What if advertising's golden age is making a comeback? Elav Horwitz at WPP explains why creativity matters more than ever, plus how she earned the nickname "the popcorn machine Back to the Golden Age of Advertising: Elav Horwitz at WPP wants to bring back what made advertising great: solving big problems creatively with the best tools. Clients are hungry for creative thinking and the push. Basic advertising never stopped being essential ✨ AI Won't Replace Creativity, It Actually Needs It: Surprise - AI isn't replacing humans with magic buttons. You need diverse thinking, storytelling, and creativity more than ever. AI can't do the human stuff—it needs us for that 🤖 Focus on Solutions, Not Tools: Stop obsessing over AI models and how they work. Focus on case studies, learnings, and solving clients' biggest challenges. The tools are fascinating, but solutions are what count 💡 The Teacher Who Saw It Coming: Kid Elav dreamed of advertising. Her high school teacher said, "You'll be great with computers." Now she's at WPP at the intersection of creativity and technology. That teacher was right 🎯 The Popcorn Machine Who Won't Take No: Elav's office nickname: "the popcorn machine." She gets excited, can't take no, and keeps texting until you say yes. Favorite emoji? 🙈 — because even when she's persistent, she's still a little shy about it 🍿

Where do brands go to reach diverse audiences authentically at scale? Gary Coichy built the answer at Pod Digital Media, and his take on collaboration over competition is reshaping the industry The Largest Cultural Podcast Network: Gary Coichy at Pod Digital Media built the country's first and largest cultural podcast network with shows in every category. When brands need to reach African American, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ audiences authentically at scale, this is exactly where they go 🎙️ Collaboration Beats Competition Now: Gary's been in the industry since 2005 and watched consolidation change everything. Agencies and platforms now work together rather than compete, with Omnicom merging and streaming platforms combining. The industry evolution he never anticipated 🤝 100% Nike, No Questions: New Balance and ASICS have released great footwear, but Gary's staying 100% loyal to Nike regardless. The kind of brand loyalty that doesn't budge 👟 10 Hours Without His Phone: The longest Gary went without checking his phone was 10 hours on a Cannes to New York flight with no Wi-Fi. Otherwise, he's hyper-connected, with his morning routine including immediate news and ad business updates 📱 From Agency Chaos to Cultural Network: Gary started managing 5-8 clients simultaneously at agencies while learning digital and media by doing. Now he's building authentic brand connections with diverse audiences through podcasts at scale 🏃

What if the skills from diplomacy are exactly what the media needs now? Chrissie Hanson at OMD USA on navigating 2026's biggest opportunities, approaching AI through ethics and impact, and why strong fundamentals unlock everything. From UN Secretary General to Media Strategy: Chrissie wanted to lead the United Nations at 18. Then a classified ad in The Guardian redirected everything in 2000. Turns out, the skills she wanted for diplomacy—persuasion, reading cultures, leadership—are exactly what the media needs now 🌍 The AI Conversations Worth Having: Chrissie at OMD USA focuses on three things: how AI changes decision-making systems, how to avoid bias when building audiences, and whether it makes lives better. Cutting through hype to what matters 🤖 Stop Romanticizing Innovation: Chrissie's hot take: know your fundamentals and stay rigorous. How does a brand grow? How do people remember it? Not sexy, but way more effective. The case against chasing shiny things 💡 Slower Can Be Smarter: Chrissie used to worship speed. Now she thinks better questions and takes a beat before deciding. Quality over quick—the mindset shifts that change everything ⏸️ Why Apple Keeps Winning Her: Decades of loyalty because it just works. The ecosystem fits together; the design works; it knows what she needs. As a strategist, Chrissie sees exactly why the basics Apple nails—consistency, memory, recognition—keep winning 🍎

What if the future of streaming is following consumers everywhere they watch? Drew Groner at DIRECTV ADVERTISING explains engagement that matters, the massive election year opportunity, and how brands like Apple earn the kind of loyalty you can't escape. Time on the Home Screen Is a Failure: Drew Groner's truth: scrolling on the home screen means you're not engaged with content or brands. Premium content at scale isn't the same as premium ad-supported content at scale, and that distinction changes how advertisers think about engagement ⚡ 20 Years, Four Companies, One Journey: Drew's been at DIRECTV ADVERTISING for 20 years through M&A madness: DIRECTV to AT&T to Warner Media back to DIRECTV. The journey built a diversified team, and now 2026 is the acceleration year where the platform they've been building finally launches 🚀 Following You Everywhere: DIRECTV broke out of the home and into planes, hotels, bars, and restaurants—following consumers wherever they watch. Brands can follow that journey too, programmatically or managed service, reaching people beyond just residential households ✈️ $11 Billion Election Year: 2026 is one of the most expensive election cycles ever, with 80% of the $11B going to video and CTV, which is growing fastest. DIRECTV launched two solutions: D2 for household addressable and DIRECTV Elect for reaching voters beyond DIRECTV households at scale 🗳️ UFC and the Apple Tether: Drew's guilty pleasure just moved to Paramount+ every Saturday night. When it comes to brand loyalty, Apple wins—once you're in their ecosystem, you're locked in for life. The tether is real 🥊

Ever wonder what happens when AI agents start doing half the shopping instead of humans? Nathalie Gaveau at Publicis explains why bots shopping differently than people makes creativity more important than ever. From Finance to Double Exit Entrepreneur: Nathalie Gaveau sold two companies: an e-commerce marketplace to Rakuten and a social media analytics platform—before joining Publicis Groupe/Publicis Sapient to help clients win with AI. The perfect next mission 🚀 Half Your Shoppers Will Be AI Agents Soon: In a few years, half your customers might be AI agents, not humans. The opportunity? Master third-party agents, build your own, and strengthen your data foundation. Brands that prepare now win bigger. The transformation creating new possibilities 🤖 Creativity Powers the AI Era: Intelligence and efficiency matter, but emotion, connection, and storytelling drive everything. As agents shop with Boolean logic instead of browsing, creativity becomes even more essential. Tech needs heart to work 🎨 Why Publicis Leads Right Now: Obsessed with customer success and creativity. The mix of media, production, data (Epsilon), and tech (Publicis Sapient) powers AI enterprise transformation. People and products are working together. The infrastructure is accelerating clients forward 💡 IT Crowd and F1 Docs: Rewatching IT Crowd with her kids, plus Michael Jordan and F1 documentaries. Geeky, inspiring, and entertaining. The perfect watch list that balances tech nostalgia with greatness 📺

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What if the secret to a great marketing career is saying yes first and planning later? Jen Rogers at TelevisaUnivision explains why passion beats strategy and which mustard is objectively correct. Say Yes and Figure It Out Later: Jen Rogers built her career by saying yes to every opportunity. B2B, consumer side, every marketing role in media. The result? A career path that took her everywhere and just brought her back to TelevisaUnivision's B2B side at the perfect time 🚀 The Growth Engine Driving Everything: US Hispanics are a massive growth opportunity, and TelevisaUnivision is leading how brands connect with this audience. From Mr. Beast soccer partnerships to 24/7 news on VIX, they're innovating at scale to deliver what this audience wants 📈 ​Passion Makes the Difference: Some say once you know marketing, you can market anything. Jen believes you need genuine passion for your consumer. That hyper-focus on Hispanic audiences? That's what creates real connection and drives results for brands 🎯 French's Yellow Mustard All the Way: Ballpark hot dogs, backyard barbecues, Jen's going with French's yellow mustard every single time. New Yorkers can keep their spicy mustard. Sometimes the classic choice wins 🌭 Enjoy the Ride: Jen's advice to her younger self: give yourself grace. We get to do incredible jobs in this industry. Yes, it's intense and stressful, but it's also an opportunity worth enjoying along the way 💫

Ever think an oil change could be delightful? Jake Lestan has spent his career bringing creativity to the "unsexy" places, and what he's learned about building memorable brands will change how you view marketing. 💡 Brands Don't Have a Performance Problem - Jake Lestan's take: memorable brands win because they create meaning. You can't optimize what people forget. It's meaning over metrics. The insight that transforms how you build brands 🎨 Creativity in the "Unsexy" Places - Credit cards, insurance, oil changes. Jake built a career proving creativity can be reborn anywhere. From Discover to State Farm to Valvoline Instant Oil Change. Innovation doesn't need to be flashy 🚗 Making Oil Changes Surprisingly Delightful - When's the last time you got excited about an oil change? Exactly. Valvoline Inc is bringing humanity to an experience that should just be "good enough." Guests leave delighted. That's the point 📺 Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Fan - Started watching in the background, now it's a ritual with his wife. The drama, the lifestyle, can't miss it. Sometimes, the guilty pleasures become the best parts of the routine ⏰ The One Thing He'd Tell His Younger Self - Be patient. Career moves fast, ambition drives harder, but good things come with time. The advice he's still practicing is to trust the journey, you're exactly where you should be

The advertising industry's highest honor just went to its newest class of legends. Their stories about getting here will remind you why this business is special. 🏆 AAF's Highest Honor Announced at the NYSE - December kicked off the Advertising Hall of Fame Class of 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange. April's gala is months away, but the celebration started now with legends recognized by their peers 💪 From Entry-Level to Industry Legend - One inductee started covering receptionist breaks, just dreaming of an office with a door. The industry kept opening bigger doors, leading all the way to the Hall of Fame. That's the power of this business 📈 35 Years of Driving Growth - Leaning into underserved communities and over-delivering results. The work that creates real industry impact is getting celebrated through the people who pioneered it 🤝 A Team Celebration - The room full of clients who trusted, teams who supported, and colleagues who believed. Hall of Fame recognizes that success is built together, never alone ✨ Icons Honoring Icons - American Express celebrated as corporate honoree, Marlo Thomas recognized for her advertising impact, and a room full of legends alongside the people they inspired. The best of the best

CES 2026 wasn't what anyone expected, and that's exactly the point. The brightest minds in the industry break down the moments that signal where we're going next. 🔥 CES Isn't Just Tech Anymore - It's where communities collide. Tech innovators meet the brightest thinkers and biggest changemakers. The real magic? Those intersections are powering the next wave of innovation 🎨 The Golden Age Never Left, It Just Got Smarter - Big problems + creative solutions + better tools = advertising at its core. Some things don't change, they just evolve 📊 Data Feedback Loops Are Changing Everything - For the first time, we've got a scientific method driving creativity with full data loops. Take a commercial performing at par and optimize it to 3x through data. Simple concept, revolutionary impact 🤖 AI Got Real This Year - Less hype, more action. CES 2026 was all about practical AI applications—making campaigns work harder, simplifying workflows, and solving problems. We're finally figuring this thing out ✨ From Tech Show to Experience Show - The shift is undeniable. Even the companies making screens and microchips are now obsessed with guest experience. CES became the consumer experience show right before our eyes

Ever wonder what new tech is coming to your home? WPP Media takes us on a CES journey that starts with your entertainment setup and ends... well, you'll have to watch to believe it. 🎯 WPP Media Takes Us Behind the Scenes at CES - Pat Power walked us through the showroom floor from smart home tech to health innovations, proving media is everywhere and in everything: 💡 Your TV Just Got an Upgrade - Govee's TV backlight reads millions of colors and creates an immersive glow. Watching Wicked at home? You're swimming in pinks and greens 🛏️ Sleep Tech That Actually Gets You - Stareep's smart bed intelligently adjusts to your sleep cycle because health and wellness don't stop at bedtime 🤖 The Laundry Robot We've All Been Waiting For - Takes clothes to the washer, dryer, and folds them. More time with family, less time with chores 💧 Hydrogen Water Is Everywhere - Echo's flask (the wildly popular booth) introduces more hydrogen for better gut health, visible in real-time

Michael Kassan helped create C-Space over 40 years ago and ranks AI as the third monumental shift in his career. There's a green light philosophy that changes everything and insights on transformation that matter now. 📅 40 Years of CES Journey: First attended in 1986, helped create C-Space 18 years ago, bringing 15,000 marketers to a 150,000-person show, and hoping for 40 more years 🤖 AI Transformation Era: This is the year of AI-driven transformation, ranking as the third monumental shift in a 50-year career alongside mobile telephony in the mid-80s and the internet/PC era 🚀 3C Ventures' Extraordinary First Year: Grew to 60+ people with close to 50 on the ground at CES, delivering on consulting, convening, and co-investing across the business 🎯 Wildly Focused on Transformation: Organizational and marketing transformation, technology change to support it, and agency configuration and therapy are the big focus areas 💡 Green Light Over Red Carpet: Marketers need early conversations with content creators and consumer electronics, being near the green light at the start, not the red carpet at the premiere

📺 CES to Upfront Strategy: Disney at CES demonstrating leadership in technology and innovation beyond beloved storytelling, first stop on the road to sports summit in March and May upfront, bringing everything together 🔧 Flexible Solutions at Scale: Announcing scale with a flexible platform where advertisers can use Disney's tools or plug Disney data into their own, meeting advertisers where they are to help break through in a cluttered environment 📊 Brand Portal Launches in Disney Compass: New holistic view of all Disney advertising in one place with AI summaries and chatbot pulling insights, showing the huge halo effect across campaigns instead of single campaign views 🎨 Data Feeding Creative Optimization: Taking data beyond finding audiences and measuring to feed it into creative optimization, rethinking what's possible without replacing creative agencies ✨ The Disney Difference Experience: White-glove service from entrance to exit with every touchpoint considered, collaborative village planning year-round to bring Disney branding to life in technologically savvy environments

WPP's Kate Scott Dawkins unveils a framework predicting which ad sellers thrive in the AI era and why this is the most exciting time in advertising. Part 2 reveals critical capabilities, why the industry is best placed for AI, and game-changing career advice. 🚀 Future of Advertising Intelligence Framework: Created a framework for what ad sellers need in the AI era - data assets, prediction algorithms, distribution, commerce, and exclusive media IP 💡 Most Exciting Time in Advertising: More companies selling ads than ever, top market cap firms involved, and the industry already integrated with AI for over a decade, making it the best placed for generative AI 📰 Serious News Diet: Reads WSJ, NYT, Financial Times, and Semaphore because GDP growth, major floods, and elections across markets all impact advertising revenue forecasts ✈️ Stay Open and Take Opportunities: Career joy came from working in Hong Kong and projects outside experience - advice to young people is work abroad absolutely 🎤 No Karaoke But Yes to Everything: South African husband says "holding thumbs," will do any sport or parlor game but draws the line at singing

WPP's Kate Scott Dawkins upgraded the advertising forecast with unexpected numbers, and there's a shift putting one medium above another for the first time. Part 1 reveals search predictions, 2026 insights, and bot-to-bot communications that change everything. 📚 From Linguistics to Advertising Forecasting: Started with international marketing plans, studied world languages at Cambridge MBA, worked across San Francisco and Hong Kong, then found essence in London, starting the WPP journey 📊 This Year Next Year Report Upgraded: GroupM's forecast now predicting 8.8% global growth and 12.5% US growth, more positive than June, driven by softer tariff impacts and the AI boom 🤖 The AI Boom Is Here: Companies investing in infrastructure, advertisers applying AI across business and reinvesting into media, plus new AI-endemic advertisers creating extra growth after years of anticipation 🛒 Retail Media Bigger Than Total TV: This year, retail media globally surpasses television off the back of the US and China as the two largest retail media markets 🔍 Search Isn't Dying, It's Evolving: Search remains resilient with AI search, new entrants like OpenAI, Google figuring out monetization, plus commerce and social search heading toward bot-to-bot communications