The Authenticity Focus

With insights and case studies from ad land's greatest, we look at how the industry is increasingly striving to represent all voices and engage in more genuine reflections of culture.

Insight

True blood

Broadcast ads for period products were banned until 1972, and it wasn’t until 2017 that a commercial depicting red blood, rather than blue liquid, was aired on TV. AMV BBDO Chief Creative Officers, Nadja Lossgott and Nick Hulley, along with Margaux Revol, the agency's Strategy Partner, talked to shots about presenting gynaecological reality with their taboo-smashing Essity campaigns, Blood Normal and Wombstories.

Insight

The wings of a Dove; how a brand tackled toxic beauty

In a time when authenticity is more important than ever, Tim Cumming talks to the guiding lights behind Dove, the 'actionist' beauty brand whose Campaign for Real Beauty and Self Esteem programme has tackled the more toxic tactics of beauty advertising, reaching millions of women and girls along the way.

Insight

Social purpose: awkward bandwagon or the perfect fit for your brand?

Joe Wade, writer, campaigner and co-founder of creative agency Don't Panic, takes a forensic look at greenwashing, rainbow-washing and other dubious corporate laundry behaviours and ponders how companies can aim to be genuinely ethical.

Insight

Is global authenticity achievable?

Reaching global customers is as easy as clicking a button... or so they say. Lisette Huyskamp, Chief Marketing Officer at Productsup, discusses how brands can maintain authenticity across various channels around the world.

Insight

Why now is the time for collaborative authenticity

Filmmaker and YouTube star Dan Mace, and former Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT South Africa CCO, Conn Bertish, have combined to create All of Us, a company focused on creative collaboration and authenticity. Here, Mace explains why those concepts are so important in an age where a new generation has turned their backs on traditional advertising.

Insight

Keeping it real: the true voices of a generation

Jamie Mancini, creative director at Karmarama and Muhsin Mahmud, NCS Youth Rising podcast presenter, reveal the process behind the Mixtape ’22 project – an audiovisual mix tape featuring new music by young British artists sampling genuine words spoken by UK teenagers.

Insight

Why Gen Z is leaving brands on read

Distilling their insights report, Adolescent Content Jr Creative Strategists Sydney N. Sweeney and Jeremiah Jones explain why Gen Z consciously ignores brands that are guilty of greenwashing, exploitation and consumerism.

Insight

Authenticity in animation: four times brands nailed it

Sean Cooper, Animation Lead at Blind Pig, looks at examples of where craft and concept combined to find the values and stories in brands.

Insight

Authenticity by design; parting the sea of sameness

Brand New School founder Jonathan Notaro on why brands should use the creative brain power at their disposal to dare to be original, and how authentic design can only happen if you challenge the status quo.

Insight

Why the public hates the ads we love

If authenticity in advertising means being true to your brand, and to your consumers, then should the industry be more in tune with what those consumers actually like? The Moon Unit explores the disconnect between industry professionals - be they in advertising, movies or art - and the audiences they serve.

Inspiration

Playlist: Brock

As part of our Authenticity Focus this month we spoke to Agile Films director Brock about the future of the industry, director inspirations and an essential piece of technology...

Insight

Authenticity in music: Ain’t nothing like the real thing

Dann Liebermann, Head of Creative Partnerships at The Elements Music, examines how authenticity has become key when it comes to music's approach to brands - and brands' approach to music.

The Future Focus

What will tomorrow bring? Is creativity, or humanity, at risk from Artificial Intelligence? How will increasing eco-awareness impact consumerism? In a topsy-turvy world seeing fast-moving culture shifts, shots devotes two months to garnering insights from the soothsayers of ad-land on the shape of things to come.

The Short Films & Documentary Focus

shots looks at the synergies between condensed cinematic storytelling and advertising. We also delve into factual content and how brands – and charities – are increasingly leveraging the power of reality to connect with audiences.

The New Talent Focus

Who are the rookie directors/producers/creatives who’ve been waiting in the wings to level-up ad-land? Where do you find them, how can we nurture them, and what fresh ideas will they bring?

The Animation Focus

With toons on-trend during lockdown, now that live-action is back what is the state of the animation nation today? This focus draws on opinions and profiles of animation directors, producers and studios and looks at new trends and technologies in the medium.

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