EPISODE 1 – CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY (ACCOUNTABILITY SINCE COP26)

With the recent launch of CAN’s new climate and sustainability manifesto, we discuss what, if any, meaningful progress our industry has made on climate and sustainability accountability over the past year.

Ete is joined by a distinguished panel of guests to discuss this substantial and significant topic: Jake Dubbins, Co-founder at the Conscious Advertising Network, Anna Lungley – Chief Sustainability Officer, Dentsu International, Suzie Rook – Head of Group Brand and Design, SSE plc and Stephen Woodford – CEO, Advertising Association. See full transcript here

EPISODE 2 – CHILDREN’S WELLBEING – CHILD PROTECTION

In the recent inquest into the tragic death of Molly Russell, the coroner’s verdict was a world first in citing social media as a causal factor in a death, whereby he found that “Molly Rose Russell died from an act of self-harm whilst suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content.” Arguably one of the most emotive topics we’ll be covering in this series of Conscious Thinking, our panel discussed the implications of the Government delay to the new Children’s Wellbeing Code, part of the Online Safety bill.

Our host Ete Davies is joined by some distinguished guests to discuss this substantial and significant topic: Ollie Hayes – Policy & Campaigns Lead for Global Action Plan, Beth Kerr – Group Wellbeing Director at Cognita, the global schools group, Melanie Kentish – Managing Partner at Gleam (talent management & influencer marketing agency within the Dentsu Creative network), Callum Hood – Head of Research at the Centre for Countering Digital Hate. See full transcript here

EPISODE 3 – TACKLING HUMANS RIGHT ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2022

The Qatar World Cup. It’s the first to be hosted in a Middle Eastern country, the first to take place in winter and the first global sporting event in world football since the pandemic. But regardless of the many firsts that there are to be acknowledged, it’s fair to say this World Cup has been amongst the most controversial in recent times. There are many questions around how Qatar was awarded the World Cup, to migrant worker deaths, to wider Human Rights issues and Controversies within the Qatari regime, and in particular, its stance on LGBTQ+ communities. 

In this episode, we’ll explore the topic of brand sponsorship and activism with regards to controversial events, hosts, or nations in the sporting arena. We’ll also discuss what responsibility advertisers, brands, social media platforms – all connected with sporting events – have towards representation, inclusivity, and equality in sport, particularly when it comes to sport related and brand sponsorship marketing, advertising, and PR.

Ete is joined by some distinguished guests to discuss this substantial and significant topic: Amar Singh – Head of Content and Communications for MKTG Sports + Entertainment and Lou Englefield – Director of Pride Sports. See full transcript here

EPISODE 4 – BRAND ACTIVISM, MIS- AND DIS-INFORMATION AND POLITICAL ADVERTISING IN THE US

In the wake of the US midterms, the shock decisions on Roe vs. Wade from the Supreme Court and the ever-present spectre of politically motivated violence after the attack on the Capitol on January 6th 2021, in this episode we discussed what role Brands (and advertising more broadly) have to play in public discourse on social and political issues. We explored what’s next for brand activism, and examining political advertising in the US.

Ete is joined by some distinguished guests to discuss this substantial and significant topic: Ambika Pai – Chief Strategy Officer at Mekanism a US based creative agency, Claire Atkin – Brand Safety Advocate and Co-Founder of Check My Ads Institute – the adtech industry’s first and only watchdog and Doug Gordon – Co-Founder of Upshift Strategies, as strategic communications, also based in the US. See full transcript here

BONUS EPISODE – BRAND ACTIVISM AND POLITICAL ADVERTISING IN THE UK

This is a follow up to a previous episode where we covered Brand Activism and Political Advertising in the wake of the US midterm elections. Joining Ete is Alex Tait – Founder of Reform Political Advertising, an organisation based here in the UK that is focused on regulation and awareness of political advertising for all. We spoke to him about the work he’s been doing with his organisation and how it impacts brands relationships with advertising and social media platforms. See full transcript here

EPISODE 5 – INFORMED CONSENT: THE SURVEILLANCE ECONOMY

With an increasingly fragmented media landscape, what does the future hold for data privacy, transparency, and regulation?

The phrases “Creator Economy” and “Experience Economy” have often been used to describe modern consumer behaviour and how brands drive growth in the 21st Century. However, the infrastructure powering each of these ‘economies’ and most influencing human behaviour (without us knowing) is data. So, in truth are we in “The Surveillance Economy” and as our media landscape continues to become more fragmented, should we give more consideration to consumer data literacy and review our contract with them?

Joining Ete in this episode are: Ossie Bayram – Country Director Ogury, Konrad Shek – Advertising Association Director of Policy Research and Matt Potter – Chief Content Officer Dentsu Creative and Author of We are all Targets. See full transcript here

EPISODE 6 – HATE SPEECH & DISCRIMINATION

This month’s policy briefing from António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, set out a common agenda and code of conduct on Information Integrity on Digital Platforms ahead of next year’s Summit of the Future.

In this episode of Conscious Thinking, our panel discusses the responsibility of the advertising industry to improve the protection of migrants and refugees from hate speech and discrimination. Global conflict, climate change and economic hardship has resulted in higher migration and more displaced people than modern times has ever experienced. How can the ecosystem of advertising work harder to protect the societies in which it operates?

This episode was recorded before the Migrant Boat disaster in Greece on the 18th June 2023

Our host Ete Davies, EMEA COO Dentsu Creative is joined by:

Pia Oberoi – Head of Migration & Human Rights, United Nations, Karen Middleton – Lecturer, Portsmouth University, Callum Hood – Head of Research, Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CDDH) & Matt Potter – Chief Content Officer, Dentsu. See full transcript here