Kitty Hawkes

Marketing Manager, Grand Visual

I came away from the Adwanted Events Future of Brands event last week feeling inspired. The panels were smart, honest and thought-provoking, and a great reminder of what really makes ads land.

A few key takeaways that stuck with me:

🟢 We “sense” ideas before they’re even fully formed, so stay curious and open. Create like kids, keep asking why, and don’t be afraid to throw ideas into the mix. Anyone can contribute.

🟢 In a world of short attention spans, earning voluntary attention is everything. Campaigns shouldn’t interrupt, they should invite.

🟢 Discovery is driven by word of mouth more than ever, so strategy has shifted toward talkability. Tap into conversations, build on fandom, and create work people genuinely want to share.

🟢 Collaboration really is everything. The best work comes from teams that challenge each other and push for braver creative.

🟢 “Stop measuring what’s easy. Start building what lasts.” Cultural relevance isn’t something you can borrow, it has to be built over time.

🟢 OOH is evolving in step with a rapidly changing media landscape. High-quality brand lift data is enabling smarter planning, targeting and insight. Its real-world presence continues to deliver meaningful brand impact.

🟢 A little biased, but I also loved the talk with BBC, hearing how they are turning shows into cultural moments beyond the screen, especially through smart, reactive OOH that connects with people in real time and keeps campaigns evolving. Working alongside Grand Visual & Talon! Oh, and meeting the iconic Gladiators’ Karenjeet Kaur Bains (Athena) and The Ultimate Traitor Alumni Linda Rands!

And one point that really stayed with me, you can’t AI human emotion. Brands aren’t speaking to algorithms, they’re connecting with people. Something worth remembering in everything we create.

Brilliant event, loads of inspiration, and plenty to take back and apply.