The Insight
Percipient thought-pieces and opinions from some
of
the world’s most respected industry leaders.
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Following last week’s news of WPP launching WPP Production, shots has spoken to production company leaders and trade bodies on what the move could mean for craft, competition, and the future of the agency and production company relationship.
Kindness over convenience: The sound of change
What if the way we used sound changed? asks Laura Montarroso Daher, Founder and Executive Creative Director at Music Collective. What if more thought, more time and more insight was used to make sure the noises we hear around us were more relevant to the environments in which we hear them, and more attuned to the way we might be feeling?
Why the pricing of creativity is the industry’s most costly self-deception
Jon Williams, Founder/CEO of The Liberty Guild, bemoans the outdated models that treat an idea as labour rather than value, suggesting that, as automation increases, the human creative leap is becoming a most precious asset.
Trend watch 2026: Wellness-first creativity
Trin Basra, Executive Creative Director EMEA at Sparks, reflects on how brands can tap into consumers' new appreciation of wellness – it's increasingly not just about health, but more a sense of belonging and humanity in a turbulent uncertain world.
The 10 brands that cut through in 2025
Creative effectiveness platform System1 has crunched the 2025 numbers and revealed the 10 campaigns which had true category cut-through last year.
Why guilt-driven January messaging is backfiring
George Bacon, Founder of GBM Group, looks into consumers’ – and even over-consumers’– increasing rejection of seasonal shame-based marketing, and suggests other ways wellness brands can cut through.
The viral spiral: Navigating risk vs. reward for your brand
While diving headfirst into online virality can bring benefits to brands, going viral isn't always a good news story. Alex Powell, CEO at Pixels, looks at the changing nature of online fame and examines the best approach advertisers can take to gaining traction without earning infamy.
When it comes to advertising, funny matters
When the world's full of doom and gloom on a daily basis, aren't commercial wins more likely to be found in comedy? In the past, advertising was part of the UK's comedy culture and, says Jonny Parker, Joint Chief Creative Officer at VCCP London, that's where its future should be.
Re-storying a world worth living in
Sustainable transformation advisor Amelie Lambert discusses the ad industry’s ‘brainprint’ – the psychological and cultural impact of marketing on society, with a focus on how our industry can cultivate stories that enable a positive future.