Future Proof

Coca-Cola's creative brilliance was celebrated at Cannes last year. In this Future Proof Podcast with Islam El Dessouky, Global VP of Creative Strategy and Content Lynne Deason explores what it is that gives Coca-Cola campaigns their real magic and fizz. This unmissable, inspiring and enjoyable conversation covers topics that anyone focussed on creating effective advertising today needs to master. Creating Emotional Connections: the art of crafting advertising that resonates emotionally and leaves a lasting impactEmotion alone isn't enough: why brand centricity isn't a nice to have and how to achieve itBuilding Brand Consistency: how to maintain brand authenticity and consistency across diverse markets and cultural contexts.Leadership: what it takes to be an inspiring and effective leader in today's dynamic marketing landscape.

GenAI dominates marketing conversations, but how does it connect to capability building and the evolving role of marketers? While excitement around GenAI is high, adoption remains low with less than half of those with access use it regularly. So, what’s holding marketers back?In this episode, host Jane Ostler is joined by Thomas Von der Fuhr, Head of Organisational Performance at Kantar, to discuss insights from the newly published report, GenAI in Marketing: Fear or FOMO. They discuss what marketers are saying about the barriers to adoption, the importance of organisational readiness, and how GenAI can enhance, rather than replace, traditional marketing skills.With leading organisations shifting from operational tasks to strategic brand growth initiatives, this conversation offers valuable guidance for marketers looking to move beyond the hype and maximize GenAI’s potential.Tune in to discover how to bridge the gap between GenAI excitement and real-world capability building.

In today’s episode, we’re exploring the marketing opportunities advertisers have in audio forward environments. Audio is present in nearly every moment of our lives, from weddings to commutes, workouts, and relaxation – and now marketers have more ways to engage their target audience in these spaces, and they aren’t just sound based. In recent years, the rise of podcasts and audiobooks has reshaped how people engage with audio, creating a deeper connection with streaming platforms and shifting public perceptions of media channels. Jenny Haggard, Global Brand Strategy Lead at Spotify, joins Kantar’s Chief Media Commercial Officer, Nicole Jones, to share how marketers can harness this new intimacy in audio-based media and what they can do to better create a multi-sensory experience in these environments and drive meaningful difference for their brands.

Over the past few years, marketers have nearly perfected their approach to performance-based marketing. However, research shows that the businesses that perform the best over time have a strong command over brand value. For brand marketers, this is great news and luckily, there is a lot that can be learned from the techniques and approaches from performance marketers in terms of supercharging brand.  Nicole Jones, Kantar’s Chief Media Commercial Lead and Ryan Brendle, Global Director of Marketing Sciences at Reddit, dive deep on the lessons brand marketers can take from their performance based colleagues and how applying these best practices can help grow brand value and overall revenue. 

TV and video streaming are two of the most effective ways to reach audiences and predispose more people. According to Kantar Media Reactions, consumers find advertising on TV and TV streaming fun and entertaining and that TV sponsorships have better quality experiences. Marketers too are planning on investing more in CTV advertising experience.  And yet, despite this interest, Kantar found that in Q3’24, only 16% of video streamers are happy with the relevance of ads shown to them. Nicole Jones, Kantar’s Chief Media Commercial Lead and Anna Miller, Head of Ad Measurement and Partnerships at Roku join forces to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of advertising in this rapidly changing market and discuss the future of streaming based ads.

In this episode of Future Proof, Jane Ostler talks with fellow Kantar experts Duncan Southgate and Gonca Bubani to discuss their latest report, Marketing Trends 2025. They explore the shift towards total video, the evolving social media landscape, and the rapid growth of retail media networks. The conversation highlights the importance of sustainability in marketing strategies and the transformative potential of generative AI in creative development. The experts provide insights into how marketers can stay ahead of the curve and future-proof their strategies for 2025 and beyond.The discussion also delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by the creator economy, the role of retail media networks, and the significance of innovation in brand expansion. Duncan and Gonca share their perspectives on how marketers can leverage these trends to enhance their digital presence and customer engagement. The episode concludes with a focus on the importance of data provenance and the need for marketing organizations to deploy AI effectively to maximise its potential.

The advertising industry is experiencing a rapid transformation driven by AI advancements and an ongoing shift towards digital channels. This evolution is accompanied by increased scrutiny and regulation, creating a complex environment for marketers. These are the key findings of the latest "This Year Next Year" report, recently published by GroupM. In this episode of Kantar's Future Proof, host Jane Ostler engages in a compelling conversation with Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President of Business Intelligence at GroupM, and author of the report. They discuss the key trends highlighted in the study, including the predicted growth in advertising revenue to one trillion dollars in 2024. They delve into the factors driving this growth, the importance of trust in advertising platforms, the evolving role of AI, and the dynamics of retail media. The conversation explores the potential implications of a TikTok ban, and exciting developments in out-of-home advertising.

Having a clear brand positioning is key to creating brand consistency and connection across time and touchpoints. The Eurovision song contest is hosted by a new country with a new campaign each year so creating brand clarity is especially key. In this episode, Lina Moussaoui, Brand Manager for the Eurovision Song Contest at the European Broadcasting Union and Marise Pronk, Senior Account Manager at Kantar talk to Lindsay Gorton-Lee, Brand Strategy Consultant at Kantar about how they unearthed the essence of the brand and created a clear framework to connect and inspire all their internal and external partners. The written case study, ‘Great brands are built on great stories’ can be found in Kantar’s Brand Strategy Unpacked booklet here.

Brand collaborations are a powerful marketing lever to unlock growth whether your strategic goals are to drive Meaningful Difference, Predispose More People, Find New Space or Be More Present.No wonder 1 in 4 marketers cite collabs as an important tactic in the 2024 Language of Effectiveness report by Marketing Week and Kantar.Lindsay Gorton-Lee, Brand Strategy Consultant at Kantar and Becky Ingram, Client Partner at Kantar chat to Gui Pasculli, Head of Culture & Partnership for Malibu at Pernod Ricard. They unpack how brand collabs are helping Malibu to connect to culture and develop brand experiences which are driving meaningful difference for the brand, extending category boundaries and reaching new audiences.