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.

At a MAD//Fest that championed boldness and creativity, Vicki Maguire, Chief Creative Officer in London, delivered an unexpected message: be more boring. Speaking to Tom Ollerton, Maguire flipped the script, urging creatives to listen more and talk less.

Instead of leaning into louder, flashier campaigns, she called for a radical reset, one that reconnects creatives with real people and everyday culture.

“Get out of London. Get out of your own arse. Sit in a pub and just listen,” she challenged.

She argued that ignoring audience needs has led to a rise in ad blockers, with people actively paying to avoid the industry’s output.

Be boring: Less rock star, more humility and listening.

Get out of the bubble: Leave East London, observe real life.

Re-engage with culture: Watch TV, listen to music without ad blockers.

AI isn't the enemy: It’ll help by automating the mundane, freeing creatives to be truly imaginative.

New talent advice: Stay close to the tools, and keep ideas grounded in lived experience.