships and guide new ways of thinking.
The invisible struggle: why working dads deserve support, too
To create truly inclusive workplaces, businesses must recognise that parenting responsibilities extend beyond mothers.
From aspiration to community: evolving the influencer brand trip
The influencer trip concept needs to evolve into something more accessible and down to earth.
Go well, my friend. We are all so lucky to have known you, and you will be missed. Boy, will you be missed.
Advertising faces its terminal paradox: We've made truth so expensive that soon, no one will be left who can afford to buy what we're selling.
The IPO market is open for business in 2025. Here’s how companies should get ready
Securities laws in the U.S. governing company behavior before, during and after an IPO leave many comms leaders wondering what activities are restricted. A quick guide via Arena’s Jason Golz.
DEI rollbacks can make us feel helpless — but we are not
Target’s announcement to roll back DEI efforts feels personal because, in capitalism, a brand is the personification of a company.
Gen AI will have a profound impact on agency business models
With clients increasingly handling business-as-usual tasks in-house, agency profitability is at risk unless agencies redefine the value of their creative services, says brand and marketing consultant Andreas Moellmann.
A Bad Bunny blueprint for brands: Speak to the universal by elevating the specific
How the Puerto Rican artist’s latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, is a master class in cultural storytelling.
What B2B marketers are betting on in 2025
Consumers are demanding more and, with the right AI tools, marketers can meet them where they are.
Angercore, MAH-sculinity and roaring luxury signal a year of outrageous hope and blindspots, says M Booth chief creative officer Adrianna G. Bevilaqua.
Indies are about passion, holdcos are about math
As Omnicom looks to buy Interpublic, the biggest story in marketing services for a decade could have positive knock-on effects for small and midsize firms.
The ad industry is shaken. But should the government sector care about the Omnicom-IPG merger?
Omnicom agencies like DDB and GSD&M manage Army and Air Force recruitment.
The good, the bad and the ugly of the Omnicom and IPG Merger
While the timing of this merger might be a surprise, the motivation behind it is not.
Mocha mousse: A multisensory color that gets brands closer to people
Pantone’s color of the year is a flavor and a feeling.