This week, New York welcomed not only foreign leaders and dignitaries at the United Nations headquarters—the city also embraced some of the best and brightest in the world of advertising, marketing and technology. Yes, Advertising Week New York—one of six Advertising Week events held around the world—came to offer thought leadership, workshops and more with 1,216 speakers and over 290 different events.

There was much to ponder and celebrate throughout the week. At the Clio Awards, eight awards were distributed among three projects that we contributed to: the Uncensored Playlist, Mind the Gap and the geolocation-based revamp of the “Runaway Train” music video. We also made placement on Adweek’s 100 Fastest Growing Agencies list, and our VP of Marketing Kate Richling was shortlisted for Advertising Week’s Future is Female platform.

But that’s enough patting ourselves on the back. What were the brands up to in all the fray? Our recap explores three big topics from one of the biggest weeks in advertising—namely what’s driving the in-housing trend, how brands are working creatively with data and the new collaborative partnerships that are helping brands respond to both those opportunities.

Getting Closer to Consumers through In-Housing

One thing that’s become undoubtedly clear across the course of the week is that brands are seeking ways to take back control. For many, this has manifest in a trend to take their creative and media capabilities in-house. Often attributed to goals like lowering cost or time to market, there are in fact many reasons why brands feel they can do creative better on their own terms and turf, as explored at the Brand Innovators summit, which coincided with Advertising Week.

A major goal behind the in-housing trend is a need to get closer to the consumer. As traditional brands grow with widening product lines and more channels to communicate through, they risk losing coherence or consistency within the brand-consumer relationship.

At a panel on in-housing, Spencer Gordon of Anheuser-Busch discussed how going in-house ensured that a dedicated team in the brand would always be thinking about creative. This enabled them to pursue consumers with greater relevance and brand understanding. But Gordon noted that the initiative achieved big results by first starting small; with four employees focused on providing social assets solely for the Michelob Ultra product, the team has since scaled to 63 members that deliver for all of AB InBev’s brands.

In the same panel, Ryan Riess, Director of Social Strategy and Content at the Hershey Company, similarly discussed how supporting such a large variety of brands (15 of them!) drove them to become more consumer-centric. Hershey felt they could do creative better on their own—particularly in creating platform-specific content that would better connect with their customers. That’s a very specific way that brands can better drive relevance by maintaining an always-on relationship with their consumers, requiring brands to have a clear idea not only of themselves, but their consumers as well.

Purposeful Use of Data for Empathy and Impact

How brands can gain that understanding of the consumer was another major topic of discussion throughout the week. But businesses have come up with interesting ways to accomplish this; a notable example is Target’s internal media company Roundel. In the Advertising Week panel “Climbing Over Walls: Real People Data in an Automated World,” Roundel’s VP Dave Peterson noted: “The data is extremely important, but it’s as much on the human side as it is on the data. We call it the IQ side for data and the EQ for the human side of things.”

This purposeful interplay between both the technical and emotional sides of data provides Roundel with learnings they can use to strengthen the relationship between the retailer, their customers and the CPG partners whose products line the shelves. “Going back to our enterprise view at Target about putting our guests at the center of everything we do, our goal really is to enhance the shopping experience,” Peterson said. “Media works best when it’s in everyone’s benefit.”

And that’s a point that resonates well with MediaMonks founder Wesley ter Haar, who gave a keynote address at the Brand Innovators event on Tuesday afternoon. Exploring the challenge between what he calls “personalized pleasure versus personalized panic”—that delicate balance between consumers’ desire for relevance and concern for privacy—he honed in on the need for empathy to become a driving force in everything you do. “We can never stop prioritizing empathy,” he said. “Empathy and engineering must work hand-in-hand in the future.”

Closing the Creative and Data Divide

While Roundel is an interesting example of bridging together the intelligent and emotional quotients in data, they’re not alone: several brands noted the need for marketing and IT to come together to deliver unforgettable customer experiences that build brand love. On the panel “Rethinking TV: Driving Growth, Relationships and Experience Through Data,” Sir Martin Sorrell joined GM’s Global CMO Deborah Wahl, where the two examined how brands must look beyond the typical TVC approach for more scalable, personal and relevant creative.

Wahl gave her brand’s perspective on how impact and effectiveness are table stakes today, and how she works closely with data to achieve it. “We have a chief data officer at GM. We spend a lot of time together, really understanding: ‘What are you learning, what are the insights, how are we going after it?’” she said. “That helps you form better creative briefs so you get a big idea, and then really make sure we can execute that across different channels.”

It sounds like GM has a good rhythm going, but for many brands, closing that IT and creative gap can feel like a struggle. Showing teamwork in action, the S4 family—Sir Martin, ter Haar and Emily Del Greco (President of the Americas, MightyHive)—came together the following day to join Joana Coles (Founder and CCO, Boudica) in a panel discussion about the S4 Capital model and its place within the future of advertising. Coles set the scene for discussion: if you’re not a holding company, she asked, “What the hell are you then?”

The trio’s responses became a multi-faceted examination of collaboration and partnership. Sir Martin drew a line between how S4 operates versus holding companies that impose constraints around the businesses they contain. Instead, he suggested, S4 took inspiration from tech companies who are disruptive by nature. Ter Haar added: “With traditional work, there’s a conservatism that you can’t marry data with being creative.” It’s precisely that challenge that brands are grappling with now, driving that need for control examined above.

Del Greco noted how aligning data and creative so closely together enables brands to take more risks with confidence. “MediaMonks is about taking the risk, and MightyHive comes quickly with feedback [backed by data],” she said. As iteration and agility have become key to success in today’s always-on environment, this ability to experiment and take learnings will become crucial for future-focused brands.

As Advertising Week draws to a close, we’re energized by the creative wins that brands have have been able to share. Looking at the next year into the future, it will be interesting to see how the landscape further evolves—and how new partnerships will enable brands to achieve a more customer-led focus by closing the gap between data and creative.

Excitement is drumming up for Cannes next week, and our Monks are attending in both judges’ robes and diplomatic attire.

MediaMonks Founder and COO Wesley ter Haar will help identify the year’s most ground-breaking work on the Titanium Lions judging panel, while Digital Creative Director Sophie te Pas will serve on the Mobile Lions Jury. We spoke to both about their experiences and insights as jurors, but not without getting a sneak peek at what to expect from this year’s diplomatically themed MassiveMusicxMediaMonks party: the MMMMbassy, where creatives will be recognized as diplomats from unique, new nations.

Wesley ter Haar, MediaMonks Founder and Titanium Lions Juror

Which trends are defining the Titanium Lions this year?

Titanium is an interesting mix. We’re looking for great work (duh), but what all Titanium contenders must have is a certain unique element — one that makes them both hard to categorize or to forget — that shows the industry the way forward. So yeah, simple stuff.

Trend-wise, we’ll see. More than most categories, I think Titanium will see robust discussion in the room help shape the outcome.

Which metrics wow you in a case study, and which ones don’t?

In my mind, metrics don’t make a winner — great work does. But metrics can definitely limit how far a case will go. In the end, you’re looking for a great idea, a concept that’s been executed to perfection, at scale and with real-world impact. In that specific order.

Which cases are going to collect more Titanium Lions than ever?

Ah, not getting tricked into that one! Cannes’ jury guidelines might be lengthy, but I know better than to share info on potential winners.

You’re visiting the MMMMbassy this year. Which fellow representatives are you looking forward to meeting most?

For me, this is all about celebrating and commiserating with our clients and colleagues depending on the results of the week. It’s also a great place to run into random friends and frenemies for a beer and a high-five.

Lastly, when have you ever wished you had diplomatic immunity to do whatever you wanted to do?

My only reason for diplomatic immunity is to get to use the special lane at the airports… imagine the time saved.

Sophie te Pas, Digital Creative Director and Juror of Mobile Lions

What does it mean to you to be a jury member for Cannes?

We all know perfectly well how much blood, sweat and tears go into creating and producing a digital campaign. Wanting to respect that, I definitely feel the weight of the responsibility that comes with the job (insert Uncle Ben meme). But that doesn’t stop me from feeling incredibly proud to judge the world’s best work with some of the industry’s most innovative minds.

Which campaigns are going to collect more Mobile Lions than ever this year?

I can’t name names, but I believe in campaigns that serve a purpose, manage to connect with the brand, have meaning and put the consumer first by using technology to enhance the user experience rather than making use of it to win awards. Creating a good campaign takes courage and bravery from everyone involved.

What do you expect to learn from judging?

As a creative on several MassiveMusic x MediaMonks parties of festivals past, I’ve seen my fair share of promenades and parties. But this year, attending Cannes as a juror, it’s different. What I’m looking forward to the most is sharing passionate discussions about the work and gathering insights and different perspectives from my fellow judges’ creative minds.

You’re visiting the MMMMbassy this year. Which fellow diplomats are you looking forward to meeting?

For me, the party is less about meeting high-profiled peers, and more about those completely irrational, passionate stories with beautiful strangers and pulling some awkward dance moves for the greater good. Plus, if you’re not just in it for Insta-fame, you’re a winner in my book.

Lastly, when have you ever wished you had diplomatic immunity to do whatever you wanted?

Free Your MMMMind. I faintly remember wishing for a helicopter to pick me up and transport me to a nearby rooftop pool the day after.

While a clear distinction between art and advertising may not always exist, consumers have a sixth sense for ads that tug at the heartstrings with one hand and their wallets with another.

What makes the difference between a campaign that delightfully intervenes rather than one that merely interrupts, and how can you begin to develop and conceptualize such a creative piece? With MediaMonks’ Water Ripples installation as an example (produced in collaboration with Stella Artois, Mother New York and Water.org), we’re diving into three main ingredients that make up an artful intervention.

And that’s really the test for elevating something to an art form—helping your audience situate themselves and your brand within a larger framework of social good, taking them outside of themselves and their everyday. While aesthetic beauty is ideal for creating a memorable campaign, it’s that self-identification with the human condition that leaves a lasting impact.

Thirsty for more? Read more about Water Ripples from FWA.

1. A Culturally Relevant Purpose

Both works of art and advertising evoke emotion in the audience, which means a particularly artistic campaign should have a clear, culturally relevant value proposition or purpose. A good place to find inspiration is to back a cause or highlight an issue that you feel aligns with your business or audience. And consumers agree: to a Sprout Social study from earlier this year, about two thirds of them think it’s important for brands to take a social stance, so don’t be shy. While it may seem risky, an experience or campaign that drives social good connects to audiences on a human level–and demonstrates your business’ desire to be socially responsible. Even if you aren’t able to solve the world’s problems, you can at least aim to unite people together or ask them to contemplate their place in society, just like any work of art or literature would.

The Water Ripples piece aimed to portray Stella Artois’ care for the clean water effort. And that’s a great cause for a brewery: beer is 90 to 95% water, after all. Through the use of 600 motor-controlled water droplets to replicate the look of rippling water, the installation beautifully depicted the “rippling effect” that the brand and installation participants made in social impact.

2. An Experience that Enhances the Environment

Whether you’re building a large-scale art installation or want to play with a digital platform in a unique way, cleverly intervening with your audience’s everyday environment can go a long way in striking an emotional or empathetic connection between themselves and your cause.

While the Water Ripples’ most outstanding feature is its visuals, its biggest effect on viewers and participants was that it provided a quiet, contemplative and meditative space—a stark contrast to the hustle-and-bustle of Grand Central Station during commuting time.

3. Audience Agency

Every good campaign should have a call to action, but an artistic one should offer a call to contribution—and that contribution should prompt participants to feel as though they’ve made a significant impact or connection with other people in the world (and hopefully your brand, too). How do you allow participants to immerse themselves in the cause by providing an experience?

To answer this question, the team behind the Water Ripples installation accounted for several tiers of participation, including those who answered the call to contribution as well as those who were simply passing by. Participants who made a financial contribution by purchasing a limited-edition Stella Artois chalice were able to make the water ripple, symbolically signifying the impact of their participation—and providing delight to those viewing from afar with the beautiful show.

Helping your audience place themselves within the grand scheme of the human experience doesn’t have to be that lofty—sometimes it’s as simple as designing a specific place for photo-ops and Instagram-worthy moments.