What trends, developments or issues would you point to thus far in 2023 as being most significant, perhaps carrying implications for the rest of this year and beyond?
The rise of AI has been the catalyst for so many conversations around what creativity and ownership means. It is definitely going to have a lasting impact beyond 2023, and I’m excited (and scared!) to see how that technology develops. I see it changing the way we operate in a similar way to how search engines and the rise of web 2.0 changed the way we work, but we have to be careful to not act too fast and implement AI in irresponsible ways or shoehorn it in just because it’s trendy now. I think it’s here to stay, and we need to embrace it thoughtfully.
What’s the biggest takeaway or lessons learned from work (please identify the project) that you were involved in this year? Or if you prefer, what’s the biggest takeaway or lessons learned from work you were involved in that won, was or is in the running for current awards season consideration (i.e., Emmys, Cannes Lions, AICP Awards, etc.)
Our M&M’S campaigns were a huge learning experience. I learned that you can’t ever anticipate just how much of a cultural impact your work will have. It was really wild for news outlets and political pundits to speak about the changes the characters were going through and for there to be such a strong consumer reaction to the Spokescandies being put on pause (even temporarily). It was a big reminder that people really care a lot about these characters and there is always someone out there being impacted by the work we produce, even–or especially–the more lighthearted, comedic pieces.
Have you been involved or experimented with AI, AR or other emerging disciplines or new technologies? If so, relative to experimental or actual projects, briefly tell us about the work and what you’ve taken away from the experience. If the work is complete and you’d like to share a link to it, please include.
We just released a Snapchat AR Lens for BACARDÍ that tracks your movements and adjusts the speed of the song based on how quickly you dance. The song was a custom track from a series of songs we commissioned for BACARDÍ to use in perpetuity, and which were released as an album, Do What Moves You, on streaming platforms in May. The composer created special track versions to enable Snapchat’s technology to move between tempos seamlessly as the user’s speed changed. This was the debut of one of those songs in-market.
https://open.spotify.com/album/4zELXfmmeKMdTsnW118mEr?si=X7n_YF9RTEubwQ7mD30N0w
Have any societal issues–including DEI, recent Supreme Court decisions and/or recent backlash against advertisers like Target (for Pride merchandise) and Bud Light (for marketing featuring a transgender influencer)–impacted the way you do business, company policies and/or selection of projects/creative content?
We have to be really intentional and meaningful in the way we support and communicate with marginalized communities. We will always advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and encourage our clients to invest in projects that support and lift up marginalized voices in front of and behind the camera.
What work (advertising, entertainment, documentary, etc.)–your own or others–struck a responsive chord with you so far this year and why?
I’ve been blown away by the Barbie movie campaign. I don’t think I’ve ever been hit on so many platforms at once (even while shopping for home goods), or seen marketing efforts trickle down to almost every person I know on social media, to the point that my peers have almost forgotten that Barbie is a product and have instead fully embraced Barbie as a character and cultural icon. I think it speaks to the fact that most of us needed some levity this year.
While gazing into the crystal ball is a tricky proposition, we nonetheless ask you for any forecast you have relative to content creation and/or the creative and/or business climate for the second half of 2023 and beyond. (250 words max)
I’m interested to see how brands and platforms innovate with short-form, digital, music-forward content. We had a great TikTok halftime series for FedEx earlier this year. I hope we see more opportunities for artists to partner with brands in unique ways that are true to the platform their fans follow them on and help bring in new users who may not have discovered them before.
