THEME OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY

AI ADS ARE GOOD ENOUGH — AND THAT’S THE PROBLEM

Testing 20 ads with 3,000 U.S. consumers, Ipsos found that AI-generated spots were often credible enough to blend into real media environments but still lagged human-created work on emotional engagement and business outcomes. The study controlled for strategy by reverse-engineering original briefs and producing fully AI-made counterparts, isolating creative execution as the key variable. For brands and agencies, the takeaway is clear: AI can improve production efficiency, but "good enough" creative may weaken the audience connection that drives effectiveness.

AN IMMERSIVE CANAL+ BRAND SOLUTIONS COLLABORATION FOR SKIN-CARE BRANDS WITH SENSITIVE STORIES TO TELL

CANAL+ BRAND SOLUTIONS and its in-house studio LA FACTORY created “Marquer l’Invisible” for Avène, linking Cicalfate+ to a documentary-style story about scars, tattooing, repair and protection without turning the content into a product demonstration. The activation combined production, premium CANAL+ app placement, a 20-second STREAM+ pre-roll teaser, and social distribution through Clique, giving advertisers a clear example of integrated branded content execution. Rolled out from 6 April 2026 and targeting women aged 25–54, the campaign shows how co-constructing the story, media setting and brand role from the outset can strengthen authenticity, cultural relevance and audience fit.

A TEST OF THE STRENGTH OF CZECH BRANDS: HOW DO THEY FAREWELL WITHOUT A NAME OR LOGO?

Research by ResSolution Group and Media Age found that none of six tested Czech brands achieved more than 50% recognition when logos, names and distinctive symbols were removed, with Pilsner Urquell leading at 45% and Škoda Auto at 39%. The findings suggest that minimalist brand executions can weaken recall and increase competitor confusion, as seen in bottled water where Mattoni was mistaken for a rival by 12% of respondents, matching its correct identification rate. Recognition was generally stronger among respondents under 35, while category relevance influenced results in insurance and gender differences were evident for Pilsner Urquell and Škoda Auto.

FIVE MARKETING TRUTHS: RITSON AND SHARP REACHED A CONSENSUS IN CANNES

At Cannes Lions, Mark Ritson and Byron Sharp made a rare joint appearance to test where two of marketing’s most cited voices could agree, despite a long-standing reputation for public disagreement. They found common ground on mental availability as a core brand task, arguing that marketers must focus less on what a brand means and more on the situations, needs and stimuli that trigger recall at the point of purchase. They also aligned on distinctive brand elements as practical tools for recognition, with a clear warning that internal brand fatigue can push teams to weaken assets consumers still rely on. On mass marketing, both framed the opportunity as a revival of sophisticated reach: building brands by covering the full relevant market while adapting execution to real-world differences.

COMMUNICATION SUMMIT: ADVERTISING IS THREATENED BY CREATIVE LAZINESS; WE MUST NOT GIVE UP ON THINKING

Speakers at the Communication Summit warned that while generative AI can accelerate content production, overreliance risks uniform output, weaker critical thinking, and reduced standout value in attention-driven markets. Petra Jankovičová and Radana Čechová argued that AI should support the seven-step creative process rather than replace human responsibility for ideas, stressing that creation and creativity are not the same. WPP Media’s Boňa Samojlova and Marek Bačo added that marketers’ heavy AI use increases the risk of cognitive offloading and even "cognitive surrender," where AI becomes an autopilot instead of a helper. The business takeaway was clear: AI remains a powerful tool only when paired with human judgement, independent thinking, and a strong understanding of people’s motivations and emotions.

M6 UNLIMITED TESTS AI SPOT CREATION FOR SMALLER TV AND STREAMING ADVERTISERS

M6 Unlimited is testing a simpler route into TV and streaming for SMEs and new advertisers by combining lower entry budgets, a future ad manager, and support across strategy, creative production, and measurement. In a proof of concept with Waymark, it used INGA’s existing brand assets to create an AI-generated TV-ready spot, positioning ad sales teams earlier in the creative process for advertisers that do not arrive with finished video. Before any media plan was built, Toluna Insights pre-tested the ad and placed it in the top 20% for attention, brand recall, message recall, brand association, brand fit, and brand action, while also identifying weaker emotional resonance as a clear optimisation point. The case shows how AI-assisted production and testing can lower creative barriers for smaller advertisers while giving sales houses evidence to refine campaigns before wider rollout.

STUDY: AI LABELING DOES NOT HURT VIDEO AD PERFORMANCE

MediaScience found that labeling a video ad as AI-generated did not reduce performance across brand choice, ad memory, brand recognition, brand attitude, ad liking, or perceived production quality in tests with 900 U.S. respondents. The study evaluated four disclosure formats aligned with proposals under review in the U.S. and EU, as New York’s AI Transparency in Advertising law takes effect in June 2026 and the EU AI Act adds binding disclosure obligations in August 2026. Text labels increased awareness that content was AI-generated, with a first-three-seconds label lifting awareness by 28% and a full-duration label by 36%, while a visual icon was preferred by 42% of respondents but proved least effective at raising awareness.

THE TV ADVERTISING PARADOX, A THINKTV NEW ZEALAND CASE STUDY (2/2)

ThinkTV New Zealand built its campaign around the contradiction that linear TV was being called obsolete while still delivering scale, attention, and brand outcomes, using evidence-led messaging aimed primarily at CMOs and CFOs rather than broadcasters speaking for themselves. The centerpiece was an 80-page standalone edition of NZ Marketing magazine, with 4,000 copies distributed to marketers, agencies, and key decision-makers, supported by eight weeks of out-of-home, four months of TV, and a dedicated website. The campaign’s core visual distilled the issue into a single question: TV reach is stable, so why is investment falling? LinkedIn then amplified the debate, with marketers publicly challenging agency recommendations and growing reliance on YouTube.

CONSUMERS DON’T HATE AI ADS – THEY HATE BAD ADS

There’s a story I keep reading in the trades, and I want to analyze it because I don’t think it’s fully accurate. It’s the story about how consumers hate AI-generated ads. I don’t think consumers hate AI-generated ads.  I think consumers hate bad ads generated by AI, and the industry is too focused on using… Continue reading THEME OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY

CANNES LIONS: A RECORD NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT AGENCIES JOINED THE JURY

Cannes Lions has announced the jury for this year’s festival. The jury will select world-class creative work, which will then be judged, awarded and celebrated during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place from 22 to 26 June 2026. This year’s global line-up brings together a diverse group of experts representing the full… Continue reading THEME OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY

ADC CZECH AWARDS: GRAND PRIX FOR KITKAT PHONE BREAK CAMPAIGN

The Grand Prix at this year’s ADC Czech Creative Awards  went to the “KitKat Phone Break” campaign by VML Prague. The winners of this year’s 33rd ADC Czech Creative Awards have been announced. A total of 76 prizes were awarded. The Grand Prix was awarded to the “KitKat Phone Break”campaign by VML Prague. The Czech… Continue reading THEME OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY

THE PROBLEM WITH MUCH AI-POWERED ADVERTISING IS THAT IT’S MEANINGLESS

Audiences aren’t tired of advertising. They’re tired of low-value, repetitive, over-personalized noise that constantly demands something from them – and AI is turning up the volume. Have you noticed how marketers have become masters of avoidance when talking about ad performance? When ad ROI is poor, we blame ‘ad fatigue.’ We call it a media… Continue reading THEME OF THE MONTH: CREATIVITY