Joined-up Thinking from across MSQ

Why Rituals Hold the Key to More Human Marketing

MSQ North America's chief strategy officer, Justin Cox argues that modern marketing has become soulless and generic, and proposes that brands can regain meaning and connection by understanding and integrating human rituals into their strategies.

Cannes 2025: A Recap from Cannes First Timers

SPCSHP's Kaitlyn Powers, senior copywriter, and Mallory Cross, senior social strategist, give Little Black Book the inside scoop on their debut experience of MSQ Young Lions at Cannes.

What Will Be Hottest Tickets at Next Year’s Ad Festival Line-Up?

Smarts' Brand Futures Director, Nat Moores, explores how the Creator Economy has evolved and where it may be heading next.

The Ritualicious Lunch: Part Two

A year on since the launch of our Ritualized research, we brought the buzzword of the moment, 'Rituals' back to Cannes, for an afternoon lunch discussing its importance when it comes to understanding customer needs, complete with the premiere of our short documentary explaining our thorough research, in partnership with The Marketing Society.

In conversation with Aaron Lang at Cannes Lions

North America President of MSQ, Aaron Lang, talks all things Cannes, creativity, and boosting momentum - sharing what sets MSQ apart thanks to our specialised expertise with senior-level thinking, all under one collaborative network.

Where the real Cannes happened: A view from Mallory and Kaitlyn

Following an epic week of insights and inspiration, Cannes first-timers and MSQ's Young Lions for 2025, Mallory Cross and Kaitlyn Powers from SPCSHP gave Campaign the run-down of all the places you want to be at the industry's most prestigious festival.

B2B’s New Brand Manifesto: Key Takeaways from Cannes 2025

Cannes Lions 2025 marked a turning point for B2B marketing, with the spotlight on bold, human-centred strategies that challenge long-held assumptions. From emotionally driven decision-making to integrated brand-to-demand models, the trends point to a new era of growth and creativity in B2B, which you can read all about in Stein's post-Cannes report.

Beyond the Lions: Brand takeaways from Cannes 2025

After judging nearly 400 projects from the Design Jury, one thing’s clear: the best work wasn’t loud - it was smart, purposeful, and deeply human. Here's what stood out to Elmwood's Design Director, Paul O'Brien.

Does Cannes Lions really get design?

This year Elmwood's Design Director, Paul O'Brien, had the pleasure of serving on the Design Lions jury, an experience that was just as inspiring as it was revealing, when it came to how the world of design is changing...

Can brands & agencies keep up with procurement’s Ai revolution?

The rapid, Ai-driven evolution of procurement strategies dominated conversation at this year’s Marketing Procurement iQ Conference. Read on to discover how leading experts predict these shifts will impact brands - and why MSQ’s integrated, data-driven agency model is built for the future...

Marketing Procurement iQ Conference Day Two: Shaping the Future of Media and Marketing Procurement

As the Marketing Procurement iQ conference wraps, it’s clear that the future of marketing procurement is set for huge change. From integrating new tech to embracing more inclusive and effective media strategies – buckle up for a run-down of MxPiQ day two…

Marketing Procurement iQ Conference Day One: What the industry can learn from the world’s foremost marketing procurement leaders

From Ai to sustainability, media fragmentation to… yet more Ai, we share some of the key themes discussed from the first day of the 2025 Marketing Procurement iQ Conference.