Here’s what hit us hardest:

1. Production in the Age of AI
AI is improving fast, but can it do real? Not yet is the short answer. The fundamentals of great creative still matter. As Gabriella Neudecker from EasyJet said: “too many AI case studies focus on the feat, not the impact”. AI doesn’t (yet) deliver on the feeling of real or authentic, but it does deliver on the scale and breadth needed when budgets are tight.

2. Zag or Bust - The Dangers of Playing It Safe in Advertising in the AI age
Will Lion of BBH and Tony Moore of Audi came in swinging. AI’s great at average, but average doesn’t move people. The slop tsunami of content is on the way, and being bold, human and unexpected is where the opportunity is. AI is really good at autocomplete, but we should be looking to become the masters of meaning, not the mean when using it.

If you're not zagging, you’re invisible.

3. Content Isn’t for Humans Anymore
A punchy debate: are we still making content for humans… or are we already creating for the machines? Spoiler: both. Think brand vs search, emotion vs logic. We’re not choosing sides, aim to master both.

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MAD//FEST 2025: Where AI Gets Real

This year’s MAD//FEST delivered sharp, standout thinking, the kind that cuts through the noise and reminds us why originality still wins.