Today The Brave’s Hannah Lawson & Kate Idle On What’s Hot & What’s Not In 2024

After helping Today The Brave scoop the Emerging Agency of the Year gong at the B&T Awards, art director Kate Idle (left) and creative Hannah Lawson (right) explain what will be hot for brands in 2024.

Embracing the funny side of 2024

Hannah: I think people will start being irreverent, not caring so much about those sappy brand stories and embrace that fun, exciting side of advertising.

Kate: I totally agree, things are going to start to get a little more irreverent. Particularly because audiences are so much more aware and calling out a lot more of the bullshit messaging – so by creating big lofty stories, people are seeing through it a lot more.

H: And everyone has a platform now.

K: It’s becoming a lot more obvious when brands aren’t putting their money where their mouth is.

H: 2024 will speak actual human truths, the way that people are living their lives and the problems they have.

Upskilling our Creative

H: I think with AI and the rise of so much more new technology, creatives are starting to evaluate their own abilities. Because of this, I think there’s going to be an increased focus on upskilling through better writing, making and creative innovation. As the next generation of kids on TikTok and other social channels take over, I think there’s almost like a fear of what’s coming. So the creative industry will have to step up its game.

2023 saw the end of boring work

H: No longer can you be boring. It’s exciting to see people are trying to be brave and creative again. So many different creatives are giving something new a crack, which is really cool and refreshing.

Obsession with celebrities

H: I feel like we’ve become a bit obsessed with using celebrities as a default way of making sure a piece of work gets eyeballs. And I think like across pop culture as well, just using IP, instead of coming up with new ideas and new stories. But in saying that, I don’t think I’m alone in that sentiment, so it’s exciting to see movies like Barbie or the new Uber ad with Robert De Niro and Asa Butterfield use IP and celeb power in a really fresh way.

The resurgence of creative inspiration

K: Considering last year was when the world was coming out of the collective creative slump – everyone is going back to the movies, watching the new TV shows, and watching all the things that inspire again. That’s so exciting, because it means that there are creators with more to inspire them with techniques and styles to pull into their own creative work. People are experimenting again because there is so much more inspiration and stimulus, after a few years of not having any of that.

H: I think people are inspired again. I honestly think that social media, TikTok especially, has rejuvenated a sense of inspiration. The way kids use that platform and do things that are so creative, I think that has really kicked everyone up the butt. No longer do you need money to make something good. We are now forced to be creative, scrappy and push the boundaries – that’s where creativity really wins.

Constructive what?

H: I think there’s a real shift towards people wanting to celebrate each other’s work.

Creativity can come from anywhere and from anyone. And I think that if we continue to be negative about other people’s work, then that makes you sound like an old fogy.

K: That’s so true. I feel like the more people I talk to, typically in terms of comments online, are brushing it off. Which is nice. Because we’ve all dealt with the struggles of getting your work ripped to shreds and we all know how shit it can be. And instead of creatives eating popcorn and waiting for the bad comments to come out, we celebrate the work that comes out and our peers absolutely killing it!

H: We’ve all heard the idea of encouragement, being the downfall of critical thinking and evolving. I think that you can still be critical about something and still give it notes or encouragement, but it’s about doing that with the goal of wanting people to succeed, instead of just pulling them down. Feeling supported is where the best work begins.

K: I think that’s going to make such a difference. If you know that you are being supported, even if it’s a bit of tough love every now and then that’s enough support.

Realness and authenticity

H: people are craving realness and authenticity. They don’t want pristine, perfect-looking anything. Like, you look at the brands that are succeeding, and they focus on the basics. People are demanding products that work and are actually good. They don’t care about useless things.

K: A little bit more humanity and realness is coming through. Consumers want a brand that’s actually creating an experience and cares about them.