The Insight
Percipient thought-pieces and opinions from some
of
the world’s most respected industry leaders.
)
After Hollywood’s best and brightest collected the last gongs of awards season, Sam Bird, Managing Director of Content and Brand Experience at WPP Media, says it's time for brands to ask how they can place entertainment at the heart of their comms strategies.
From advertising to world building: The best brands think like entertainment studios
Geoff Cook, partner at Base Design, looks at the ways in which forward-thinking brands are creating content that doesn't just advertise their products but embodies them.
Organised chaos; Why AI mustn't smooth out creativity's rough edges
Elliott Starr, Creative Partner at Belief Studio, thinks creative companies are like an octopus; sleek and smooth on top, with arms beneath the surface that can be chaotic and unpredictable, but often brilliant. Most attempts to use AI to make creativity more efficient, Starr thinks, will be a step towards sterility and predictability.
How AI ruined the internet… and why I'm happy about it
The sun has finally shown itself in Britain, for how long, no one knows, but Chris Baker, New Business Director at Park Village, is thankful it means he can get outside and away from the internet and the AI slop it's serving.
Stress test: How can independent production navigate 2026 and beyond?
From pitch costs to the changing media landscape, Rogue Films' owner, MD and EP Kate Taylor breaks down the stresses and strains of the production obstacle course and tries to look at the positives of what 2026 can bring.
Why post production deserves a seat at the creative table
As demand for deliverables grows and AI becomes more embedded in post production workflow, Bianca Redgrave, Managing Director at Studio Private, makes the case for bringing post in from the very start of the creative process.
Production in 2026: All change
With AI reshaping workflows and agency networks expanding their in-house production capabilities, the commercial production landscape is shifting fast. Tim Cumming speaks to a range of producers from The Sweetshop, Saatchi & Saatchi, Uncommon, Rogue, The APA, and The Martin Agency to sift through the changes and challenges they face in a rapidly evolving present, and to look towards the sector’s possible futures.
Why producers should say 'yes', but without selling themselves short
Producers want to make things work, so saying 'yes' is in their DNA but, says Epoch EP & Managing Partner, Melissa Culligan, sometimes saying 'yes' comes with a cost.
Protecting craft and crew in an industry that demands more for less
As budgets tighten and expectations expand, Dalia Burde, Founder and EP at Avocados and Coconuts, explores the soft skill of holding ambition and constraint at once, and knowing when doing 'more with less' comes at a creative and human cost.