Every Second Counts
Focusing on the core theme that not all attention is created equal, the event explored how a second of attention varies greatly depending on the platform. From TV, out-of-home, social media and in-store shelf presence to digital advertising, each platform commands a different level of engagement.
Marketers must strategically allocate their efforts to maximise impact.
With 5 keynote speakers and 6 panels covering the various marketing platforms, the day proved to be insightful and informative and even involved some healthy debate between peers.
Simon Bolton - Boutique
Boutiques Simon Bollon kicked off the day by highlighting the importance of attention, explaining that attention drives memory, which in turn drives action. With 86% of marketers feeling more pressure now than five years ago and the average CMO tenure being only 39 months, the urgency to develop effective strategies has never been greater. Additionally, 54% of CMOs believe their boards do not fully understand marketing, making decision-making more challenging.
Tashan Nicholas - Magic Numbers
Magic Numbers’ Tashan Nicholas emphasized the need to identify meaningful metrics rather than relying on vanity figures. He stressed that simple data visualisation enhances engagement and drives action. A notable example was Santander’s Bank of Ant & Dec campaign, which saw a measurable uplift in their most profitable product due to straightforward, impactful metrics. Furthermore, market share analysis was discussed as an essential tool in eliminating external influences from performance assessments.
Ben Norman - Principles
Principles Strategy Director, Ben Norman, led a discussion on shopper behaviour, introducing the ‘Shopper Forward, Shelf Back’ approach. He revealed that 80% of shoppers research online before purchasing in-store, while 75% do the reverse, proving that consumer journeys are rarely linear. Shopper communications must therefore be holistic, ensuring brands are present across multiple touchpoints to maintain top-of-mind awareness.
Simon Bolton - PR Panel
The PR panel, led by Simon Bollon and featuring industry experts, explored the role of PR in enhancing brand credibility amid an era of short attention spans. The Out-of-Home panel, chaired by Marc Gutreich from BambOOH, with experts from JCDecaux, Clear Channel, Ocean Outdoor, and Global, discussed the evolution of OOH advertising. Digital OOH was highlighted as a flexible tool that allows real-time updates, however, effective integration with other channels remains key.
Sophie Cork - Boutique
Sophie Cork from Boutique, led the Print Media panel, featuring Joanne O’Hara (Hearst) and Andy Halliwell (The Leaflet Company). They reinforced that print media remains a powerful tool due to its high trust levels and tactile engagement, with studies showing that print ads lead to 70% higher brand recall compared to digital formats. Meanwhile, discussions on AI in marketing revealed a split in sentiment, with some marketers embracing AI while others fear being overwhelmed. Poll results taken live at the event, showed that many believe AI can enhance attention rather than add noise, though it must be used strategically to personalise content effectively.
Abby White - Social & Influencer panel
The Social & Influencer Marketing panel, led by Abby White, examined the growing impact of micro-influencers. Studies show that micro-influencers generate engagement rates 60% higher than celebrity endorsements, reinforcing the importance of authenticity in influencer marketing. The Broadcast Media panel, chaired by Boutique’s Steph Feather, explored the enduring strength of TV and radio, with insights from Thinkbox, System1, and Principles. TV advertising continues to hold the highest consumer trust levels, and integrating digital with traditional broadcast media ensures the greatest impact.
Nick Asbury - Every Decade Counts
The keynote speech by Nick Asbury, Every Decade Counts, critiqued the overuse of ‘brand purpose,’ warning against its transformation into empty rhetoric rather than meaningful action. He urged brands to focus on authenticity, humility, and true consumer connection.
John Paul Hughes - CCUK
Lastly but by no means least, John Paul Hughes of CCUK presented on the power of audio advertising, noting that brand recall from audio ads is 24% higher than visual ads, making it an underutilised yet highly effective marketing tool.
Final Thoughts
The Every Second Counts event reinforced that attention is a valuable, limited resource in today’s marketing landscape. Brands must take a channel-neutral, strategic approach to capture and retain audience attention effectively. The key is not being everywhere but being in the right places at the right time.
