Zurich CCO on Empathy, Asahi's Global Direction, Antiaesthetic Branding
Issue #116 | 20.10.2025
From empathy as ROI to the rise of raw, imperfect branding — this week’s stories explore creativity with conscience, courage, and cultural bite. Expect bold ideas, human truths, and a dash of rebellion.
The Empathy ROI
Empathy isn’t just a virtue - it’s a business multiplier, outlines Conny Kalcher , Zurich Insurance’s chief customer officer, as she makes a compelling case for why brands must stop treating empathy as a “soft skill” and start measuring it like ROI. Read Now.
Why Antiaesthetic Branding Is On The Rise
Brands are embracing the power of imperfection. We explore the rise of antiaesthetic advertising, where messiness, awkwardness, and raw humanity are the new markers of creative edge. With insights from Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott of AMV BBDO , Mark Shanley and Rani Patel of adam&eveDDB , Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes of BBH London , and Kirsty Minns of Mother Design , we discover why ads are ditching gloss for grit. Read Now.
From Tokyo With Taste
Asahi Beverages Super Dry is going global with cinematic swagger and cultural flair, and Havas London is steering the charge. We speak with Małgorzata Lubelska of Asahi and mark whelan of Havas UK to unpack the work around the brand’s first global platform, 'Seek What Is Unique', which fuses AI, CGI, and Tokyo’s neon mystique to reframe Japan’s most iconic beer as a modern symbol of adventure. Read Now.
Creativity In The Age Of Calories
Once upon a time, ads could sell joy without counting calories. As HFSS rules curb the fun, we’re revisiting the gloriously “bad” old days when sugar, satire, and creative anarchy reigned. Read Now.
The Creative Quests Of Gravity Road's Sophie Cullinane
Sophie Cullinane from Gravity Road charts her unlikely path from fashion journalism and Camden nightlife to leading campaigns for Booking.com, McCain, and Bic. Cullinane unpacks her philosophy of cultural stickiness, weirdness as a superpower, and why good taste needs a splash of bad. Read Now.
Can Adland Finally Market The Unmarketable?
In this call to arms, Claire Gillis , CEO of VML HEALTH , challenges marketers to confront the uncomfortable truth about metastatic breast cancer - the disease that causes nearly all breast cancer deaths yet remains underrepresented in awareness campaigns. Read Now.
Using Screens To Hook An Audience
In the fragmented media landscape, entertainment is still a vital factor in how brands cut through and gain attention. Discussing their experience of doing just that are Wonderhood Studios Aidan McClure and ITV ’s Katie Rawcliffe, who believe brands earn attention by making people feel, talk, and share. Read Now.
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