1. AI with a Soul

The conversation has finally evolved from "Can AI do this?" to "Why should it?" 

The winning work didn't just use AI; it used it to amplify human ingenuity and tell a deeper story. This is the essence of AI Powered by People™. The jury celebrated camapaigns where technology was invisible in the execution but essential to the idea, proving that the most powerful innovation doesn't replace humanity—it reflects it.

2. The Return of Authentic Joy

Laughter and humor were back in a big way, but not just for the sake of it. In a complex world, creating genuine joy is a powerful brand action. But you can't fake it. This shift proves that to move at the speed of culture, you need a direct line to your consumers' true feelings. Brands that succeeded weren't just funny; they were empathetic, understanding why their audience needed a moment of levity.

3. Effectiveness Begins with Empathy

The intense focus on creative effectiveness was impossible to miss. But the real lesson wasn't just about proving ROI; it was about how you achieve it. The most effective work was born from a deep, almost cellular, understanding of the consumer. It’s a powerful reminder that you de-risk innovation and guarantee impact when your strategy is deeply rooted in authentic human understanding from the very start.

Unilever’s Vaseline Verified: How the Future of Innovation is Built

A perfect example of this shift was on full display with Unilever's Titanium Lion-winning work for "Vaseline Verified." It’s a masterclass in how the future of innovation is built.

Instead of launching a new product to chase a trend, they recognized an opportunity to fundamentally reshape the innovation model itself. They saw their community’s ingenuity exploding on platforms like TikTok with hacks like "slugging."

Most brands would either ignore this or try to co-opt it with a new SKU. Vaseline did something more powerful: they chose to listen and amplify. They flipped the script from top-down creation to community-led validation. Their "product" became trust.

This is what it means to move at the speed of culture. The genius wasn't in creating something new, but in using their authority—their scientists and dermatologists—to give consumers the stage, celebrate their creativity, and verify their hacks. They built an entirely new platform of value without adding a single new item to the shelf.

It’s a powerful lesson: your next breakthrough might not come from an R&D lab, but from being deeply rooted in the authentic human understanding of how people are already using what you've made.

Special thanks to Christina Habib, Chief Insights Officer, and all of the Unilever B&W teams we partnered with over the past few years to make this possible.

The future of this industry isn't a battle between technology and creativity. It's about building bridges between them. The brands that win will be those who use technology to get closer to the people they serve.

What was your biggest takeaway from the festival this year?

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