Moderated by Debate Mate

• What are the real trade-offs between maximising audience engagement and safeguarding brand reputation? Are brands playing with fire? 
• Can brand safety truly survive in high-reach channels, or is it an illusion? 
• Are brands willingly sacrificing consumer trust for the sake of visibility? - What’s the long-term cost of this gamble? 
• In today’s fragmented media landscape, is it even possible to achieve both expansive reach and unwavering trust, or are we destined to choose one over the other?

*During the debate sessions, speakers are assigned opposing positions to present diverse perspectives. They aren’t necessarily advocating for their personal views or the beliefs of the brands they represent, but rather contributing to a balanced discussion that encourages deeper conversation and critical thinking. 

Which Medium Reigns Supreme in Collaboration?

This year’s Media360 Challenge invites four industry Rising Stars to compete in the ultimate contest of ideas and creativity. 

Each Challenger will have just five minutes to deliver a persuasive pitch, making a compelling case for why their chosen medium is the greatest at fostering collaboration. 

Prepare to cast your vote for the champion at the end!

• In what ways are AI and automation transforming media processes, and where do they fall short?

• Are we sacrificing the human touch for efficiency? What are the implications for brand storytelling and audience connection?

• As we embrace AI-driven solutions, are we relinquishing too much control over our strategies and decisions?

• How do we navigate the ethical implications of automation in our media strategies?

We’ll be joined on stage by a leading brand and their agency to unpack their DOOH journey and the results they’ve achieved so far. Together, we’ll explore how DOOH fits into their broader marketing strategy, how they’ve approached measurement, and how their campaigns have scaled across markets. Expect a session full of practical insights and real-world learnings to power your own DOOH success.

With most of a digital media budget being spent on campaign execution, getting this critical stage right is essential. While significant energy goes into strategy, audience planning and creative, poor execution can undermine even the best-laid plans. In this session, Percept will share practical insight from working with brands and agencies including Vodafone and Jellyfish — offering a behind-the-scenes look at how small improvements in execution can lead to big gains in campaign performance.

We are at the centre of a pandemic of misinformation, with growing rates of anxiety and depression amongst young people. Evidence shows social media is the catalyst behind many of society's biggest issues – so should the advertising industry take stock of their investment in social platforms? 

Bauer Media’s Managing Director Simon Kilby will explore how brands and media agencies can take a more conscientious approach to their media spend, to help protect the future of both the advertising industry and more importantly, wider society.

This session will:

• Outline some of the challenges LGBTQIA+ people face in 2025
• Explore how LGBTQIA+ inclusion can benefit everyone and build stronger teams
• Equip you with a framework to drive LGBTQIA+ equity in your organisation
• Provide examples of workplace initiatives that are making a tangible difference
• Give you 3 actions every organisation can start doing today

Moderated by Debate Mate

• Are audiences abandoning TV for social platforms? 
• Is social media diluting the value of storytelling? 
• Are brands shifting their focus from TV to social media? 
• Can TV compete with the instant gratification of social media? 
• Will TV become extinct?
• Should brands and agencies rethink their over-reliance and over-investment in social media?

*During the debate sessions, speakers are assigned opposing positions to present diverse perspectives. They aren’t necessarily advocating for their personal views or the beliefs of the brands they represent, but rather contributing to a balanced discussion that encourages deeper conversation and critical thinking.