The Definition of ‘Showing Up’ is Changing

The strength of a brand will be defined by the quality of its data, the clarity of its identity, and its ability to deliver value within AI-driven interactions. Visibility will still matter, but it will not be enough, says Mohammed Alkhotani, SVP & GM, Salesforce.

DOOH adoption is accelerating, with 68% of planners increasing usage and 61% planning higher investment, yet 58% still cite measurement as the biggest barrier to scaling spend.

Smart packaging is making a strong comeback, with QR codes and NFC technology enabling brands to embed gamified experiences that drive deeper customer engagement, unlock valuable insights, and showcase new products in more interactive ways.

Industry leaders from retail, hospitality, and travel explored how brands can stay relevant, leverage data, and meet customers across channels to drive sustainable growth.

As AI shifts digital interfaces from static pages to live conversations, Nic Baird and Kevin Baragona reveal that advertisers and publishers who align ads with real-time user intent will define the next revenue engine of the internet.

Norman Nielsen talks about the evolving relationship between paid and organic growth, the power of localisation in ASO and CRM, and how AI-driven segmentation is unlocking the next phase of personalisation.

Recent data shows that AI agent activity has reached 88% of human organic search, signalling a major shift in how brands are discovered and evaluated online.

Marketing with a “monk’s mindset” is not about detachment from results, but about discipline in thinking and clarity in intent. As Anand Sankara Narayanan, CMO, Finance House, puts it, the work deserves your everything. The outcome deserves your objectivity.

Andrey Dorosh explains how brands can balance direct-to-consumer growth with retail partnerships, differentiate across channels, and prioritise retention to drive long-term profitability and customer value.

For years, performance marketing distanced itself from brand and creative disciplines, positioning itself as a numbers game - analytical, precise, objective. But as automation takes more of the targeting, bidding and placement decisions, creative becomes one of the few levers marketers still directly control, says Paul Morris.