MAD//Insight
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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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Experian Masterclass at MAD//Fest: 3PD - Gone, Garbage, or entering a new Golden Age?
Join Experian’s Danny Holmes and Total Media’s Matt Wilke for a Day 1 Masterclass on the bold return of third-party data. They’ll reveal how 3PD is evolving with smarter insight, better privacy, and real impact. Walk away with five actionable ways to make 3PD work harder for your brand.
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Treasury Wine Estates Named Official Wine Partner for MAD//Fest London 2025
This year’s MAD//Fest London just got a little tastier. MAD//Fest has announced Treasury Wine Estates as the official wine partner for the 2025 festival, bringing a selection of premium wines to the bars at next week's event.
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Lessons in Emotional Brand Building from the Summer of Sport
This summer, the world’s watching — but are they feeling? With major sporting moments filling the calendar, brands have a rare shot at connection. Attention is easy to get; emotion is everything, believes Emily Heath, Director of Engagement for Rexona/Sure
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Don’t Be a *anker: How crushing convention in a risk-averse category transformed Nationwide
Financial services ads rank among the worst globally for being engaging, memorable, or emotionally resonant — and the data proves it. But this isn’t a crisis, it’s a creative opportunity. The brands that break away from bland win big, and Nationwide is showing the industry exactly how it’s done, writes Lynne Deason, Head of Creative Excellence at Kantar.
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BRANDS WON’T TELL YOU THEY’RE GOING TO REVIEW… BUT THERE WILL BE SIGNS
Smart new business teams don’t wait for RFPs — they read the signs. Pearlfinders tracks over 30,000 buying signals a year to spot agency reviews before they happen. Here are the top 5 signals that a brand could be planning a shake-up in 2025.
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The Biggest Crisis Brands Can’t Ignore: Mental Health, Humanity & Leading With Purpose
What happens when a high-flying founder hits rock bottom — and builds a platform to help a billion people? JAAQ CEO Alex Packham shares what burnout taught him about leadership, purpose, and why mental health is every brand’s business.
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THE HAVAS ARMS: WHERE BRANDS BREAK THE MOULD AT MAD//FEST LONDON
With MAD//Fest London around the corner, the line-up for The Havas Arms Stage at Café 1001 is live. From the Paris Olympics and branding to GLP-1s and shifting culture, expect two days of bold talks and honest conversations – all under Havas’ rallying cry: ‘Only Do It If It Makes A Difference’.
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LOOKING SIDEWAYS X MAD//FEST LIVE PODCAST : BRANDS + EFFECTIVE ACTIVISM WITH FINISTERRE, THOMAS KOLSTER, B-CORP + LAUREN MACALLUM
Leading action sports podcast Looking Sideways has teamed up with MAD//Fest London (1-3 July, Truman Brewery) to host a special live podcast on effective activism.
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MAD//FEST’S FEMALE LEADERS’ CLUB IS BACK WITH A BANG
MAD//Fest’s Female Leaders’ Club is back on 1-2 July for a two-day programme designed to connect, inform and engage the next generation of female leaders.
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L’ORÉAL, LEGO, SKYSCANNER, CLARINS, MARS, JACK DANIEL’S + CANO TO HOST MAD//FEST BRAND CHALLENGES
Big brands are looking for new innovation in areas including AI, content creation and brand via MAD//Fest London’s Brand Challenges in partnership with Co:Cubed.
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Unbottling how Coca-Cola retains the unique fizz that feeds its iconic status
In this nostalgic reflection, Lynne Deason, Head of Creative Excellence at Kantar, recalls the enduring magic of Coca-Cola’s iconic “I’d like to teach the world to sing” ad. More than just a catchy tune, it sparked a lifelong appreciation for the emotional power of advertising. Unlike most jingles that wear thin, this one remains a joyful part of her memory.
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MAD//Fest Exclusive: 10% off the Netball Super League Grand Final at The O2, Sunday 6 July
Get ready for the ultimate showdown! The UK's elite domestic netball league, the Netball Super League, 2025 Grand final will be held at the iconic O2 Arena, London on Sunday 6 July 2025, where fans can watch the pinnacle of elite netball, live in one of the most prestigious arenas in the world!
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Rory Sutherland on why being delightfully less wrong beats being boringly right
Join MAD//Masters by Rory Sutherland - a cocktail of behavioural science, creative mischief, and strategic heresy. Your MBA won't know what hit it!
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Cycle to MAD//Fest With Forest and Save the Planet
Cycle to MADFest this summer with free Forest e-bike minutes thanks to an exclusive partnership between MADFest and Forest.
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CTV: Why the Biggest Screen Is No Longer Just for the Biggest Advertisers
For years, TV advertising was out of reach for smaller brands—but Connected TV (CTV) is changing that, says Paul Gubbins, VP of Sales & Programmatic Partnerships at Tubi UK.
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Grapeseed Media Announced as Headline Partner of the Independent Agency Awards 2025
The Alliance of Independent Agencies is proud to announce Grapeseed Media as the Headline Partner of the Independent Agency Awards 2025, taking place at MAD//Fest London on 1st July on the iconic Hexagon Stage.
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Principal Trading: The Media Buying Villain That Might Actually Be the Hero
Principal-based media trading often gets criticised for shady metrics and so-called "fake principals," but the core model isn’t inherently flawed. Dismissing it entirely due to poor execution is like blaming a scalpel for a botched surgery, believes Kaitlin Nizolek, Head of Marketing at Adelaide Metrics.
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THE DISRUPTOR'S PLAYBOOK: JOIN RORY SUTHERLAND AND OCTOPUS ENERGY FOUNDER GREG JACKSON FOR A FIRESIDE CHAT
Octopus Energy Founder Greg Jackson and Ogilvy Vice-chair Rory Sutherland will explore the psychological levers and brand strategy that has underpinned the energy disruptor's success in a fireside chat on 2 July.
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BOXPARK FOUNDER ROGER WADE TO CURATE 'MAKING IMPACT' MASTERCLASS AT MAD//FEST LONDON
Featuring top founders, investors and brand experts, Wade’s MAD//Fest masterclass will examine the shift towards purpose-driven businesses, and their value in a changing economic, cultural and consumer landscape.
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LULULEMON, MCDONALD'S, WREXHAM FC, TJX EUROPE + NESTLÉ LEADERS JOIN MAD//FEST LONDON SPEAKER LINE-UP
Heavyweight new speakers join a stellar line-up for MAD//Fest London on 1-3 July.
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Take part in Mentor-up-Close at MAD//Fest 2025
Mentor-up-Close is a mentorship experience that matches mentees with mentors, with the aim making mentorship more accessible and fun. Its speed-dating-style format gives mentees quick access to a variety of mentors, and mentors access to new talent and thinking. It offers a way to hear many different perspectives in just 90 minutes, without the pressure of committing to a traditional mentorship relationship.
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Don't let your tech steal your creative time!
Tired of tech headaches stealing your creative mojo? You’re not alone – base knows the struggle, where the owner lived it first-hand in Soho’s post-production trenches. That’s why he created base: to help you ditch the chaos and reclaim your creative flow. At MAD//Fest, hear how fellow creatives from High Performance and VaynerMedia implemented cloud workflows with base and IBM Cloud.
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Struggling to get good performance from your Google ads?
Still not optimised and automated your Google ads? Squared.io is running a masterclass at MAD//Fest to help
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ONLY DO IT IF IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
At MAD//Fest London 2025, Havas is calling on brands to break free from the ordinary with a bold challenge in the battle against boring.
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MAD//Fest + cocreatd Launch £100,000 Live Startup Challenge: 48 Hours from Idea to Business
MAD//Fest and cocreatd are launching a bold live experiment where aspiring founders race to build a business and win up to £100,000 in funding—in just 48 hours at next month's festival.
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Individualism is bullshit: The Untold Secret of Herdify
The founder of Herdify, Tom Rridges, has written a book. Here's a summary of what's in it.
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Control the TikTok Scroll
Digital advertising is evolving rapidly, offering brands immense creative potential—but also posing new challenges. Platforms like TikTok highlight this shift, where mobile-first content and instant engagement are key. As brands navigate this landscape, success depends on mastering attention in a split second, writes System1's SVP, Andrew Tindall.
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Not got the app? Don't be a headless chicken!
The official app for MAD//Fest London 2025 is now live. You need the app to avoid wandering around the venue like a headless chicken as it contains the agenda, networking tools, and your e-ticket.
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Rylan Clark, Grace Dent, Frankie Bridge To Celebrate Cultural Journalism In Newsworks MAD//Fest Speakeasy
The hugely popular Newsworks Speakeasy returns to MAD//Fest London on 1-3 July with a star-studded line-up of talent and journalists.
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Horse Meat Disco and Sophie Lloyd to Headline the MAD//Fest Summer Party
2025’s MAD//Fest summer party on 3 July will be our biggest shindig yet with a line-up featuring DJ collective legends Horse Meat Disco, Glitterbox superstar Sophie Lloyd, and free food and drink from brands including Havana Club, Sticks N Sushi and Lina Stores.
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Be Less Boring: Richard Ayoade, Jimmy Carr, Maggie Pocock Join MAD//Fest London 2025
‘Be Less Boring’ is the theme for London-founded global marketing festival MAD//Fest London as 15,000 brands and agencies get to meet at the Truman Brewery, on 1-3 July.
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Jimmy Carr and Rory Sutherland To Discuss Psychology And Creativity In Advertising And Comedy
Headline session at MAD//Fest London on 3 July will explore the creative process and role of psychology in the intrinsically linked disciplines of comedy and advertising.
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DATA: Where do marketers see the big benefits from adtech + martech?
Adtech and martech are now essential, with 84% of European marketers using them in digital campaigns. Their adoption is only set to grow, driven by the promise of smarter, more effective marketing. Enhanced personalisation tops the list of benefits, according to a new report by StackAdapt and ExchangeWire
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HEL Yeah! HEL’s return to MAD//Fest as the official staffing partner
Angels, Artists and Activations Agency return with magnetic energy to join the dots between people and brands across every corner of this year’s festival.
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Havana Club Social: Is This the Most Fun Meeting Space at an Industry Event – Ever?
Forget dull boardrooms — this summer, MAD//Fest London is upgrading your networking game. Say hello to the Havana Club Social, a vibrant new meeting space created with the world’s top rum brand, Havana Club.
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Is marketing eating itself with the relentless pursuit of Generative AI?
AI hype is fading, and marketers are hitting the 'trough of disillusionment'. Flashy outputs aren’t cutting it — now it’s time to ask if Generative AI can really deliver.
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Whassup! Where Have All the Cultural Moments Gone? The Decline of Iconic Brand Advertising.
There was a time when ads became pop culture, not just promotion. So why isn’t advertising fun anymore — and how do we make brands irresistible again, asks ex-Virgin Atlantic CMO Simon Lloyd.
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