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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.

Insight

Does AI mean all change?

Tim Cumming talks to a range of industry figures about how 'Artificial Intelligence' is impacting their work, their inspiration, their brands, their teams, and what it means for the future of advertising and human creativity itself.
Insight

Look the other way – the future of accessible aesthetics

From next-generation QR codes to elevated print photography; AI drawing tools to enhanced audio descriptions – Selena Schleh examines how advances in technology are empowering the blind and visually impaired community to create – as well as appreciate – art.
Talent

Tal Zagreba’s curious case of creativity

Having channelled his passion for ‘playing with cool stuff’ into an award-winning filmmaking career and a flourishing sideline in AI art, the UNIT9/USA director explains to Selena Schleh how he's looking for new ways to tell stories.

Insight

Apple Vision Pro’s new world view

Apple has entered the world of headsets with its Vision Pro, and while it’s only available in the US, its implications for advertising and entertainment is potentially game changing. Tim Cumming talks to early adopters and gives it a spin at Imagination’s London lab.
Talent

Thuan Tran: Keeping it real

m ss ng p eces director Thuan Tran has become a go-to for brands and artists seeking honest, culturally-relevant storytelling, while his creative community OnLunchBreak supports a new generation of talent. Here, he talks authentic human narratives, adapting to trends, and navigating the changing expectations of audiences.

Insight

Is deepfake truly changing VFX?

In conversation, Ambassadors' Head of Innovation, Diederik Veelo, and VFX Supervisor, Bas Moonen explore the question: is VFX being replaced by AI and deepfake technology or just evolving?

Insight

Relatability is the key to winning big in awards season

Singer-songwriter Raye won big at this year's BRIT Awards with songs about heartbreak, discrimination and distorted self-image. Not exactly upbeat topics, but definitely relatable ones. Dave Billing, ECD & Partner at Fold7 London, explains why relatability is where future successes could lay for advertising.
Insight

Virtual sanity

Will Sansom explains why a reality check is needed to unlock the true magic of VR for brands.
Insight

The future of representation in adland

Jannie McInnes Executive Producer at Scheme Engine, guides us through the current state of representation in adland and gives us insight into how director diversity, body inclusivity, and cultural equity are here to stay.
Insight

Navigating Tomorrow: The impact of digital innovation on advertising's future

Ahmad Benny, Founder of Bengu, journeys through the future of advertising, uncovering how digital innovation is paving the way for a more engaging, efficient, and exciting advertising ecosystem.

Talent

Ben Tallon: Cultivating creative optimism

Through his writing and interviews as host of The Creative Condition Podcast, multi-disciplinary artist Ben Tallon champions human creative expression and its power to make positive change. We caught up with him at OFFF Festival to talk craftsmanship, collaboration, and 'circles of competency'.
Insight

​If you build it, they will come: why VP stages are all the rage

Full, 360-degree virtual production stages are now popping up around the planet, promising a new world of in-camera shooting, virtual location capture, and an end to green screen. But what’s the reality behind the projection? Tim Cumming asks a range of industry insiders.
Insight

The future of entertainment: how Gen A is reshaping the landscape

As Whitney Houston rightly sang, children are our future, but what sort of future do their habits and preferences point towards? Ben Younie, Insights Director, Global Accounts at Beano Brain, examines the likes and dislikes of Generation Alpha, a new cohort of influential young consumers.

Insight

Towards a trusted future: how brands can navigate misinformation

As faith in news and social media falters, brands face new challenges in maintaining authenticity and trust. Matt Rebeiro, Executive Strategy Director at Iris, highlights the critical issue of misinformation fuelled by AI, and offers brands strategic tips to foster genuine connections in this uncharted digital territory.
Insight

Who will make the ads of the future... and will it even matter?

Comparing the glamorous adland of yesteryears with today’s ever-evolving landscape of AI, automation, ad-blockers and influencers, Christian Perrins, Head of Strategy, Waste Creative, wonders what kind of industry young people will inherit, and whether they will want to be a part of it.

Craft

How Greenpeace turned a flight simulator into an environmental scanner

shots speaks to AlmapBBDO CCO Marco Giannelli about how the innovative, crowd-sourced sky-scanning project came to fly.
Craft

straight 8 at 25: Boundary bending films

As part of the Future Focus, shots tasked straight 8 founder Ed Sayers to find five visionary entries that not only pushed the constraints of the comp, but blew him away in the process. Here are his thoughts on how each piece broke boundaries, as well as infomation on how to get involved.
Insight

The cultural compass: finding true north in a post-cookie landscape

Alex Cheeseman, Head of Enterprise Northern Europe, Outbrain, looks at how the demise of cookies is an opportunity for marketers to reboot their connections with consumers by leveraging culture.

Insight

Can authenticity shape the future of advertising?

Honor Society directors Cary & Jon share their strategies for giving audiences meaningful connections to the messages they consume.
Insight

GenAI vs storytelling: the final reckoning for advertising

While generative AI can – and does – help the advertising industry to stay on top of the dizzying array of asset production now required, Kate Ross, Co-Founder & Group MD at eight&four, believes that artificial assistance comes at the cost of emotional resonance.
Insight

The future of sports marketing moments

From superfans, to user generated content and a new wave of technological advances, Anthony Santa, Head of Sports & Entertainment at Diamond View, looks at the ways in which brands can push themselves over the creative finishing line as a summer of sport approaches.

Insight

Young Arrows: creativity on target

British Arrows board Chairman Simon Cooper, and Young Arrows 2024 Jury Co-Chairs Chris Watling and Helen Rhodes, talk to Tim Cumming about the challenges and opportunities for new talent in the third year of the Young Arrows event.
Insight

When capitalism ends, what happens to advertising?

When it comes to advertising, many people would say the most important 'c' involved is creativity. But what if it's not? What if capitalism holds the key to the future of the business? And what happens, asks The Moon Unit, if capitalism crumbles?
Insight

The future of adland’s workforce

Jon Williams, founder of Liberty Guild suggests how industry working is changing, and needs to keep on changing – with better use of freelancers, AI-powered briefs and the selling of ideas not hours.

Insight

The future of advertising is entertainment

Otis Bell, CEO of global production company OB42, explains how making content audiences want to watch is essential for ongoing engagement, and how building talent through different forms can only benefit the industry.
Insight

How new tech is nurturing the next generation of creatives

Jonathan Notaro, founder and CCO of LA agency Brand New School, explores how advancements in design collaboration tools are boosting the ability to mentor young talent in real time.
Insight

Don't underestimate the influence of influencers

While influencer marketing isn't new, its magnetic effect will have a sizeable impact on the future of advertising, says Ellie Hooper, Head of Client at The Goat Agency, especially if brands afford it the same level of respect as other channels.

Insight

Why brand-funded programming is the future of TV entertainment

With traditional TV advertising in a slump, the 'normal' way for brands to interact with television audiences is changing. Claire Prince, Head of Branded Entertainment at EssenceMediacom, says this creates an opportunity for brands to both support the TV industry and redefine their relationship with broadcasters.

Insight

Recycled advertising: good for the creative planet?

What if the future were actually the past? What if new, creative ideas were rebuilt from old, established campaigns? Well, as Freelance CD and Co-Founder of Behind the Billboard, Hugh Todd, explains, that future already exists, and has done for some time.

Insight

It’s the real-time thing: how Omniverse could revolutionise advertising

Since WPP and NVIDIA Omniverse joined forces to build an AI-enabled content engine for creating digital ads, there's been much commentary on the impact of real-time 3D design. Kicking off shots focus on The Future, Steve Barnes of Collective explores how this new tech is empowering agencies and clients by turbo-charging collaboration.
Insight

Get ahead of the game: Grand Theft Auto VI and the future of content creation

With its trailer alone amassing 184 million views, GTAVI is set to make a seismic impact in the gaming world and beyond. Delving into Rockstar Games' acquisition of immersive roleplaying realms, Seamus Masterson, ECD at Maverick Media, forecasts a shift towards in-game content creation, and offers advice for agencies keen to play in this digital space.
More From The Focus
The Photography & Cinematography Focus

The Photography & Cinematography Focus

In a cacophonous digital culture that bombards us with a stream of personal image-sharing and branded visuals, it can be hard for photography to stand out. This month, shots pulls focus on the DPs and photographers whose work sets the optic nerves a-tingle and considers the input of non-human image generators.

The Inspiration Focus

The Inspiration Focus

What are the cultural artefacts, random objects, rituals and synaptic sparks that generate fresh ideas? We talk to some of ad land’s most innovative thinkers about creative inspiration. What it is, where they find it and do the AI bots have it too...
The YDA 2024 Focus

The YDA 2024 Focus

The rising stars who won Golds in this year’s Young Director Award share with shots the origins and ideas and behind their films, the production highs and lows and what they’re planning next.

The Music and Sound Focus

The Music and Sound Focus

With sometimes just seconds to tell a story and set tone, the aurals – as well as the visuals – need to be spot on in ads. This month we sound out the musical maestros and foley funsters worth listening out for.

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