In a world where data, metrics and algorithms dominate, Matt Holt looks to create digital environments where creativity can be found in the unexpected.
As we look ahead into 2025, there is a pressing question within the digital landscape: With advancements in AI, are we sacrificing artistry in our rush to embrace the science of performance marketing? It’s clear that technology has revolutionised our industry, but is the magic being lost? We stand at a crossroads where data, metrics, and algorithms dominate in the digital space, but where is the creativity—the unexpected, the strange, the delightful? Where is the magic of digital experiences that truly capture attention, spark imagination, and create emotional connections?
We live in a world increasingly driven by the need for urgent measurability. Metrics are vast, tools sophisticated, and real-time campaign optimisation is unparalleled. For brands, this is incredibly powerful: real-time performance tracking allows them to tailor their messages to exact audiences, ensuring relevance and driving results. Yet, something essential seems to have slipped through the cracks: the art of creativity.
The relentless pursuit of frictionless experiences has come at a cost I think. Digital has become very rational and transactional. There can be no doubt we need to make things as easy as possible for people. But the question must be asked: Are we missing a trick by not using digital to make memories? Are we engaging people on a deeper level, are we stirring emotion?
It's not the technology that’s at fault; it’s how we use it.
Matt Holt, Chief Strategy Officer, Digitas UK
Digital campaigns today are often designed to drive action: a click, a purchase, a conversion. But this kind of performance-oriented thinking can feel robotic, devoid of the human touch. It's not the technology that’s at fault; it’s how we use it. As psychologist B.F. Skinner once said, “The real problem is not whether machines think but whether [people] do.” Technology isn’t the solution; it's the enabler. The problem-solving, the creativity – those are still human endeavours.
Consider some of the more whimsical, strange, and ‘weird’ corners of the internet. Sites like Catbounce.com, where cats appear to bounce across the screen, and The Useless Web, which directs you to random and often nonsensical websites, are absurd in their simplicity, yet undeniably engaging. They capture attention through their unexpected and playful nature.
At the same time, examples like EE’s Capture the Store activation in Fortnite show how innovation and imagination can coexist. This activation wasn’t just a showcase of cutting-edge technology but a demonstration of how digital can transport audiences to another world. By replicating the actual EE Game Store within Fortnite, the campaign brought a tangible concept into an immersive digital experience. Players were invited to “beat the pros” who were tasked with protecting the store, in a high-stakes gamified challenge. This mix of innovation and imagination not only engaged audiences but also created a memorable and emotionally resonant brand experience.
To move from performance to performative media means embracing creativity alongside data. It means making digital experiences that are not just functional but emotive, that don’t just solve problems but inspire and delight. We need to create digital playgrounds where brands can experiment, and explore without being afraid to push boundaries. The power of play, the joy of discovery – these elements are critical to creating experiences that resonate with audiences on a human level.
This shift requires brands to rethink their approach to digital experiences. Instead of focusing solely on conversion rates, let’s prioritise exploration. Instead of treating every interaction as a transaction, let’s allow room for emotional connection. Whether it’s through immersive storytelling, interactive elements, or simply offering unexpected moments of delight, the goal should be to move beyond the purely rational into the realm of the performative.
The future of digital lies in finding a balance between art and science, creativity and data. We must move beyond transactional thinking and embrace digital as a platform for emotive, human-centred brand building. Technology is not the villain; it’s the tool. The true challenge lies in how we use it to create experiences that are as magical as they are measurable.
In the end, it’s not about chasing the latest tech or being on the cutting edge for the sake of it. It’s about asking the right questions. What does the customer truly need, not just what can technology provide? How can we use digital to solve problems in unexpected and delightful ways? It’s about taking the time to build experiences that balance the rational with the emotional, the scientific with the artistic.
The great reset in 2025 isn’t just about new technology; it’s about reimagining how we use that technology to create something more meaningful. Let’s put the artistry back into digital experiences and move from performance to performative media. The future of digital marketing should be one where creativity and data coexist, where technology empowers humanity, and where brands don’t just reach their audiences – they inspire them.
Matt Holt is Chief Strategy Officer at Digitas UK. He leads the agency’s strategic capability comprising some of the best thinkers in the industry across the disciplines of comms, CRM, experience, media, innovation, social, content and business transformation. A true all rounder, Matt is an award-winning strategy and has a breadth of experience across channels, working across tech start-ups and agencies big and small, on blue-chip clients. He’s passionate about combining strategy and data to identify previously untapped opportunities, using experience design, creativity and technology to deliver impact to businesses, people and society at large.
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