Copyright Adweek
“Do not punish your team for suggesting doors that would violate existing doors. Look for opportunities to be collaborative and creative.” This simple advice from podcaster Jonathan Fields, which he shared in a session at Brandweek last week in Atlanta, was not just a helpful tip for every leader in the room; it was symbolic of the entire three-day event, which felt like a real re-set of the industry’s tone. The session, called “Navigating Uncertainty,” was a funny, informative, and deeply human presentation on how to help your team stay optimistic and inventive in difficult times. This was a theme present throughout the conference. I was fortunate to speak at Brandweek this year. Usually, my schedule requires me to zoom in and zoom out of events. This year, I intentionally carved off a bit of space to stay, listen, observe, and meet after my session. Something told me that I’d find something worth bringing home here. The truth is, I found something pretty rare in our industry these days: unbridled optimism. At the end of Brandweek, I felt not just better prepared for the future; I felt even more excited to greet the coming years with the energy of an innovator’s spirit. The shifting sands of AI, consolidation, and cultural uncertainty have left all of us feeling a little jumpy. (That might be the understatement of the year.) But while Brandweek acknowledged those shifts, it made them feel more like doors opening than doors closing. I felt creativity in every conversation, every encounter, every talk I attended. It was the best kind of creativity—explosive, curious, the kind that looks at what is, and then, with a mischievous smile, proposes what could be. Pumping up ATL I was surprised to find that one of my favorite sessions was a shameless pump up show for Atlanta. Featuring Jason Ippen from Georgia Pacific, Alex Ames from Coca-Cola, Tonya O’Connel from IHG, and moderated by Paul Carpenter of AMA Atlanta, the session focused on the power of Atlanta’s creativity. Here was a panel of four, high-level marketers arguing why the city they loved was well on its way to being the next breakout. Their excitement was infectious. They cited the robust local college system that gives Atlanta access to emerging talent. They talked about the tax incentives of shooting in town, which brings Hollywood to their doorstep. They dove into the community of creatives who moved on from Turner to spread their energy and knowledge through the industry. Diversity. Drive. Kinship. One of the panelists said, “Creativity requires humanity, and that’s where we have an advantage.” In front of an audience of hundreds, I saw Atlanta GOING FOR IT. Taking a chance to re-imagine itself as the next creative capital of the world. Doors. Wide. Open. Doors Open Elizabeth Banks and her partner, the impressive Marian Leitner-Wald, discussed identifying a hole in the marketplace—easy, single-serve wine formats—and being rigorous about delivering it with Archer Roose Wines. When I saw a movie star argue for things like brand fidelity, velocity over volume, or distributing the product more like a beer, it made me realize anything was possible in 2025’s landscape. Doors open. Allyson Felix and her brother Wes Felix talked about creating the Pampers Nursery at the 2024 Olympic Games. They asked: What role can the brand credibly play at the Olympics? challenging the company to do something authentic. It felt more like a mantra you’d hear from a career marketing team than two professional athletes. Doors open. In my session, we discussed the chances we took with our client Brawny to evolve legacy IP for modern times. By re-casting the Brawny Man with an improv actor, we were able to flesh out the character beyond the 2-D and bring him to life in short bursts of social media entertainment. His improv chops help us make chunks of assets in less time, and react to emerging trends with a laugh. Who knew, the Brawny Man is actually adorably funny? Doors open. There were even creatives flocking to panels to learn about deep data analytics. That includes me, but I also saw an executive producer and an in-house creative friend of mine observing the same panel. When creatives learn data, who knows what’s possible? I left Atlanta reminded that creativity isn’t just what we do—it’s how we move forward. When we choose to open doors instead of guard them, we create space for something extraordinary. We create space for possibility.
