"A lukewarm snog" might be how one Campaign journalist describes 2024, but how would you?

In the final episode of the year for The Campaign Podcast, the editorial team gathers one last time to recap the year and answer a very important, hard-hitting question: would you snog, marry or avoid 2024?

From the Post Office scandal and dartsman Luke Littler, to the Jaguar rebrand and a year of elections, a lot has happened in the past 12 months both inside and outside adland's walls.

Features editor Matt Barker tells us of his appreciation for (non-Saltburn) Barry Keoghan in Adidas' "You can't beat original" by Homeground. Premium content editor Nicola Merrifield recounts the year's most controversial moments including the banning of a Calvin Klein ad featuring FKA Twigs. Deputy editor Gemma Charles gets ready to sell her soul to Cadbury's and AI while editor Maisie McCabe remembers the brilliance of Channel 4's "Considering what?" campaign for the Paris Paralympics.

This episode was hosted by tech editor Lucy Shelley.

Further reading:

• The Lists 2024: Top 20 film ads
• The Lists 2024: Top five advertisers
• The Lists 2024: Top 10 campaigns
• The Lists 2024: Top five people moves
• The Lists 2024: Top 10 brands
• The Lists 2024: Top 10 commercial chiefs
• The Lists 2024: Top 10 mishaps
• The Lists 2024: Top 20 creative leaders
• The Lists 2024: Top four digital innovations

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Maisie McCabe, editor of Campaign UK and David Droga, founder of Droga5 and chief executive of Accenture Song, sat together on stage at Ciclope last month to discuss creativity, the evolving landscape of advertising and how to build meaningful connections between brands and audiences in the digital age.

"Creative to the bone," said Droga describing himself and how he feels holding a CEO role. He explained how the job of an advertising creative is to "do more" with the briefs they are given, creating transformative work.

In the 50-minute chat they discuss why Droga took the "stupid job" as chief executive being a creative, how adland should let AI be a part of what we do and who inspires him today.

Further reading:

• 'Creative people make the world worth living in': David Droga on advertising's future
• Expanding in-house production won't rescue ad agencies' drowning business models
• Droga5 appoints Mark Green as global CEO and adds The Monkeys to network
• David Droga on moving from being a creative in business to building a business on creativity

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2024 had big expectations when it came to artificial intelligence, but did the year live up to the hype... was it a year of "AI in action" as the IAB predicted or AI inaction?

Campaign's editorial team gathers in the studio in an episode hosted by Maisie McCabe, UK editor, while tech editor Lucy Shelley (and usual host) swaps over to be in the hot seat.

Also joined by features editor Matt Barker and deputy media editor Shauna Lewis, the four discuss the highs and lows of AI this year, including Coca-Cola's Christmas ad made by AI, which was Campaign's Turkey of the Week. They compare it to Vodafone's AI Christmas ad and recount other controversial AI moments from the year including Publicis' AI BS Bot and Under Armour's AI ad with Anthony Joshua.

The team discuss how AI has shaped the adland this year – Lewis reveals insights from her interview with Johnny Hornby, founder and chief executive at T&Pm, after it was fully acquired by WPP last month. He cited AI as a main driver for the sale.

Further reading:

Will the Coca-Cola ad deter brands from using AI in film?

Will media buyers be the first victims of AI?

Media buying among 'first areas to go' with rise of AI, says MediaMonks co-founder

Is 2024 a vintage year for Christmas ads?

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During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Channel 4 set themselves the target of subtitling all the ads during the channel's coverage, beginning at a current level of 25%. After a huge effort, the broadcaster managed to achieve 60%.

In this episode, Channel 4's customer and commercial leader Amy Jenkins discusses how brands can do more to make ads accessible, the positive business impact this has and what, or who, is getting in the way.

Campaign's tech editor Lucy Shelley hosts the episode with media editor Beau Jackson and editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier.

Jackson brings insight from her contacts in the industry on the resistance within adland and if technology like AI can provide a solution. She discusses judging Channel 4's Diversity in Advertising Award and credits the organisations that are attempting to make positive change for accessible ads.

Further reading:

It’s time for adland to make alt text a first thought, not an afterthought

Apple tugs at ‘heartstrings’ through latest spot promoting AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids

RNIB 'hijacks' LadBible platforms to highlight experiences of blind people

Why agencies face tougher challenges to retain their All In Champion crowns

Is inclusive marketing a key driver for effectiveness? The results are in…

Beyond the screen: why real-world accessibility for disabled people still falls short

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In this bonus episode, Charlotte Rawlings, senior creativity reporter at Campaign, is joined by Maisie McCabe, Campaign’s UK editor, to discuss this year’s Christmas ads with some of the industry’s top creatives.

This Private View includes Chaka Sobhani, president and chief creative officer international at DDB Worldwide, and David Kolbusz, chief creative officer at Orchard. They chat all things festive alongside Richard Brim, outgoing chief creative officer at Adam & Eve/DDB. Brim recorded the podcast before announcing his departure from Adam & Eve/DDB.

The gang discuss Christmas spots for the likes of The Entertainer, McDonald’s, Tesco and Etsy. The guests even discuss Agent Provacteur's shameless time travel to the era of “lad mag” culture (not suitable for work) and Kolbusz compares the Disney short to a salmon sandwich. 

Further reading:

• Disney Christmas ad by Adam & Eve/DDB shows friendship between boy and octopus
• The Entertainer Christmas ad showcases fickle nature of kids with toys
• Gingerbread-fuelled Tesco ad touches on grief during the festive period
• McDonald’s lights up festive season with ‘satisfying’ Christmas campaign
• Find Waldo in Etsy’s holiday campaign
• Waitrose & Partners campaign conjures up star-studded festive mystery
• Christmas 2024 round-up: Watch all the festive ads

Coming up in Campaign's calendar:

• Media Week Live
• Campaign 40 Over 40

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DING, DING, DING! Adland's agencies have entered the ring.

In this episode, Campaign's editors of creativity, media and tech battle it out to determine which discipline should be the lead agency for clients.

The team discuss how client relationships have changed over the years, how different budgets might change which discipline would lead and whether there should be a lead agency at all.

Taking up the fight for creative agencies is Alessandra Scotto di Santolo, creativity and culture editor. For media, its media editor Beau Jackson and for social and digital agencies, it's the podcast's host and Campaign tech editor Lucy Shelley. Maisie McCabe, UK editor at Campaign also joins the argument for a perspective on the differing client relationships between creative and media agencies.

Further reading:

Energy Networks Association consolidates creative and media accounts into WPP

What are the benefits to appointing media and creative agencies at the same time?

Santander reviews global creative and media accounts

Asda launches review of creative and media accounts

Pitch Update: Sky, Asda, Pets At Home, Interflora, Motorway, RM Williams and more

Coming up in Campaign's calendar:

Media Week Live

Campaign 40 Over 40

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Campaign’s editorial team take to the studio clad in Christmas jumpers and novelty antlers to chat about this year’s crop of festive ads. 

A wave of ads have dropped over the last few weeks, including the likes of John Lewis, Waitrose, McDonald’s, M&S, Coca-Cola, Amazon, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

In this episode, the team discusses some standout work as well as other spots that didn’t quite hit the mark. Guests also debate whether John Lewis still holds the yard stick when it comes to quality Christmas ads, argue the value of revisiting old strategies and praise the power of music.

Campaign's tech editor Lucy Shelley is joined by Maisie McCabe, UK editor, Alessandra Scotto di Santolo, creativity and culture editor, and Charlotte Rawlings, senior creativity reporter.

Further reading:

• ‘Wonderful nostalgia’, ‘little annoyances’, ‘brilliantly chosen track’: creatives react to John Lewis Christmas ad
• John Lewis Christmas ad depicts 'magical journey of memories' between sisters
• Waitrose & Partners campaign conjures up star-studded festive mystery
• McDonald’s lights up festive season with ‘satisfying’ Christmas campaign
• Sainsbury’s and the BFG serve up a 'phizz-whizzing' Christmas feast
• Gingerbread-fuelled Tesco ad touches on grief during the festive period
• Coca-Cola unveils ‘Holidays are coming’ ad made by AI
• Amazon's Christmas campaign puts theatre caretaker's talent centre stage
• M&S Food's Sharry Cramond hails consistency as Dawn French's festive fairy returns
• M&S Clothing & Home ad imagines Christmas inside a snow globe
• Find Waldo in Etsy’s holiday campaign

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The jury is out and the 2024 awards season is drawing to a close – with adland celebrating the best work of the year at the Campaigns Big Awards 2024 last week.

In this episode, tech editor Lucy Shelley catches up with co-chairs of judges Charlene Chandrasekaran, executive creative director at TheOr, and Nicholas Hulley, chief creative officer at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. Alongside Campaign's UK editor Maisie McCabe, they dissect what happened on the judging days and what makes award-winning work in 2024.

Chandrasekaran explains her sausage analogy mentioned in her speech on the night while the duo reveal what they'd like to see in next year's awards circuit including how brands and agencies need to "stick their necks out" and have a bit more "teeth".

Later on the episode, Shelley chats with the big winner of the night Mother, which picked up the grand prix Agency of the Year award as well as five more gongs for its work with Uber One, KFC and Ikea. Katie Mackay-Sinclair, partner at the creative shop, discusses Mother's winning ingredients, why long-term partnerships make the difference and finding the space to take risks.

Other big winners on the night included McCann, Saatchi & Saatchi, Adam & Eve/DDB and PepsiCo's Sips & Bites.

Further reading:

Campaign Big Awards 2024: winners revealed

Uber's and Mother’s partnership demonstrates the value of being annoying

Uber taps Robert De Niro and Asa Butterfield for Uber One spot

KFC and Mother tap into modern anxieties for first phase of brand relaunch

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Campaign's editorial team gather in the studio to question how to launch a successful ad agency.

This year we have seen exciting start ups include Uncharted founded by the female trio (Fern Miller, Hattie Matthews and Laura Jordan Bambach) and Publicis Groupe launching LeShop with 80 staff working across 20 brands. However, in the last five years, data from Avid Panda suggests that 42.5% of new marketing companies have closed and advertising agencies are the hardest to run, with a business mortality rate of 43.9%.

In this episode, the team discusses what happens after an agency is launched, how do you scale and is a sell a measure of success, with comments from James Murphy, founder and chief executive of New Commercial Arts, which he recently sold to WPP, after selling his previous shop Adam & Eve to DDB in 2012.

Hosted by Campaign's tech editor Lucy Shelley, she is joined by editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier, deputy editor Gemma Charles and features editor Matt Barker.

Further reading:

What makes an agency brand?

Croud sells majority stake to boost M&A ‘war chest’ in £180m-plus deal

Would an agency by any other name taste as sweet?

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As Black History Month draws to a close, Campaign's editorial team is questioning has adland lost its commitment to DEI, and if so, why?

After George Floyd's death in 2020, the advertising industry saw a flurry of activity and investment. In this episode, Campaign's tech editor Lucy Shelley is joined by deputy editor Gemma Charles to take a look at what adland has done in the four years since. They are joined by special guests Asad Dhunna, founder and chief executive of The Unmistakables, and Sonia Gilchrist, senior business director and head of DE&I at VCCP.

They discuss why the agency world isn't set up for diverse talent, Heinz' errors in advertising and how adland can recapture the spirit of 2020.

Further reading:

Following the Heinz rows, how should brands respond to accusations of racism?

Heinz faces backlash over negative stereotypes in ad

How to fix the deprioritisation of DE&I

The deprioritisation of DE&I in adland: ‘You talk about race and you see people glaze over’

School Reports 2024: One step forward, two steps back for diversity

Adland has BAME talent

Four years on, adland's diverse talent speaks out on challenges, change and next steps

Chloë Davies officially launches It Takes A Village Collective

Up next in the Campaign calendar:

Campaign Big Awards (5 November)

Campaign In-Housing Summit (5 November)

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A Campaign feature revealed the proportion of people experiencing or witnessing bullying and harassment in adland has increased from 34% in 2023 to 47% this year.

This episode speaks to Lorraine Jennings-Creed, director of wellbeing services and culture change at Nabs, who delves into the issue, digging up why the ad industry has a problem and if it might be getting worse. She talks about how power dynamics in the industry intensify issues of bullying and harassment and what impact this has on businesses and people in adland.

Hosted by Campaign's tech editor Lucy Shelley, Jennings-Creed is joined in the studio by Campaign's UK editor Maisie McCabe and culture and creativity editor Alessandra Scotto di Santolo.

They discuss instances that occurred at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this year and what role event organisers should play, including a conversation with Dagmar Bennet, new business and brand partnerships director for Brixton Finishing School, who came forward after experiencing harassment this year. She discusses how the industry has reacted to her openness four months on.

Nabs is a support charity for people in advertising and media, and has been around for over 100 years.

If anyone has experienced bullying or harassment or is in need of support, please call Nabs advice line on 0800 707 6607.

Further reading:

Nabs launches training for managers in mental wellness

Never mind 'wellness', it's time to properly focus on mental health

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