1) This year many brands played outside of their comfort zones and shifted marketing focus from functional messaging, to putting brand purpose at the forefront. I feel 2017 was a year of truly relying on data to inform marketing and creative decisions. And, new media appeared, or at least new ways to tell stories across media channels from VR, to 360, to understanding how to best use short and long form online and on mobile and, we began to understand what’s possible with AI.
3) Bayer Aspirin “HeroSmiths” and “Prescribed to Death” for the National Safety Council. Often we work on briefs where the common goal is to sell more of something, but sometimes you have the opportunity to create something far more impactful that can truly make a difference in peoples’ lives. This year, in the case of both “HeroSmiths,” focused on heart attack prevention, and “Prescribed to Death,” an awareness and prevention campaign targeting the Opioid Crisis, we got to literally help save lives. These rare opportunities have an amazing impact on us as individuals and as an agency—knowing that we have the power to harness our craft for good by bringing together creativity, technology and wonderful clients to change the future for the better.
4) I think AI will keep growing, and with it a whole new world to tap into. Our access to, and ability to interpret, data improves almost daily—this will continue to inform work that is stronger and more precise. Content will continue to be king and with it, storytelling. Overall I think 2018 will be a year where brands focus on evocative storytelling and creating innovative consumer experiences.
5) From an agency standpoint, we need to keep gaining momentum as we aim to position ourselves among the top five best BBDO agencies in the global Network. We’re proud to be part of the most awarded agency network and we set a high bar for ourselves internally. The past two years we have achieved great things at Energy, we’re ready to tap into the next level. From a personal standpoint, I believe the focus needs to always be my family, who give me the energy to be better at everything.
