-
1 week ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
We’re doing the Cannes can this week, and one theme is dominating the Croisette: emotion wins. Industry leaders are already predicting that the most impactful campaigns this year won’t be the loudest or most technologically dazzling: they’ll be the most emotionally resonant. That’s because, in a world teeming with content, it’s not the cleverest message that cuts through – it’s the one that makes you feel something.
-
2 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
The GenAI gold rush is on. With the flick of a switch, brands now have the power to generate a tsunami of content – first drafts, ad copy, product descriptions and SEO metadata – all in seconds. The promise of unprecedented speed and scale is intoxicating. But as this wave of AI-generated content floods every channel, a critical question emerges from the noise: Is anyone actually feeling anything?
-
2 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
From the Fifa Club World Cup to the Uefa Women’s European Championships, Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Tour de France, Summer 2025 will be packed with unmissable sporting moments from across the world. And with each nail-biting finish, record-breaking sprint, tearful medal ceremony or underdog victory, the power of sport as a cultural connector – and marketing vehicle – grows. These sporting moments are more than just athletic achievements: they’re shared global experiences.
-
2 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
In a landscape defined by crumbling trust in institutions and business, geopolitical uncertainty, economic fragility, AI transformation, and fast-changing stakeholder expectations, corporate reputation is no longer a byproduct of business – it’s the bedrock of business success. And so, CMOs are no longer just brand builders: they’re essential strategic allies for CEOs navigating this new world defined by disruption.
-
2 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
The GenAI gold rush is on. With the flick of a switch, brands now have the power to generate a tsunami of content – first drafts, ad copy, product descriptions and SEO metadata – all in seconds. The promise of unprecedented speed and scale is intoxicating. But as this wave of AI-generated content floods every channel, a critical question emerges from the noise: Is anyone actually feeling anything?
-
3 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
Identity-based ads are losing their grip. Outdated tech and irrelevant targeting are driving users to ad blockers – and away from brands that just don’t get it. Little wonder that 66% of UK and US consumers say most digital ads they’re exposed to aren’t relevant to them. As signal loss continues to proliferate, and behavioral targeting fails to keep up with fast-changing consumers, advertisers are presented with a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine how they operate and do things better.
-
4 weeks ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
In a marketing world captivated by shiny new AI tools, hyper-targeting, and real-time personalization, it’s easy to assume that creative innovation must be digital to be effective. But amid all the tech and tools talk, simple solutions – grounded in timeless, behavioral insight – are also driving the most meaningful shifts in brand engagement. And when it comes to retail, these are often off-the-shelf marketing truths. Retail has always been a battleground for visibility. The most valuable space?
-
1 month ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
Advertisers are grappling with a perfect storm: AI is rewriting the rules of engagement, while signal loss from privacy shifts erodes targeting precision. Add to that the fragmentation of consumer behavior and the transformation of search into an intent-rich battleground, and the path to performance has never been more complex or more competitive. For brands, it’s time to adapt or fade away.
-
1 month ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
Retail media is booming – but it’s also fragmenting fast. As more retailers launch media networks and brands funnel budgets into on-site, off-site and in-store activations, the landscape is getting crowded and complex. The opportunity is huge but making sense of it all can feel even bigger. Take a load off for five and check out our straight-talking answers to retail media’s biggest questions: Want to go deeper? Ask The Drum 1.
-
1 month ago | 
thedrum.com | Maria Greaves
Brand managers are working overtime to feed an ever-growing content machine, and its appetite shows no signs of slowing down. At the same time, they’re trying to engage increasingly fragmented audiences across a growing number of channels, while always demonstrating clear return-on-investment (ROI). Little wonder that they’re under growing pressure to unpack the magic of creativity using clear, data-driven logic.
