Adweek 2024: Optimism, AI Hype, and the Crossroads of Marketing’s Future

On my flight home yesterday, I started reflecting on my time at Adweek 2024. The event offered plenty of valuable insights from conversations with peers, panellists, and vendors alike. It was clear that the industry is in an odd spot—trying to strike a balance between optimism and underlying concerns about the future. Connected TV (CTV) and retail media stood out as the "stars of the show", each showcasing massive growth potential. CTV has evolved from a niche platform into a key component of digital marketing, while retail media is solidifying its place as a strategic powerhouse—a shift that will certainly make waves in Canada as well.

However, beneath the excitement, there was an undercurrent of uncertainty and a "wait and see" attitude as many challenges continue to unfold. It raises the question: Are we truly prepared, especially when it comes to navigating the privacy issues that lie ahead?

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AI was a dominant theme throughout Adweek, but it’s clear that it’s evolving faster than most companies can keep up with. Many are still grappling with brand safety concerns, compliance challenges, and cost structures that are slowing down adoption. Striking the right balance between performance and insights—especially as AI automation takes over—will be a key challenge in the coming years. While AI is often hailed as transformative, much of the conversation felt surface-level. The more meaningful discussions centred around concerns that AI is currently being used more to scale ad volume than to enhance creativity or provide lasting value.

Privacy also emerged as a major issue. Cookies are essentially obsolete now, and the future lies in AI-driven audience and incrementality modeling, fueled by engagement signals. This shift will fundamentally change how we target audiences and measure impact, especially as the industry moves beyond relying on third-party data.

Google’s minimal presence at Adweek was notable, likely due to the ongoing DOJ trial, which has the potential to disrupt the digital advertising ecosystem. But despite the significance of this case, it was barely discussed, as if the industry isn’t quite ready to confront its full implications. Privacy concerns, regulatory challenges, and the governance of rapid tech advancements were acknowledged but mostly lingered in the background.

On the other hand, Meta and TikTok were there, presenting new insights dashboards, creator tools, and in Meta’s case, showcasing their collaboration with Ray-Ban. One thing that really caught my attention was the growing influence of creators. It’s no longer just about follower count—it’s about authentic cultural engagement. Creators are increasingly driving this connection, and I expect this trend to keep accelerating.

In the end, Adweek left me seeking more questions than I have answers to. Are we on the brink of a golden age in marketing, or are we entering a kind of limbo state where creativity will continue to be suppressed in our effort to drive more efficiency through AI tools? The next few years are likely to bring more change than we’ve seen in the past decade, and the stakes have never been higher for marketers and advertisers alike.

P.S. The noticeable lack of conversation around social purpose was hard to ignore. It seems the focus has shifted elsewhere, but it raises an important question—how do we balance business growth with the need for social responsibility?