Data, culture, creativity. Here’s your monthly guide to what’s going on in the world of marketing.
Welcome to Trend Watch, your monthly take on what matters now and what’s next.

It’s spooky season — and not just because of Halloween. With politics growing more unpredictable, the cultural mood feels unsettled. In the UK, Lucy Powell stepped into the role of Labour’s deputy leader, while Rachel Reeves signalled possible tax rises ahead of the autumn Budget. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump has once again floated a third-term presidency, throwing constitutional norms into the spotlight. Everywhere you look, uncertainty is creeping in — and the consequences are harder to ignore.

In culture, the signals are just as charged. King Charles unveiled a long-awaited memorial to LGBT+ veterans, a meaningful moment of reflection and progress. Lily Allen released West End Girl, a sharp and emotional break-up album that’s won critical acclaim, while Taylor Swift continued her cultural takeover — breaking records in both music and film. Authenticity, legacy, and storytelling are taking centre stage.

Which brings us to the red thread this month — creative responsibility in a converging world. From AI-generated deepfakes and misjudged celebrity endorsements to B2B ads quietly losing traction, the pressure is on. Creators and marketers alike are being judged not just by what they make, but by how it lands. In a world where impact trumps intent, creative choices are carrying more weight — for performance, reputation and everything in between.

Creative Fatigue: The Silent Killer of B2B Performance

B2B marketers are hitting a wall: audiences are skipping, scrolling, and straight-up ignoring their ads. Research shows that 54% of B2B marketers report rising ad fatigue — and you don’t have to look far to see why. Across paid search, display and social, we’re seeing a loop of recycled formats, safe messaging, and static visuals that blend into the feed. The formats haven’t failed — but the creative has. Budgets are increasing. Targeting is tighter. Tech is better. But without fresh execution, even the smartest strategy falls flat.

Foresight
Creative is no longer a final step — it’s the delivery system for your strategy. If it doesn’t evolve, your audience will. The brands that break through treat creative like a living system, not a static asset. They refresh regularly. They test fast. And they know consistency doesn’t mean repetition — it means recognition. This is the moment for B2B to show up with sharper ideas, new visuals, better motion, and bolder thinking. Because when the creative hits, the results follow. When it doesn’t, invisibility is the cost.

When Youth Appeal Becomes Brand Risk

Two UK gambling ads have been pulled by the ASA — one featuring Lewis Hamilton and the other Chelsea FC branding — for breaking rules around youth appeal. Despite having 18+ disclaimers, regulators flagged that both had strong pull among under-18s. Hamilton’s connection to the F1 game (rated 3+), his past on CBeebies, and a large youth following on Instagram all contributed to the ASA’s decision. The use of Chelsea gear in a YouTube ad, a platform with famously weak age controls, only amplified the concern.

Foresight
The rules of engagement are shifting. Fame, not format, is what triggers red flags now. For advertisers in sensitive sectors — gambling, alcohol, and beyond — crossover appeal comes with risk. It’s no longer about what you meant. It’s about how it’s received. Brands can’t hide behind disclaimers. If it looks like it appeals to teens, that’s enough for it to be pulled — or worse, go viral for the wrong reasons. Future-proofing now means being more intentional with talent choices, platform use, and the reputational reach of your creative.

Sora & the Ethics of AI Deepfakes

OpenAI’s video tool Sora is in the spotlight — and not in a good way. The platform lets users generate AI video clips from simple text prompts, including dead celebrities. And the results are chaotic: Martin Luther King Jr. caught shoplifting. Hitler pitching shampoo. Princess Diana as a DJ. While most of it is intended as satire, backlash has come fast from families, estate lawyers, and the general public. OpenAI insists this content is user-generated, but critics say the lines between parody and exploitation are already being crossed.

Foresight
Sora is a case study in what happens when tech moves faster than ethics. We're entering a world where likeness is a new form of currency — and the question of who owns your face after death is now on the table. As AI content goes mainstream, especially in entertainment and advertising, regulation will follow. Expect estates to fight back. Expect platforms to tighten guardrails. And for marketers, the message is clear: reputational damage travels faster than innovation. The most future-ready brands will be the ones that lead with consent, context and conscience.