AANA CEO Josh Faulks welcomed media agencies, marketers and advertisers to 2025 RESET with an acknowledgement of the current tough economic climate.
“For so many businesses and so many people in our industry, all we’re trying to do is find a little bit of growth and that’s what we’re here for today.
“We’re here to hear from some of the best world leaders when it comes to this about how we can reset for growth but before I go into our incredible lineup,” he added.
Despite challenges of a national and international uncertainty and unpredictability, regulatory threats from proposals of gambling, alcohol and food, and AI reshaping the advertiser agency relationship.
He noted that the WW2 acronym SNAFU (Situation Normal: All F***** Up) was applicable to the current challenges and trends. Faulks said: “This is the new normal and there is no going back to the days of prosperity of the pre-COVID era.
“We must adapt and in this operating environment, marketing leaders and business leaders have two choices. Put your head in the sand and wait till it all blows over and we all know that’s not going to happen, Or the second is lead in with strategic intent and invest in marketing for growth and I think that choice is obvious.
“The good thing is that all of us in here are doing a good job of proving that marketing is an investment centre, not a cost centre. But we must speak the language of financial teams, we must speak the language of leadership teams and we must speak the language of boards and we also must have those really clear measurement systems to prove the marketing return on investment.
“We did it for TV, we did it for mobile phone, we did it for the internet and we’re going to do it for AI. We’ve proved our resilience and our innovation and our perseverance and we’ve proved that we can reset and grow,” Faulks concluded.
Top image: Josh Faulks