‘Content isn’t for Humans Anymore’ Dentsu Unveils Visionary Insights at Seichō 2025

At Seichō 2025, dentsu brought together industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore how brands can harness innovation to drive meaningful change. The event, hosted at Outernet in London on Wednesday 26 March, focused on transforming ambition into action, with sessions covering AI-driven brand building, redefining consumer experiences, and the future of marketing in an ever-evolving landscape. 

Through insightful talks and collaborative discussions, strategies to navigate the complexities of today's market and create lasting impact were unpicked and debated, with ideas shared on how to move forward. The day kicked off with an inspirational keynote speech on the business and market implications of geopolitical developments from Tina Fordham, a trailblazer in the field of political risk.  

Annette Male, CEO of dentsu UK & Ireland said: “It was wonderful to bring so many of our clients together for Seichō 2025, where it was discussed how brands can navigate the complexities of today. The world is changing rapidly, and brands that thrive will be those who innovate – and do so with impact. They need to build trust, drive value, and create the future rather than waiting for it to arrive.”

Forces Reshaping Marketing 

As Fordham’s keynote indicated, the world is changing rapidly and from a brand perspective the ones that thrive will be those that innovate and build trust. In her opening address, Annette Male, CEO of dentsu UK & Ireland, spoke about the forces reshaping marketing: how AI, shifting consumer expectations and economic uncertainty are redefining success. Consumer confidence has plummeted, and Male shared that consumers are more discerning than ever about where they spend, how they engage, and what they expect from the brands they buy from.  

At the same time, there are significant levels of change in organisations, with Male sharing that according to dentsu’s CMO Navigator research over the next five years, CMOs estimate that over 70% of revenue will come from products, services or businesses that don’t yet exist. In this time of evolution and change, trust, transparency, and a bold vision for the future are essential for brands looking to lead.  

AI-Driven Brand Building: Creating Immersive Realities 

The world of brand marketing is evolving beyond campaigns and into immersive, ever-adapting realities. In this compelling session, Kulvinder Hari (Senior Director Solution Engineering at Salesforce) and Christopher Schyma (Chief Transformation Officer at dentsu CXM) spoke about transforming brands into world-builders – creating experiences that seamlessly blend the physical, virtual, and even dream worlds.  The leading brands of the future will enhance human capabilities, craft environments that help people achieve their goals, and build a North Star vision rooted in long-term success, staying ahead, and thriving in an ever-changing world of possibilities. 

Content isn’t for Humans Anymore  

Considering AI and the brands of the future led the room to become a little more heated, as two groups of experts hotly debated the role of humans vs. AI in tomorrow’s content and digital experiences. The discussion highlighted a sharp rise in the interconnectedness of people, organisations and objects: a shift that’s transforming the role of the marketer. With innovation evolving at pace, brands are now building strategies that anticipate a future where devices and systems make decisions for consumers. 

Harnessing Innovation for Progress 

Innovation isn’t just about disruption: it’s about progress. In this session, Alex Hamilton (Head of Innovation, dentsu) and Ashley Knight (Head of Strategy, Dentsu Lab) encouraged guests to imagine how brands can harness emerging technologies to drive meaningful change. From AI-powered accessibility solutions to mixed-reality experiences, the Dentsu Lab team demonstrated how innovation, when designed with intention, can enhance human potential, transform industries, and create lasting positive impact for businesses and society.  

Seichō 2025 is just the beginning 

Throughout the event, attendees were encouraged to dream of the future; but didn’t lose sight of the doing. Showing the practical outcomes of transforming ambition into action, the day’s insights were brought alive through two inspirational case studies:  

• With sleep quality declining and media consumption a major culprit, IKEA set out to transform perceptions of its beds and mattresses by making media part of the solution.  In partnership with dentsu, IKEA turned bedtime media moments into sleep-inducing experiences: hijacking TV continuity announcements, launching a podcast designed to be unfinished, and even persuading gamers to power down. The result? A major shift in brand perception and a surge in mattress sales, delivering 75 million extra nights of quality sleep. 
• Talking about death is one of life’s biggest taboos, yet avoiding the conversation can make things harder for loved ones. Co-op Funeralcare, in partnership with Carat, used bold media strategies to spark national conversations about end-of-life wishes. From heartfelt obituaries during COVID-19 to the groundbreaking Celebrity Send-Off series featuring stars like Shaun Ryder and Kriss Akabusi, the campaign drove millions of views and transformed perceptions.