Alongside creativity and the network of adland so much has happened in the world in 2022, it's been an action packed and turbulent year. We've seen the shortest serving Prime Minister, The Russia-Ukraine war, Cost of living crisis and the controversial World Cup, all whilst still dealing with the fall out of Covid. And adland has kept up the pace, not missing a beat and attempting to fit the tone of the nation. But if we have learnt anything from this year it's that work is going to have to be very self-aware, made with purpose and work that resonates with people in these tough times is challenging. It’s not just about creating work through new and interesting techniques, but making campaigns that really speak to people and the current state of the world. 

Let's face it, it’s getting weird out there. Having worked on a high-profile NFT project this year and understanding the incoming Web3 landscape, there is no doubt there is a whole new world and way of creating experiences and products. The digital age is truly upon us and in the blink of an eye is developing and innovating, it’s like going to another planet. Speaking as a creative, it’s nothing to fear. Quite the opposite. Even small details such as Christmas cards have given way to technology. This year we’ve got A.I to make our holiday cards. We briefed A.I megamind ‘Midjourney’ to create bespoke Christmas card images, which combined our clients with all the joy of the holidays. The resulting ‘nightmarish’ visuals are more likely to spread sleepless nights than holiday cheer, but that’s the point. The important briefs are still better in the hands of humans. For now…

Despite the tech hype, having less money is going to be the big trend of 2023. From clients to customers, budgets are shrinking - which I love. Hear me out. Creativity becomes your last unfair advantage when you have less to work with. Creative departments will be like the thrifty households of Britain - thinking up the ‘life hacks’ of our industry. Producing work that proves creativity thrives when it's in a squeeze.

Along with having reduced budgets we have the cost of living crisis - or C.O.L.C - already has a catchy abbreviation, so no doubt we’ll be seeing it in a creative brief or two. Creativity is about connecting in an empathetic way with your audience. So, portraying fantasies of excess or luxury is going to be a real head-scratcher. It’ll be interesting to see how brands like Netflix, Disney+, Deliveroo, and Spotify handle an audience who can't afford their products. Will they adapt? Make a tier payment scheme? - it will be fascinating to see how they will connect with these potential customers, and in turn will it actually benefit these big brands?

This year we’ve had some stand out work, and we're proud of the range of creativity the team produced. The main basis of successful work is passion and joy in the job. Our work for the Big Issue ‘I’m Here’ reflects this, shining a spotlight on Big Issue vendors who have felt the sting of the pandemic with their source of income and connection to the public deteriorating due to the quietness of the streets. Then on the opposite end of the scale the Peperami wedding was - having the freedom to run wild (pun intended). From a meat catapult to a green dress with the Animal taking top place on the train to a Peperami cake, this campaign re-framed weddings and reintroduced the Peperami brand beyond The Animal.

The two projects are very different in their tone and intention, but our agency principals connect them. We were razor sharp on what these ‘forever’ brands stood for. We knew what we needed to achieve. But, it was the ‘beta’ attitude we brought to the executions that made them cut through. Be that using technology or making headlines in every British newspaper, we made sure that our ideas told a clear story and had maximum effect in the real world. Razor sharp focus and maximising opportunity. That’s what I’d be taking into next year.

Creating cut through work doesn’t happen overnight, but it does help to have a team who is not afraid of innovating. Who we surround ourselves with is a hot topic at Forever Beta. From a diversity and inclusion standpoint, but also looking at the skills and experience we’re finding we need. For instance, we recently took a specialist partner to a pitch presentation. He was 16. You aren’t going to find your new all-stars in the same old places. We’re looking further afield (and in different fields completely) to find partners who can bring lived experience to our award-winning creative thinking.

To summarise, ‘buckle-up everybody’. The team at Forever Beta are steeling ourselves for an emotional rollercoaster of creativity. Will there be new award categories for ‘Best Campaign under £2’? Or will the Metaverse spontaneously expand to envelop us all in its warm, creepy embrace? Be ready. I think creativity in 2023 is going to be unlike anything we’ve seen before.