MAD//Insight
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From Tails to Triumph: How Pets at Home Rebranded Without Losing Its Bark
Over the past four years, Pets at Home’s Marketing Director, Madeline Shaw and her team have pulled off a feat many retailers only dream of—growing customer revenue by 6.9% to £1.9 billion, while reshaping one of the UK’s most beloved pet care brands.
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Owning your audience. The shift from rented to brand-direct.
In his latest column for MAD//Insight former Director of Growth at Natures Menu, Adam Wright, (now at Sampl), argues that relying on rented audiences is riskier than ever. Discover why owning your customer connections is the smartest move brands can make in today’s shifting landscape.
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Want to win in marketing effectiveness in 2025? Here's how! (You'll be surprised!)
Award-winning work that truly matters? Creative Equals has been digging into the 2024 Effie UK winners—and the big reveal drops at RISE on May 15. One standout insight: when brands lead with authentic social impact, everyone wins. ROI? Yes. Real-world change? Even better.
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Global Vice President of Sure: Brits and Their Bits –A Deo Revolution
Sure is revolutionizing body care! Kath Swallow, Global VP for Unilever's Sure brand, announced a game-changing initiative at February’s MAD//UpNorth, expanding the world’s leading deodorant brand beyond just underarms to whole-body protection. Get ready for a confident, body Sure approach!
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John Lewis Partnership: Creating a Business within a business
In this week's partner podcast, Shiny New Object, Georgia Riley, Retail Media Propositions Strategy and Development Manager), Jemma Haley, Proposition Strategy & Development Lead - Retail Media, talk about how they are leveraging JLP's Retail Media business
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Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work in Creativity
Dace Burdikova, Creative Director at INVNT explores how neurodiversity and personality differences shape creativity, and argues that embracing our unique perspectives can transform collaboration and leadership in the workplace!
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The Marketing Elephant in the room
Is it the right time to hire a CMO? This ongoing debate often misses a crucial point: a marketing leader's role in driving customer focus within the leadership team. Justin Hanneman, Marketing, Product and Innovation Leader, dives in!
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Haleon Head of Marketing: Tapping into Behavioural Psychology
Tom Holmes, Head of Marketing at Altogether Dental, sees healthcare as the perfect arena for behavioral psychology in marketing—an approach that persuades audiences and transforms attitudes, in this week's partner podcast Shiny New Object.
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B2B, B2C, H2H, WTF?
In marketing, the B2B versus B2C divide is both entrenched and counterproductive. This artificial boundary restricts career mobility and causes companies to overlook exceptional talent from "the wrong side" of the tracks, believes founder of Founder of Big Black Door, Gareth Turner.
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Co-op: Grabbing Attention Where It Matters - a Global-first Brand Recall Study
In a digital era, brands should focus on physical stores. Are we underestimating in-store engagement? A study by Co-op Media Network and Lumen uncovers the surprising power of in-store media! The results are eye-opening...
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Jack of all trades, master of none – control freaks need not apply!
In her latest column, Sam Dolan, founder of Jazz Hands, asks us to heed the words of Vanilla Ice and 'stop, collaborate and listen', because a marketer cannot be an expert at everything.
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Three UK: Being Human is the Premium
In a Gen AI world, being human is premium. Tom Fenwick-Smith, Senior in house creative for Three UK, reveals why the human touch is the real shiny new object, in this week's partner podcast Shiny New Object.
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Why brands can learn from the Trump playbook
Love him or hate him, Trump is a master of attention. His 2025 media strategy is as powerful as ever—dominating headlines, shaping narratives, and keeping audiences hooked. Brands might cringe at his approach, but there are lessons to be learned, writes Ian Maskell, Founder, P E C O R I N O, and former VP Global Marketing, Unilever.
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MAD//UpNorth? Catch Every Must-Watch Session on YouTube!
If your memory is a little hazy or you missed MAD//UpNorth, every game-changing session is now live on the MAD//Fest YouTube channel—rewatch, relive, and get inspired!
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Ex Cazoo CMO: Why Buying a House or a Car Is Getting Easier … and Hiring the Right Person Isn’t
Why do we distrust used car salespeople and estate agents on sight? It’s not just a few bad apples—it’s something much bigger: information asymmetry. Ex CMO of Cazoo, Lucas Bergmans, argues why it's the real villain.
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Confronting Ageism in the UK Marketing Industry
Darain Faraz, co-founder, Braver/People Like Us almost fell into the ageism trap—and didn’t even realise it. Here’s what happened and how he's tackling bias in hiring, one application at a time.
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Be the Michelangelo of Memories
Former CMO of US basketball team, Golden State Warriors, Kenny Lauer, believes that experience design isn’t just about moments—it’s about memories. Like Michelangelo with marble, we craft experiences that last.
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NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL RETAIL MEDIA 25: WHO HAS TOPPED THE CHARTS?
Much is written about the retail media industry’s eye-watering growth, however, far fewer column inches are devoted to the amazing work coming out of the industry. MAD//Fest and SMG bring you Now That’s What I Call Retail Media 25—the ultimate rundown of the year’s biggest hits.
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Finisterre CMO: Becoming a B Corp isn’t a marketing campaign
Think becoming a B Corp is your golden ticket to winning over customers? Think again. CMO of Finisterre, Bronwen Foster-Butler, believes many brands get it totally wrong and urges others not to make the same mistake.
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Celebrating Independence At The 2025 Independent Agency Awards
Calling all Indies everywhere - stand out and get the recognition you deserve! Enter the awards today and showcase how your independent agency is shaping the future of marketing!
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PepsiCo, Vice President: Follow your customers' passions!
Eric Melis, VP of Global Brand Marketing at PepsiCo, shares why now is the best time to be in marketing, how brands are getting more human-centric, and the power of consistency in audience connection, in this week's partner podcast Shiny New Object.
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The ROI of Doing Good: Why Profit and Purpose Aren’t Mutually Exclusive
Doing good isn’t just ethical—it’s profitable. Forward-thinking brands and marketers are balancing impact with commercial success, driving responsible and sustainable growth, argues Channel Factory's Global Chief Strategy Officer, Phil Cowdell.
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Unilever Chief Brand Officer: Surround yourself with like-minded people? No thanks!
Tati Lindenberg, Chief Brand Officer for Dirt Is Good and Head of Unilever Fabric Cleaning (SVP), believes that one of the greatest truths in the creative industry is that to truly innovate, we must first embrace the perspectives that already exist in the world.
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The AI Safety Net: How Data-Driven Decisions Mitigate Social Media Risks
In a crowded digital landscape, brands must balance bold messaging with reputation safety. Advanced AI and real-time analytics turn this challenge into an opportunity, ensuring every ad aligns with brand values while keeping campaigns visible, relevant, and resilient, believes Rob Blake, UK MD at Channel Factory
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From Carrots to Chips: Cracking Social Effectiveness with McCann & McCain Foods
What does it really take to be an effective brand on social? Views and likes are nice, but do they drive impact? At Mad//UpNorth 2025, McCann Manchester and McCain Foods are taking the stage to break it down.
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The beauty of Britain: a vibrant visual census of modern Britain
“Britain is broken.” That’s what we’re told, repeatedly. Nothing works, and there is no clear direction. As a 'country', we are divided beyond repair, and according to online pundits and political wannabes, we’re a ‘has-been nation’ decaying under dark clouds of negativity—a grim and gloomy outlook. But is this really true?
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Love media/tech? Don’t miss these 6 sessions at MADUpNorth
Head to the Dentsu Media + Tech Stage to hear from Domino’s, Vodafone, Diageo + more…
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Canva, Creative Lead: Vision, Energy, Influence - The Three Tools Every In-House Creative Needs
Dale Anne Scogings, Creative Lead @ Canva tells FLC that being an in-house creative leader is more than just driving business results through creative excellence, it’s about vision, energy, and influence.
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Welcome to The Havas Arms – A Pop-Up Pub Garden at MAD//UpNorth
Fancy chatting all things marketing over a pint? The Havas Arms is popping up at MAD//UpNorth for 48 hours only! Join Havas 26-27 Feb for coffee, craft Beer, British Bubbles, cocktails, and conversation. See you there!
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Rory Sutherland: How a dancing Seal shows the product v marketing imbalance
Mountain Dew’s brilliantly bizarre Super Bowl ad shows the need for distinctiveness and how marketing is sometimes underappreciated.
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Dove, Nike, Google, and, of course, the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl—and its ad extravaganza—took centre stage on Sunday night. Our resident NFL enthusiast, ad expert, and MAD//Fest 2025 speaker, Simon Vincent, weighs in on which commercials scored a touchdown and which ones fumbled at the goal line.
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The Life of a Disruptive Startup Brand: Rook+Knight’s Journey So Far
Starting a fashion brand from scratch isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s a rollercoaster ride of sleepless nights, relentless problem-solving, and the constant push to stand out in a crowded market. Let’s see how Rook+Knight is trying to break through.
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THE 2025 GUIDE TO FIRST-PARTY DATA: 6 TRENDS MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW
2024 shook up data: Google’s U-turn on third-party cookies, AI’s focus on data quality, and rapid retail media growth made data collaboration essential. What’s next for first-party data in 2025? Let LiveRamp tell you.
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Time for transformation: How Austrian broadcasters change the game for TV advertising and what the UK can learn from it
Think TV ads are stuck in the past? Austria just changed the game—real-time, data-driven ads on the big screen are here.
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Vodafone, Domino’s and Kopparberg - Get The Insider View on Brand Strategies with the SocialMinds Podcast at MAD//UpNorth
As MAD//Up North’s official podcast partner, the SocialMinds podcast is heading to the festival for two jam-packed days of live sessions with the industry’s best and brightest, including Vodafone, Domino’s and Kopparberg.
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Rory Sutherland: My AI Advice? Don't Be Useless
Ogilvy Vice-chair and MAD//Masters co-founder Rory Sutherland shares his tips on how to remain relevant as AI takes hold ahead of a MAD//UpNorth fireside chat with AO World Founder and CEO John Roberts.
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Lucy Beaumont And Dentsu To Host Fireside Chat/Drinks In Female Leaders’ Club
Comedian Lucy Beaumont will be in conversation with Dentsu Creative MD Julie Chadwick on 26 Feb, tackling issues such as comedy in advertising and being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
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The Future of Digital Advertising: AI, Retail Media, and CTV Take Centre Stage
Digital advertising is evolving fast, with AI, retail media, and CTV leading the charge. As marketers juggle ROI pressures and shifting regulations, these hot topics will take centre stage at DigiAds@MAD//Fest London (July 1-3) as MAD//Fest's new SVP Global Partnerships, Ben Phillips, writes.
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MAD//POD: Lucky Saint's Marketing Director on Breaking Rules and honouring traditions
In the latest edition of the MAD//Pod, Lucky Saint's Marketing Director, Kerttu Inkeroinen, outlines what challenger brand marketing means for Lucky Saint and how to know when to break the rules and when to honour traditions.
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Connecting the marketing world – one business card at a time
In his latest column for MAD//Insight, Richard Robinson, Executive Director of Ingenuity+, bemoans the decline of the business card and urges us all to regularly meet, connect in real life, and be a little bit more Korean (and even a bit more Patrick Bateman!)
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WLTM relevant agencies at MAD//UpNorth?
Ingenuity will be hosting a programme of One2One meetings to connect senior brand marketers and relevant agencies at MAD//UpNorth on 26-27 Feb. Here’s how brands can get involved.
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Naked Wines: Decoding Customer Insights & Unlocking Incremental Growth
Most businesses know customer insight is key, but few dig deep. Tom Boxall, Performance Marketing Manager at Naked Wines, swears by incrementality—his secret weapon for uncovering real growth drivers, in the latest episode of MAD//Fest's partner podcast, Shiny New Object.
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2025: The Year of The Bronaissance
Globally, young men are becoming less progressive, revealing a growing gender divide. Enter the "Bronaissance"—a cultural movement redefining masculinity. Stylus' Annie Corser explains.
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Gary Neville. Lucy Beaumont. Rory Sutherland to speak at MAD//UpNorth
Hard on the heels of our Lucy Beaumont keynote announcement, we can reveal that serial entrepreneur, broadcaster and Man Utd legend Gary Neville is the latest headline speaker to confirm for MAD//UpNorth (26-27 Feb).
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The North’s Creative Revolution: Why Marketing, Digital, and Creative Talent is Booming
Simon Lloyd, ex CMO of Virgin Atlantic and Aldermore Bank, and the host for MAD//UpNorth's Factory Stage, discusses why, from Manchester and Leeds to Newcastle and Liverpool, the North has become a dynamic hub for creative industries.
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You’re Registered! Here’s How To Get The MAD//UpNorth App (Your Ticket)
Our app is now live and you’ll need it to get into the show, view the agenda and network. Here’s how to download it.
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Gary Neville joins MAD//UpNorth speaker line-up
Neville will appear at MAD//UpNorth as part of a star-studded line-up including Comedian Lucy Beaumont, Ogilvy Vice-chair Rory Sutherland, and AO World Founder and CEO John Roberts.
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Why Retail Media and CTV are 2025’s key “battleground” categories
Hunger Games Competition, Forensic AdTech, consolidation for survival. Are we experiencing a sea change in advertising? Richard Kramer, Arete Research ,lays out his POV and predictions for the year ahead.
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Virgin Media O2, Head of Marketing Performance: The Power of Relationships in a World of Data
In this week's MAD//Insights' partner podcast, Shiny New Object, Virgin Media O2's Head of Marketing Performance & Econometrics, Chris Love, discusses why relationships matter in data driven marketing and how to approach marketing with a sales lens.
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From Resistance to Leadership: Why the UK Must Defend Equity and Inclusion Amid a Global Backlash
In 2025, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) faced major setbacks in the US, with Meta scaling back programmes and the Trump administration eliminating federal initiatives—moves that impact the UK and the global fight for inclusion. Darain Faraz, co-founder, Braver/People Like Us, discusses what the industry's game plan should be.
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