As another Advertising Week Europe comes to a close, we take a look at the key takeaways & trends that emerged from the week.

1. MEC AWEUROPE 2016@
KEY TAKEAWAYS & TRENDS

2. AdvertisingWeek Europe 2016 hosted over 400
events and seminars, featuring more than 735
speakers and 28,450 attendees, including at least
480 members of the press.
These statistics make AWE among the largest
annual gatherings of thought leaders and game
changes across marketing, media, advertising,
creative, technology and entertainment.
The busy, buzzing event took place from April 18-
22 at Picturehouse Central, London.
ADVERTISINGWEEK EUROPE

3. MEC was the presenting sponsor of theTalent
Track, designed to elevate conversation around
talent innovation and engagement.
As part of the day-long program Marie-Claire
Barker, our Global ChiefTalent Officer, moderated
a session on creative leadership with UppingYour
Elvis and one with Populist on how to grow your
talent using unusual partners.
TheTalentTrack spotlighted some of the topics
that MEC put forth to drive the change in talent
management:Authenticity, creativity, diversity
and volunteerism.
“As a leader you must hone your listening skills and
stop asking questions. Let people talk.”
- Marie-Claire Barker
MECTALENTTRACK

4. We didn’t just talk about talent, we invested in it.
We hired 12 apprentices on the spot with
#MECLiveHire.
#MECLiveHire involved a series of 15-minute
speed interviews on the ground at Advertising
Week Europe. Successful candidates were
informed on the day and invited to celebratory
evening drinks ahead of joining MEC as an
EvolutionApprentice on May 3rd.
The #MECLiveHire drive formed part of MEC’s
partnership with AdvertisingWeek Europe to
change the face of talent management in the
industry, taking an innovative approach to
recruiting entry-level talent in real-time.
#MECLIVEHIRE

5. MAKINGWAVES
Matt Davies, Joint UK Managing Director of MEC
Wavemaker, our newly launched content offer,
took the stage with the East LondonGrime MC
artist Ghetts.
Ghetts and Davies discussed how Ghetts finds
creative inspiration for his storytelling from the
environment and culture around him and the
lessons that this could have for brands wanting
to make their own stories too.
“Be true to creativity. Feel when you are making
the wrong decisions. Make a bad one. Learn and
keep feeling.”

6. THE 5 TRENDS
FROM AWE

7. Having the right access to data and the right tools to apply the
power of that data, has been a continuing theme of AWEurope
for a number of years.Yet this year saw an increasing concern
from a number of quarters that data-led planning is getting in
the way of the magic of creative inspiration and preventing us
from developing truly transformative work.
Panellists and speakers were at pains to convince us that data is
merely a tool to help us get to a great creative solution. Data in
itself does not answer the business question that still requires
human ingenuity, but deep, well presented data can help us
uncover new and powerful insights that themselves can provide
the spark of inspiration that all great creative needs.
DATA vs CREATIVITY
Evidence led inspiration
Data is a means to getting an
answer, it isn’t the answer in itself.
David Kolbusz
Chief Creative Officer Droga 5

8. There is powerful insight to be gleaned at every stage of the
consumer journey and only a holistic planning approach can
ensure that that insight really makes a difference.
At MEC we continue to invest in leading-edge data analysis
tools to ensure that we have the best understanding of
consumer behaviours, attitudes and needs. Consumer evidence
is integral to every stage of comms planning to deliver the most
powerful creative solutions to solve our clients' business
challenges.
With so many commercial messages clamouring for the
attention (and wallets) of every audience, a lack of relevant
creativity is the one way to guarantee you are ignored and/or
forgotten completely.
DATA vs CREATIVITY
Why this matters to you
It’s not about getting additional data, it’s about how
we interpret that data and how we use that data to
prove a theory and tell a story.
Stuart Bowden
Global Chief Strategy Officer MEC

9. Storytelling was a consistent theme throughout AWEurope as
the industry challenges itself to connect multiple media
opportunities in ways that ensure a continuous brand
positioning at every touch point: Online, offline and across
different devices and screens. This is sometimes in conflict with
the continuous rise of programmatic performance-led solutions
that optimise media impact for maximum short term ROI.
Over the next few years the challenge will be to use
programmatic technologies to give us a single view of a
consumer across all touchpoints so that we can optimise the
entire journey for consumer needs, not just harvest the bottom
of the funnel.
STORYTELLING vs
PROGRAMMATIC
Optimise the entire journey
Let’s get real: Most of the time that we think we are telling
stories, consumers just think we are pushing advertising at
them – we have to see it from their perspective.
Tom Curtis
Head of Mediacom Beyond Advertising

10. At MEC we strongly believe in the power of understanding the
entire consumer journey, and MEC Momentum, our unique
approach to the consumer purchase journey, has already been
crucial in creating connected campaigns with the role of every
element clearly defined.
Consumers needs are constantly evolving, and a one size fits all
approach doesn't.
We need to ensure that we identify exactly the right kind of
contact for consumer needs at any given stage in the purchase
journey to ensure that all branded messages deliver a seamless
and consistent brand story.
STORYTELLING vs
PROGRAMMATIC
Why this matters to you

11. Adblocking has been the ominous presence in the industry for
the past year and AWEurope was no exception. One of the key
conclusions is that the industry needs to be ever more vigilant
in rebuilding trust with consumers, both from a media owner
and an advertiser perspective.
This often comes into conflict with our ever improving ability to
use consumer data to target more effectively. There is evidence
that consumers are becoming increasingly wary of this
technology, and that the rise of Adblocking is at least partly due
to a rise in awareness of adtech and tracking.
Panels and debates regularly focused on the issues of
transparency and trust in the market.
TRUST vsTARGETING
Rising consumer awareness
Ad blocking is the breakdown of the equation
between consumers, publishers and
advertisers.
Damien Westbury
Clear Channel Outdoor

12. Adblocking is merely a symptom of a problem, not the root
cause.
We have a clear responsibility to ensure that our continued use
of tracking and targeting technologies is ethical, transparent
and respectful of consumers.
We must not forget the human element in this world of
technology and ensure that we never cross the line from
improving relevance and value to underhand manipulation.
If we fail to do that, consumers’ built-in self preservation
instincts will drive rejection of your advertising and brand.
TRUST vsTARGETING
Why this matters to you
We need to stop talking about humans vs
machines and think about humans plus
machines.
David Coplin
Chief Envisioning Officer Microsoft

13. Once again, the challenge of “mobile” was a key theme at
AWEurope, with numerous speakers and panellists at pains to
point out that as an industry we are still failing to really connect
with consumers through their mobile phone.
The main assumption is that we are being too lazy and simply
transfer TV and online assets to the mobile phone environment.
If we really want to create engagement, we need to start with a
mobile mind set and celebrate both the unique limitations and
opportunities of the interface.
It became clear that the traditional interruptive model of
advertising would never work effectively in the intensely
personal space of a mobile phone. Brands have to add value to
the space if they are to have a chance.
MOBILE MAGIC vs INTIMATE
INTRUSION
Connect with consumer control
It is creativity, the great writing, the great art, that
truly unleashes technology.
Rob Newlan
Regional Director of Creative Shop, Facebook & Instagram

14. Thinking mobile first requires a significant shift in marketing
processes and creative production.
When briefing creative work, we must consider the entirety of
the media approach and truly understand the environment in
which it will eventually be consumed.
There are clear implications for the use of audio and how the
brand is conveyed on a much smaller and more intimate
screen.
Allowing for consumer control within the format is also
essential if we are to ensure that the ‘magic’ doesn’t become an
unwelcome intrusion.
We need to consider the ‘space, time and senses’ of mobile to
frame our work differently.
MOBILE MAGIC vs INTIMATE
INTRUSION
Why this matters to you

15. The primary output of all the data and advertising technologies
is our ever improving ability to target individuals at the perfect
moment and mind-set.
Combined with dynamic creative optimisation, this allows us to
tailor communications in such a way as to reflect each
individual’s personal needs and preferences.
However in some areas, there is a growing concern that if all
advertising becomes truly personalised, then we will cease to
have a collective experience and understanding of what brands
are really about and will no longer be able to generate true
cultural shifts in our communities.
PERSONALISATION vsTHE
COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
Make the connection
In a fragmented world we need moments of focus to
bring us all together.
IainTait
ECD, Weiden and Kennedy

16. We need to ensure that in the drive towards increased
relevance to individual consumers we don’t lose our ability to
make a connection at a broader human level.
Our communications need to be able to engage at both a
broadcast mass market awareness level and at a personal level
if they are going be seen as credible and valuable.
If every consumer has a completely different experience and
perception of your brand, then they will struggle to be able to
share that experience, meaning behaviours cannot really be
changed on a mass scale.
PERSONALISATION vsTHE
COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
Why this matters to you

17. OVERHEARD @ #AWEUROPE
WE ASK OURSELVES,
WHAT IS EVERYONE ELSE
DOING? THEN WE DO THE
OPPOSITE
AliceTonge
Creative Director, 4Creative
Craig Tuck
Sales Director, RadiumOne
IF YOU CAN'T WRITE IT
IN A SINGLE LINE, IT
ISN'T A GREAT
CREATIVE IDEA
Matthew Dearden
President, Clear Channel
THE PUBLIC CAN SEE
THROUGH WHEN IT’S A
LIE - THERE’S A BEAUTY
IN BEING YOURSELF
Ghetts
East London Grime Artist
James Kirkham
Head of Copa90
Jim Lusty
Partner, UppingYour Elvis
THEORY WITHOUT DATA IS LIKE
GOING TO A MEETING & SAYING, "I
JUST HAD THIS FEELING ABOUT A
BET YOU SHOULD MAKE”
THE FUTURE BELONGS
TO THE FAST, IF YOU
CAN'T KEEP UP, YOU'LL
BE LEFT BEHIND
IT’S SO MUCH EASIER TO
KILL NEW IDEAS AND
SUGGESTIONS, THAN IT
IS TO GROW THEM.

18. THANK YOU TO ALL THE
MEC@ADVERTISING WEEK CONTRIBUTORS
For questions, please contact
dan.plant@mecglobal.com