Advertising Week Europe 2025: What Happens When You Put Authenticity at the Heart of Advertising

Last week I found myself walking into 180 Studios for Advertising Week Europe 2025, surrounded by the kind of buzz you only get when the industry’s best gather to reflect, reimagine and re-energise. As someone who’s worked across entertainment (Disney and eOne), not-for-profit campaigns, and now ad tech, I’ve seen first-hand how much this landscape is changing. But this year, one word kept coming up on every panel, stage and fireside chat I went to: authenticity.

It wasn’t a buzzword. It was a battle cry.

From global CMOs to hustle-driven start-ups and agency leads, the message was loud and clear. Brands that win in 2025 are brands that feel human, honest and genuinely useful. For us at FRAMEN, it felt like the perfect moment. We’ve always believed in connecting brands with real people, in real spaces, where they already are. Whether that’s a gym, coworking space, airport or coffee shop, it’s about presence with purpose.

The Rise of Real in Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH)

One of the biggest takeaways for me? DOOH is no longer playing catch-up to digital channels. It’s leading the way when it comes to trust and impact. There’s something powerful about showing up in a physical environment and owning the moment, screen by screen.

Across several panels, it became clear that DOOH’s strength lies in how it blends digital targeting with real-world presence. You can feel a brand. You can trust a brand. You’re not just scrolling past it.

At FRAMEN, we’ve leaned into this throughout the past year. From partnership activations with 1Rebel gyms and curated events with brands like Virgin Media O2 and Yahoo DSP, we’ve seen how location-based advertising can hit differently, especially when it’s done with care, strategy and a touch of creativity. We don’t just place ads. We build moments.

Speakers Who Sparked Ideas

There were too many brilliant minds to name, but a few genuinely made me stop and think.

Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, hit home with his take on organic social and how too many brands are still underinvesting in what he calls “the real game.” His energy is always positively intense, but it’s the clarity that stands out. Authenticity isn’t a strategy. It’s the baseline now. And when we think about FRAMEN’s role in public spaces, it’s exactly that ethos. How can we meet people where they are, with content that feels like it belongs?

Gary Lineker, co-founder of Goalhanger, shared how his move from sport to storytelling is rooted in genuine curiosity. His passion for podcasts and creating culturally relevant moments reminded me of what we’re building at FRAMEN. Every screen is an opportunity to share something that feels close and taps into what people already care about. The goal is never noise. It’s resonance.

Then came Rawdon Glover, Managing Director at Jaguar, who walked us through the brand’s latest reinvention. It was bold. Not just the campaign itself, but the courage to stick with a vision that initially raised eyebrows. It’s a reminder that creative bravery doesn’t happen without long-term commitment. That’s a principle we stand by when connecting brands to audiences through contextual, meaningful placements.

Katie Evans, CMO at Burger King UK made me smile with their “Bundles of Joy” campaign. A celebration of mums having their first proper meal post-birth (yes, it’s a Whopper). It was deeply human, fun and, most of all, honest. A reminder that emotional storytelling doesn’t need to be serious. It just needs to be real.

Monica Silic, CMO from KFC UK & Ireland closed one of the standout sessions with their “Believe in Chicken” campaign — an unapologetic ode to joy. Her message? Let’s give people something to smile about. In a world of doomscrolling, this really resonated. We see that same reaction when our partners use DOOH to spark real-world joy, from gyms to co-working spaces.

Then came two standout sessions that completely shifted the energy in the room.

Purnima Lamba, Global Brand VP at Vaseline (Unilever) shared a smart and emotional approach to using brand platforms for good, showing how advertising can serve community and care, not just commerce with their Vaseline Verified Campaign. It was a beautiful reminder that authenticity means action, not just messaging. It was also the most fascinating brand historical story I had heard!

And now let’s talk about SpudBros. Yes, the viral potato brand. They spoke about how they create attention buzz in the most unexpected ways. Their ability to show up as unapologetically themselves has built a cult following and turned every customer interaction into a content opportunity. It’s scrappy, bold and brilliantly effective. These boys are all about community and it shows through in how they talk, their branding and most importantly their campaigns. They are launching a ‘'check your spuds'’ campaign in connection with testicular cancer which is an incredible cause and one that is rarely spoken about. So, thank you boys for breaking the stigma!

It made me reflect on how we plan campaigns at FRAMEN. We don't just run ads to tick a box. We think about who will see them, where they’ll be, and what they might be feeling. Because when you reach people at the right time, in the right space, it sticks.

Blending Entertainment and Utility

Coming from an entertainment background where the priority is to grab someone’s attention and hold it, I’ve learned the power of storytelling. At Disney, every campaign I touched was built on emotion, narrative and connection. At FRAMEN, I’ve brought that same mindset into our digital out-of-home approach. We’re not just another screen provider. We’re curators of moments.

But now, we layer that creativity with data, geo-targeting and precision. Globally, consumers have moved from engaging with static billboards to reacting to behaviour-based branding and we know our consumers better than most whether it be their demographics, their interests or their spending habits.

What’s Next?

Authenticity isn’t a trend. It’s the new baseline. And for DOOH to stay ahead, we have to keep asking the right questions.

Are we adding value?

Are we connecting with real people, not just personas?

Are we making advertising feel more human?

At FRAMEN, we’re all in on that mission. Whether it’s a local gym or a global campaign, we believe the future of DOOH is smart, strategic and deeply personal.

So here’s to more conversations, more creativity and more realness in advertising. If you’re a brand looking to show up in the right place, at the right time, with impact and integrity, you know where to find us.

Let’s make something people actually remember.

‍