Social media juggernauts (including Meta), creative and innovation agencies (like US-headquartered R/GA) and gaming giants (Finnish developer Rovio) discussed their artificial intelligence (AI) roadmaps. Key themes included multimodal and integrated interfaces (audio, visual and sound); hyperrealistic avatars for remote communications; intimacy within brand experiences; and overcoming AI’s ‘yes man’ modus operandi.

In-game marketing/brand activations was another hot topic. Speakers unpacked need-to-know cohorts including legions of casual players who don’t self-identify as gamers, while others detailed engaging this uncommonly brand-receptive audience (gamers are 1.4x more likely to buy an item based on an ad than non-gamers – Activision, 2024) – from rewards for viewing ads, to sating ageing “post-‘path to pro’” players.

Mexican beer brand Corona, PepsiCo, Swedish oat milk brand Oatly, and British model, writer and trans activist Munroe Bergdorf discussed recalibrating purpose-driven brand marketing for audiences overwhelmed by suspicions of greenwashing (see Key Stats), and fatigued by ‘one and done’ strategies (fleeting commitment to causes). Focuses included anti-marketing honest marketing, civic commerce, promoting interconnectedness and “parity sponsorships”.

Speakers from the music, fashion and museum sectors discussed engaging young people – from Gen Alpha and the tricky tweens stage, to Africa’s place at the epicentre of global youth culture. Insights via women from music talent agency UTA, British Vogue and the UK’s V&A museum straddled delivering for the African diaspora, to the experiences kids really want.