Reham Nader Mufleh, Managing Director, Horizon FCB on the balance between creativity and technology.As we progress into 2025, I look back at our industry in the early 20’s and it feels like a million light years away. At the same time, I feel so fortunate and fascinated that my generation of advertising professionals have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand this huge transformation of our industry and how advertising as we knew it doesn’t exist anymore.
I also feel lucky that our industry allows us to experience so much and never stop learning and evolving in a very fast-paced way. Every day brings a new tool or method, pushing us to stay curious and be adaptive. It keeps our creative spirits alive. Never a dull moment.
It is safe to say that technology has become the most dominant topic in our lives nowadays. It’s shaping our interactions, making us more interconnected, streamlining our daily tasks and providing us with convenience we have never imagined before.
And in our industry, it is not any different. It is shaping our creativity, driving engagement with consumers and maximising efficiency and productivity. And we are only scratching the surface here.
This is not only going to continue but also will grow rapidly. With smartphones getting smarter, social media platforms becoming more engaging and with artificial intelligence becoming more sophisticated and accessible, transforming ideas into reality will be easier and advertising will transform into a highly personalised and interactive experience.
We’ve seen glimpses of this through hyper-targeted ads that seem to read our minds and know our preferences instantly, yet there’s still plenty of potential for more intuitive ways to connect with audiences. In an era of information overload, one-size-fits-all advertising is no longer viable and hyper-personalisation will define successful campaigns.
Advertisers and marketers will leverage technology even more to analyse user data more effectively, allowing for highly targeted and tailored campaigns. This will enable brands to engage with consumers directly, anticipate consumer needs and deliver timely, contextually relevant content. Even more evidently in our market, where consumer expectations are high, this approach will be critical.
The use of technology has become indispensable and embracing it as professionals has become essential, given that it has become the ‘new creativity’ in a way. While this might sound scary to a few, it is definitely exciting to others. It is undeniable that this will make some jobs irrelevant and eventually redundant.
However, it will also produce a new pool of jobs and will create a new set of skills that we never expected we could ever have before. It is a game-changer. The world of human creativity will be augmented, not replaced.
On the other hand, while technology has become the ‘new creativity’, content creators will become the ‘new creatives’. With social media platforms becoming more powerful tools for brands to foster interactive, two-way conversations, content creators that are dominating this world will have a bigger and more influential role.
As authentic voices and storytellers, content creators will leverage their influence and creativity to produce engaging, shareable content that resonates with specific audiences. Their ability to adapt quickly to trends and understand audience sentiments will make them invaluable partners for brands looking to enhance their authenticity and visibility.
This doesn’t imply that content creators will replace the creative professionals who possess a deep understanding of the market and hold profound knowledge of the brand, as well as mastering artistic skills that elevate content quality and efficiency, and connect with consumers strategically. Rather, it will be like two different and unique sets of skills that melt into one pot to produce innovative, engaging and impactful work like never before.
In 2025, the evolution of technology in advertising from the early 20’s to today is a testament to our resilience and creativity as professionals. It also illustrates our ability to quickly adapt in the face of new platforms and shifting consumer behaviours, proving that reinvention is at the heart of this industry.
While embracing the future is neither an option nor a luxury, our role as leaders will evolve into facilitators of innovation, encouraging collaboration between different talents and technologists alike.
The key lies in remaining agile, open to new ideas and committed to blending creativity with cutting-edge technology.
This can actually lead to groundbreaking campaigns, change the dynamics of advertising and revolutionise creativity. The opportunities ahead are truly boundless.
