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Our Annual Pilgrimage: Key Learnings from the IPA Effectiveness Conference 2025.
Every year, the IPA Effectiveness Conference returns – and so do we. As an agency committed to championing effectiveness, this event has become a cornerstone of our culture. It’s not just professional development; it’s our annual reminder of why this work matters and where the industry is heading.
We gathered in the office for our now-traditional viewing party, complete with a spread of snacks and the collective buzz of learning together. As we settled in, notebooks at the ready, we knew we’d leave with fresh perspectives to fuel our work for the year ahead.
Here are the sessions that sparked the most debate, scribbled notes, and “we need to try this” moments.
Reframing the Conversation: Strategy That Cuts Through
VML’s work for Procell reminded us that even the most commoditised categories can find opportunities for differentiation. By shifting focus from the “cost to buy” batteries to the “cost to replace” them, they made invisible labour costs visible – and suddenly, Procell became relevant to business decision-makers in an entirely new way.
Meanwhile, Ogilvy demonstrated how brands can transcend function entirely. Their Dulux Heritage Editions campaign elevated paint into a marker of taste and sophistication by connecting it with classic literature. The takeaway? When you tap into deeper cultural and emotional cues, you’re not just selling a product – you’re selling identity.
The same principle powered Ogilvy’s “Maaate” campaign for the Mayor of London. Rather than demanding confrontation when witnessing misogynistic behaviour, they offered something simpler: just say “Maaate.” By making intervention easy and socially acceptable, they sparked national conversation and genuine behaviour change. The lesson resonates: effectiveness isn’t about asking for heroics – it’s about fitting into real human dynamics.
Music: The Underrated Effectiveness Multiplier
Roscoe Williamson from MassiveMusic presented evidence we couldn’t ignore. Drawing on major IPA research, he showed that strategic music choices deliver dramatic results: up to 32% higher ROI, nearly 7x greater willingness to pay, 5x more brand fame, and 4x more salience.
The key word? Strategic. Music isn’t background noise – when it’s engaging, well-fitted, surprising, and memorable, it transforms both short and long-term outcomes. It’s a reminder that every element of a campaign deserves strategic attention.
Think Big, Act Bold
Les Binet and Will Davis delivered what might have been the conference’s most provocative thesis: we’re thinking too small. While marketers obsess over efficiency and ROI optimisation, the data reveals that budget size is eight times more important than tweaking ROI.
Their message was blunt: stop narrowing audiences, cutting budgets, and chasing short-term wins. Effectiveness demands scale, commitment, and courage. Their Laithwaites Wine case study proved it – going big delivered bigger profits, brand impact, and sales. In an industry increasingly driven by caution, it was a rallying cry for ambition.
Rethinking Brand Building
Tom Roach challenged the traditional orthodoxy of brand building through single-minded, consistent big ideas. In today’s fragmented media landscape, he argued, effectiveness comes from “lots of littles”—a high volume of platform-fit, imaginative, and coherent creative assets deployed across a wide range of channels. The key is to aggregate fleeting moments of attention across channels, think platform-first, employ imaginative repetition, and use AI for speed and scale.
Nathalia Amadeu brought this to life with Vaseline’s “Verified” campaign. By surrendering control to creators and following cultural trends, Vaseline became a staple in online hacks and conversations, turning earned media into a sales engine. The brand managed to inject freshness and novelty into their social campaign by joining the worlds its consumers were already creating, and was crowned a cultural icon as a result.
Influencers: Finally, the Data We’ve Been Waiting For
Dominic Charles from Wavemaker UK addressed the chaos of influencer measurement with refreshing clarity. New industry-wide data shows influencer marketing delivers short-term ROI comparable to TV, with long-term effects that outperform every other channel.
The catch? Results are wildly variable. Success depends less on vanity metrics and more on the fit between influencer, content, and brand. The message: influencer marketing can be measured and does deliver value – but only when you prioritise quality data and authentic brand alignment.
Building an Effectiveness Culture
Beyond individual sessions, the conference reinforced something fundamental: effectiveness isn’t a tactic, it’s a culture. Karen Owen’s story of Kraft Heinz’s transformation into one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies showed how relentless focus on creativity and cultural relevance drives sustainable growth. Jennifer Shaw-Sweet’s session on experimentation reminded us that mature organisations treat experiments as essential learning tools, not risky gambles. And Anouschka Elliott’s framework for SMEs proved that with commitment, senior expertise, creativity, and smart measurement, any organisation can punch above its weight.
What We’re Taking Forward
As we cleared away the empty snack bowls and coffee cups, the conversations continued. We left with renewed conviction that effectiveness isn’t just about what we do for clients – it’s about how we show up as an industry.
The themes were clear: think bigger, not smaller. Make every element strategic. Join culture, don’t just create campaigns. Measure what matters. And above all, stay curious.
