MAD//Insight
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Need vs Want: The Language of High Performance
The inbox is overflowing, Q4 is here, and the pressure to perform is mounting, but what’s really driving your leadership? Fear or intention? In high-stakes seasons, the voice in your ear matters more than the pace of your schedule, writes High-Stakes Leadership Mentor, Sally Henderson
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MAD//North Announces 2026 Theme: ‘Northern Soul’
MAD//North has unveiled Northern Soul as the theme for its 2026 festival, which will take place on 25-26 February in Manchester at Aviva Studios and Versa Studios.
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The Power of Pause: Five Frictions That Convert
Not all friction frustrates. Some of the most effective journeys are the ones that slow people down just enough to feel, decide, or commit. In a world obsessed with speed, the real advantage lies in knowing where to pause, argues MAD//Fest host and Future Platforms CEO, Livia Bernardini, in the final article of her three-part series.
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February Flashback: MAD//North 2025 Highlights: Content + Creativity Stage
Can’t wait until February 2026 for MAD//North? Revisit this year’s highlights with top sessions from every stage. Next up, the Content and Creativity stage. From the magic of Weetabix, the creativity of The Very Group, through to the brand brilliance of Auto Trader, here are three standout talks from earlier this year.
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Fighting Back Against the Publisher Triple Threat: A New Solution for Programmatic Revenue Recovery
Page views are plunging, programmatic revenue is shrinking, and media leaders are under pressure to rethink digital strategy. Ben Williams, Founder of Kiln, argues the fix isn’t more tech, it’s unlocking the value that’s already right in front of us.
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February Flashback: MAD//North 2025 Highlights: Media & Tech Stage
Can’t wait until MAD//North returns in February 2026? Relive the buzz from this year’s event with highlights from across both days, starting with the Media & Tech stage. From breakthrough innovations to impactful media campaigns, we’ve handpicked three standout sessions you won’t want to miss.
The power of Counterintuitive and Why Best Practices Do Not Always Perform
We have been told that smooth flows, faster pages, and shorter forms are the rules of UX. But the data says otherwise. Some of the most accepted truths are starting to crack, and the results may surprise you, writes MAD//Fest host and Future Platforms CEO, Livia Bernardini.
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Fentimans Marketing Director: Shiny Happy People make great marketers
If you can get people to relax and be themselves, they'll do great work. Jayne Andrews, Marketing Director at Fentimans Ltd, shares, on our partner podcast, Shiny New Object, why happy people are the future of marketing.
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How Connected Data Finds Consumers Lost in the Cost-of-Living Storm
Marketers have always connected brands and consumers by turning behaviours into resonant messages. In today’s data-driven world, that role is shifting faster than ever. Alison Harding, Vice President, Data Solutions, EMEA, Lotame, explores what this evolution means for the future of marketing.
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IKEA at Paris and Milan: Style, Culture, and Purpose Beyond Furniture
IKEA is breaking boundaries at Paris Fashion Week and Milan Design Week. At this summer's MAD//Fest, IKEA's Belén Frau showed how the brand turns inclusivity and self-expression into cultural moments. The result is trust, community, and a fresh relevance.
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Stuck in Influencer Cruise Control? Here’s how to go Full Throttle
Most brands are stuck in influencer cruise control: safe, forgettable campaigns that don’t sell or scale. Read Sasha Jeppesen’s top tips from Charlie Oscar on going full-throttle with clarity, confidence, and creativity.
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PR meets fandom: When loyalty beats virality
Big is boring in 2025. Consumers crave intimacy, belonging, and recognition, not mass messaging. PR is shifting from chasing volume to sparking connection in fandoms and niche communities, argue Annie Harte and Sophie Conway, from social and content agency, eight&four
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Fast is not always smart
Booking.com discovered it. You can too. Slowing people down, done right, can drive more trust, clarity, and conversion, writes MAD//Fest host and Future Platforms CEO, Livia Bernardini.
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How Heineken Uses Creativity and Consumer Connection to Stand Out
In this week's MAD//Moments discover how Heineken’s Head of Marketing, Rajiv Sathyesh, uses real consumer insights and bold creativity to cut through the noise + why a simple phone case could change the way we socialise.
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A Publisher Perspective on AI: Mumsnet
On Day 2 of MAD//Fest London, Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts joined Amy Wright of Automated Creative to discuss Mumsnet’s legal action against OpenAI and share fresh insights.
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How a heritage brand connects with communities and moves at the speed of culture
Nathalia Amadeu, Global Brand Director at Vaseline, shared how the award-winning “Vaseline Verified” campaign tapped community power, drove cultural impact, and adapted marketing to boost brand resonance.
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'Less Healthy Food' Ad Ban: Brand Hack or Health Hazard?
From January 2026, the UK’s new Less Healthy Food rules will ban certain ads after 9pm, block them online, and end multibuy offers on chocolate, ice cream, sugary drinks and crisps. But here’s the twist: brands can still advertise, if they don’t show or name the product, writes Ian Maskell, Founder, P E C O R I N O, and former VP Global Marketing, Unilever.
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REVEALED: Euro 2025’s best ads 🏆
England’s Lionesses may have taken the EURO 2025 crown, but which ads scored big off the pitch? Kantar tested campaigns across TV, Instagram, YouTube and more to uncover the season’s top performers. Here’s the definitive ranking of Europe’s most impactful ads.
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How Uber Advertising is redefining creative connection
What if great advertising isn’t about shouting louder, but showing up at exactly the right moment? At MAD//Fest, Uber Advertising’s Paul Wright revealed how the brand is redefining creative connection by mapping real consumer journeys, not just digital ones.
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Influencer Marketing: From Extra to Strategic Force
Influencers now account for 36% of global social media engagement, including actions from their brand partners. Comscore’s new report, The Influencer Effect: Powering Engagement, reveals both global and UK-specific trends. It shows how creators have shifted from being optional to becoming a strategic force in marketing.
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The Power of Creative Consistency: How M&S Harnesses Bold Brand Voice to Share Authentic Stories
At MAD//Fest London, M&S Marketing Director Sharry Cramond stressed the value of consistent, bold, and unique branding in making M&S the “most loved and trusted brand in Britain.”
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Beyond Digital: How Lexus UK Uses Data and Kaizen to Evolve Brand Strategy
Mat Thomas, Senior Manager, Brand Strategy at Lexus UK talks about Kaizen, Alchemy, and Data Driven Marketing, in the latest episode of MAD//Insight's partner podcast
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Be More Boring: Vicki MaGuire’s Wake-Up Call to Creatives at MAD//Fest
In the latest of our MAD//Moments interview series, Vicki Maguire tells Tom Ollerton that creatives need to speak less, and listen and observe more.
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MAD//Fest on demand: Creator Economy + Culture Marketing Stage
New for 2025, our Creator Economy stage now includes Culture Marketing, reflecting the growing need for brands to connect authentically with culture and consumers. Spanning all three days, this stage featured insights on picking the right creators and showing up genuinely in culture. Here are three standout sessions
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MAD//Fest on demand: Creativity Stage
The Creativity Stage, in partnership with SAMY, was the place where inspiration ruled. Over the 3 days we heard bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and boundary-pushing campaigns that redefined what creativity means in modern marketing. Here are 3 standout keynotes.
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MAD//Fest On Demand: AI + Innovation Stage
Back for 2025, the AI + Innovation Stage, in partnership with DEPT®, delivered three days of standout content. From real-world campaign use cases to bold predictions, this stage was a hub of AI insight. Here are three standout sessions you shouldn’t miss:
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The Lionesses Win Again! Now Brands Have a Chance to Follow
The Lionesses are champions again, but the real win goes beyond the pitch. A dramatic Euro 2025 final, millions watching on free-to-air TV, and Chloe Kelly sealing the deal in style. This isn't just a victory, it’s a turning point for women’s sport, visibility and brands are ready to back it, says MAD//Fest's Content Director, Luke Wilcox.
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Static Ads are for Static People
Location-based ads promise precision — but often miss the mark. A phone pings near a store, an ad gets served. But is that person interested, commuting, or just passing through? Most platforms rely on vague, second-hand signals that tell half the story.admoai take a smarter, context-first approach.
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Adapt or Die: Rewriting the rulebook in the battle against boring
“Be Less Boring” was the provocative invitation from MAD//Fest London 2025. Sounds good, doesn't it? Havas tells MAD//Insight how this works in reality.
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MAD//Fest on demand: The Brewery Stage
The Brewery Stage, in partnership with Havas, burst onto the scene this year. Titans clashed with challengers, the rulebook was torn up, and bold voices showed what it takes to stand out and scale up. Here are 3 standout keynotes.
Don’t Bore Me to Death With Your Digital Experience
If brand is experience, why do so many digital journeys still feel like doing your taxes? As marketers nail the basics, “fine” has become the enemy, safe, boring, and instantly forgettable. MAD//Fest host, Livia Bernardini, says that it's time to Be Less Boring.
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GAME CHANGERS: BUILDING A WINNING CHALLENGER SPORTS BRAND
Engage’s latest playbook is your cheat sheet for winning the future of sport. The white paper unpacks what legacy giants can learn from creators and disruptors, and how to turn fans into lifelong superfans – and data into ROI.
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MAD//Moments: Julie Legrand, Senior Director Global Brand Strategy & Communications, PUMA
Straight off the MAD//Fest stage, top brand marketers and industry legends sit down with Tom Ollerton for raw, rapid-fire reflections on the state of marketing, what’s broken, what’s next — and what’s just plain mad. These are the moments you don’t get in the keynote.
‘Every Day is a Gift’ - A Powerful Tribute to the Remarkable Life of Suki Thompson
A deeply personal and beautifully produced new book, ‘Every Day is a Gift’, launches on July 24th in memory of the much-loved entrepreneur, Suki Thompson.
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250 billion Reasons Why Brands Are Backing Sports
Sport is booming — with fans spending over three trillion hours watching in 2024 and $250bn invested by brands. But sponsorship isn’t keeping pace. Two Circles explores the “objectives divide” holding it back — and how smarter, more aligned strategies could unlock a $30bn opportunity.
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How to win at TikTok
TikTok is still missing from too many media plans — despite its fast-growing, cross-generational audience. Precis' CEO, Jess Merry, dives into new insights from Precis’ Media Mix Model study to reveal why brands struggle with TikTok, and how to unlock its full potential.
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Advertising Pays 2025: what’s advertising ever done for us?
What does advertising and marketing do for the UK? Well, quite a lot as it turns out. It fuels growth, creates jobs, supports public services — and it's evolving fast. Advertising Pays 2025 lays out why this industry matters more than ever, in a must-read piece by Dan Wilks, Director of Credos.
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MAD//Fest On Demand: Hexagon Stage
This month’s MAD//Fest was our biggest and best ever with content across 14 stages, over 3 days! All the sessions are now LIVE on our YouTube channel. Here are three of the best keynotes from the Kantar Marketplace Hexagon Stage!
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Tripadvisor, Global Vice President: The Power of Stillness
In this episode of Shiny New Object—the MAD//Insight partner podcast—Christine Maguire, Global Vice President of Commercial Business at Tripadvisor, reflects on her diverse and accomplished career, and shares how embracing stillness has made her a more effective marketer and a more grounded leader.
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Beyond the Wow: How Outernet is Turning Immersive Brand Moments into Measurable Impact
Outernet’s Commercial Director, Tom Perrett, shares how the company is bridging the gap between immersive brand experiences and smart, data-driven measurement—proving that great storytelling can also deliver real results.
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From Attention to Intention: Rethinking Ads for a Better Digital Economy
What if ads weren’t just about grabbing your attention—but serving your true intentions? At MAD//Fest, Lee Henshaw, Founder, introduced Into-it, a new kind of ad tech rooted in what people actually want.
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What can marketers learn from Nigel Farage?
Like him or loathe him, Nigel Farage is one of the most disruptive and effective communicators in modern British politics. His personal brand commands global attention, far beyond UK borders. In today’s attention economy, Farage offers bold lessons for marketers on cut-through, consistency, and conviction, writes Ian Maskell, Founder, P E C O R I N O, and former VP Global Marketing, Unilever.
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Rise Above the "Sea of Sameness" with L’Oréal, Kantar, and TikTok
The creator economy is booming, but brands face a major challenge: standing out in a "sea of sameness." New Kantar data shows only 45% of beauty creator content is truly effective. That means over half fails to drive impact, believes Dan Fanshawe, Kantar's Senior Client Director.
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Your Audience Isn’t Who You Think It Is
Adlook believe that it’s time to stop selling to segments—and start connecting with real intent.
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Retail media’s performance needs a little showmanship
Retail media is stealing the spotlight with big promises—but is the industry ready for the show? Many are rushing the stage without nailing the moves. A sharp take by Maria Giacobbe, VP Business Development, Epsilon.
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Dear Ads: Be Interesting or Be Forgotten
In a sea of forgettable ads, creativity is the real game-changer. Brand Lift shows what works, turning bold ideas into real results. Brought to you by Happydemics.
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Rise + Shine - Special early morning sessions with Gousto, Nestlé, Samsung at MAD//Fest 2025
Join Guosto, Nestlé, Samsung and more for a lively mix of pitches, panel shows and podcasts to start your day.
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Sportradar Announced as Main Stage Partner for MAD//Sports at MAD//Fest London 2025
When it comes to riding the emotional highs and cultural firepower of live sport, few understand the playbook quite like Sportradar. Which is exactly why we’re thrilled to announce them as Main Stage Partner of MAD//Sports the dedicated sports marketing experience at MAD//Fest London 2025.
The Bigger the Better: Why “Make the Logo Bigger” Isn’t Just a Joke
OOH reaches more people than live TV—but visibility isn’t enough. Real impact comes from emotion, recall, and smart creative. It’s time to stop joking and start using OOH’s proven levers, believes System1's SVP, Andrew Tindall.
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Fever-Tree Named Official Mixer Partner for MAD//Fest London 2025
The drinks just got fizzier and better at MAD//Fest London. MAD//Fest has announced Fever-Tree as the official mixer partner for next week’s 2025 festival, ensuring this summer’s event (1–3 July, Truman Brewery) will be bursting with bold flavours and refreshing serves.
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