By Sarah Firth, Strategy & Creative Director

As we slowly slide into the latter half part of the summer holidays, I thought now would be the perfect time to reflect on some of the biggest marketing signals of the summer so far.

From a Cannes Festival that was all about the creators, to a World Cup that was all about the fans, to a summer that saw a shift in consumer behaviour, we’ve got a few hot takes to see you through to the Autumn.

Creativity’s importance is back

Sir John Hegarty’s comment at Cannes this summer provided a timely reminder of what we should all be striving to achieve:

“Creativity is not a nice to have, it’s the whole point”.

Brands struggling to differentiate themselves in a world of automation still have that in their canon against commoditisation.  And in fact, it was this point that encapsulated one of the key trends from the Cannes Festival.

We’re reclaiming the intent from content.

Whereas the previous two years saw a swing towards the glorification of how much content AI helps us to produce, this year it felt like the conversation was more around quality and less around quantity. At some point this year, I read the phrase ‘consumers used to be spoilt for choice, now their spoilt by choice’ and this seemed to really ring true.

The cautious but confident consumer

Other trends reports highlighted an emerging consumer trend of confident but very intentional consumer spending, where big ticket necessities are budgeted for and the remaining income is apportioned across a variety of areas from holidays to beauty products to homewares but every penny accounted for. Being resourceful has become a status symbol with consumers actively seeking inspiration from influencers who help them stretch their budget. Consumers, again, wanting to spend, but spend more purposefully, are not acting on promises but acting on a combination of proof and emotional reassurance – which is where and why influencers do such a brilliant job for brands.

From search to sold

A new tech-driven path to purchase is interrupting the traditional linear model of buying. What this means for brands is that AI is potentially providing answers before brands are even getting a look in. The implication here is make sure your brand is as discoverable as possible by the LLM’s – in reviews and media articles, and on social and owned channels.

From consumers to fans

In my opinion, one of the most unexpected outcomes of the World Cup, was how front and centre fans were to the experience.  The moving scenes of the England team embracing and joining in with the fans singing Wonderwall to the Scottish fans winning the hearts and minds of Bostonians, this World Cup managed to pull off something that no one saw coming – a World Cup that was given back to the fans. And the marketing world was already taking note, with campaigns that seemed designed to turn consumers into fans, copying the same tactics that sport has been using for ages.

The rise of rewards

There’s a growing consumer desire to be ‘better’ and we are seeking out brands who will act as our allies on that journey. Brands who are helping consumers create culture, rather than merely being adjacent to culture are really reaping rewards in terms of impact. And those that are going one step further by actually involving consumers or placing them at the centre of the narrative, have seen huge engagement.

This could explain the rise of microdramas – like short stories but in film format, where consumers can directly engage to unlock the next chapter from a cliff hanging drama or even write the next chapter themselves. These little bursts of entertainment can be incredibly shoppable, but also reflect another trend of ‘treatanomics’, with people looking to regularly reward themselves throughout the day. Rewards can even be for things like reducing phone time to help create healthier habits.

Trust is now local

This comment from Richard Edelman, who also spoke at Cannes, was a brilliant take on how consumers are making their decisions.

“Trust is local: a known referral, a friend, a family, your neighbourhood, means something.”

Apparently 61% of people identify as insular consumers, and insular consumers rely much more heavily on earned media as trusted sources of information. This is again where influencers play a really strong role in helping brands take their global equity and make it more relevant at a local, community or subculture level.