Glynnis Mapp, content director, OMD EMEA provides her perspective on what is dominating international media, what animal she would describe herself as and the role AI will play in the industry over the coming years.

What do you believe are the key trends and insights dominating international media right now?
Brands that have ignored the need to tailor traditional TVC advertising to the new important screen in consumer lives (i.e. tablets and mobile phones) as well as the value behind social-media listening and the data now rushing towards the digital door.

Some well-known and indie brands are doing it the right way and others are slowly, but surely trying to get there. It is a really exciting time in international media, but what separates the winners from the losers is the approach. Whether they are able to authentically (insert air quotes) ‘go digital’ is really the key. It is becoming harder for brands to impress people and agencies play a huge role in auditing and developing content that works with a brand’s existing identity and also the identity each respective brand is hoping to achieve on a case-by-case basis. This B2B kind of stewardship is more important than ever before.

A key trend dominating media at the moment is geo-location. Approaching current and potential customers in a meaningful way, meeting them where they live, quite literally, builds a connection between them and the brand. Trend-led insights are also helping brands forecast the kinds of content people will enjoy rather than being reactive.

What are the biggest challenges facing the industry?
Embracing the role that artificial intelligence (AI) will have, and is already having on consumer behaviour and advertising. Finding ways to make this experience relevant and organic is key so that interest in new campaigns and consumer trust is built upon not tampered with. It is also important that brands have the ability to properly monetise and activate new content across the tech required for the masses not just those who can afford expensive AI accessories (such as drones, smart mirrors and home personal assistants e.g. Amazon’s Alexa and any other versions of AI to come). Consumers are smarter than ever before and they know immediately when a brand is trying too hard. It is key to make sure that if a brand decides to invest and make the jump into new approaches that they are doing it right and taking advice from learned marketers, strategists and futurists to help make the approach a win and preserve ROI.

What does the industry look like in the next 12 months?
As mentioned before, AI will play a big role. I think, or I should say, hope the Instagram Stories API will expand and get better. Hopefully it will include features that will help content developers like myself and my team expand on offerings to clients: intuitive and engaging formats such as filters and e-commerce features help us give brands the ROI they look for. I also think that AI “helpers” (namely Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home) will play a bigger part in how their owners will consume branded content. The searches that help users complete whether it is lifestyle questions or purchase questions, will play a larger role in helping brands understand what their consumer’s needs are. It will also help selecting what their respective owners (their family in a sense) consume on a daily basis and what they want to know more about. This could possibly create a new sense of trust and a real (or more likely artificial) sense of selection and privacy for consumers that could be attractive in a world where our privacy is nearly non-existent. Ultimately social-listening insights will be synonymous with branded content.

What do you want to see from the shortlisted campaigns for this year’s M&M Global Awards?
Content that makes me wish I had created it myself. Smart work that not only helps the brand get what it wants out of a new or existing product launch, but also gives consumers something back as well. I will be looking for an empathetic understanding and intuitive approach to storytelling.

What do you think makes for a winning entry?
A blend of science and art. Using insights from social listening and e-commerce data and blending them with smart storytelling and empathetic messaging. It is this hybrid that creates content that is not just attention grabbing in a one-off situation, but recurrently effective.

What campaign or campaigns do you think have set the bar for international media in the last 12 months?
I really liked the Things That Rhyme With MailChimp There were so many activations and it was just a quirky, smart idea that drew attention instantly. I remember seeing these ads on the subway in New York and immediately wishing I had worked on them. Then I read up on other activations and the sheer creativity of this project literally made me smile from ear to ear.

This year the awards ceremony is moving to the Natural History Museum and as a result we are encouraging the industry to unleash the beast within them, if you had to choose one of the following which animal would best represent you?

•      Raptor– You identify an opportunity and are swift to act, agile enough to adapt to continual change and always able to sniff out and hunt down new opportunities.
•      Eagle– You have an uncanny ability to identify trends and insights before they happen, analyse data and act on it to generate business success.
•      Blue Whale– You like to think big and look at the bigger picture. You are thoughtful and think thoroughly before acting to ensure the right experience is delivered at the right time. Your broad shoulders and enthusiasm mean you are a rock for you team.
•      Lion– You are a born leader, leading by example and inspiring your teams through hard work, passion, enthusiasm and industry knowledge. You are not afraid to make the tough calls, but equally are happy to be guided by your team.

If it was possible I would be a hybrid version of a Raptor and an Eagle, perhaps a non-human centaur version of the two. Eagle head and Raptor body, I think. Very agile dinosaur legs combined with eagle wings and brain.

The last few tickets for the event, which is being held at the Natural History Museum this Thursday (7 Sept) are on sale now. M&M Global Awards will be the first event under the new Blue Whale structure in the vene.