From disruption to connection: how AI and experience are reshaping marketing
Empathy Lab at UBA Trends Day: A CMO's guide to the future
Apr 3, 2025
From disruption to connection: how AI and experience are reshaping marketing
Empathy Lab at UBA Trends Day: A CMO's guide to the future
Apr 3, 2025
The Empathy Lab team recently joined UBA Trends Day – the annual must-attend Belgian event hosted by the United Brands Association and the World Federation of Advertisers. Each year, top marketing minds gather to explore the forces reshaping our industry.
Discover more on UBA Trends Day
Amid a vibrant mix of insights, two themes really struck a chord. Firstly, that today’s CMOs find themselves at a pivotal crossroads, navigating a landscape where AI, shifting consumer expectations, and fresh brand-building approaches are redrawing the rules of marketing. Secondly, that success in the AI era isn’t about mastering technology for its own sake – it’s about harnessing these tools to craft messages and experiences that genuinely resonate with people.
What was especially gratifying was that many of the insights echoed Empathy Lab’s own ‘Five Frontiers’ approach – from Next-Gen Marketing and Omni-Modal Experiences to Total Commerce, Generative Loyalty, and Intelligent Products. It’s heartening to see so many industry thinkers coming together around similar ideas, driving a collective push towards a more innovative, human-centred future.
Here’s a quick rundown of our takeaways from the day.
A new era in marketing
Tech visionary Peter Hinssen opened with a bold idea: we’re now in the cognitive era, not the digital one. AI is reshaping how brands connect with consumers, and companies must adapt. The challenge that CMOs face is to ensure that AI amplifies human creativity and strategy – not replace it.
Marketing thought leader Seth Godin echoed this, urging brands to focus on building communities and trust over simply scaling. In the AI age, the best marketing comes from brands that use AI to enhance human connection.
Crafting immersive, multi-sensory experiences
Mastercard’s Raja Rajamannar illustrated how brands are shifting from standard ad campaigns to investing in rich, immersive experiences. Mastercard drastically reduced its ad spend, instead investing in experiences that they know their customers love – from sports and music to dining out.
Complementing this, Trendwatching’s Livia Fioretti introduced the idea of ‘Sensescaping’ – creating environments that engage multiple senses and forge genuine connections. Shaping experiences that extend brand interactions far beyond the screen, in real time and flexing to user needs.
Reimagining value in a new commerce landscape
L’Oréal’s Asmita Dubey explored how AI is driving revenue growth while calling for a broader view of value beyond transactions. She stressed the need for ethical AI and digital sustainability – ensuring technology enhances, not substitutes, human creativity.
Livia Fioretti built on this with the ‘Worthwise’ trend, showing how brands are moving beyond price-based value to much deeper engagement – through experiences, ethical innovation, or community participation. She pointed to companies like IKEA (paying real people to work in its virtual Roblox store) and Travly (rewarding user-generated content) as pioneers of ecosystems where brands and consumers co-create value together.
Evolving ideas on loyalty
CX thought leader Steven Van Belleghem argued that most consumers are loyal to rewards, not brands. He pointed to companies like Chewy, which builds deep loyalty through personal gestures – such as sending oil paintings to grieving pet owners. The future of loyalty, he suggested, lies in human connection over transactions.
Seth Godin echoed this, stressing that loyalty isn’t demanded – it’s earned. CMOs must go beyond traditional retention tactics and create brand experiences that make customers feel seen, valued, and part of a community.
Innovation in creative processes – with AI as our co-pilot
AI is no longer just for optimization – it’s becoming a creator. L’Oréal uses AI to ideate, improve ads, and refine recommendations. But, while integrating AI into creative processes offers a competitive edge, relying solely on it risks losing emotional depth.
Diana Frost’s Heinz revival shows this balance. Instead of just using AI for efficiency, Heinz tapped into cultural moments and consumer passion to reignite love for the brand.
Conclusion: The path forward for CMOs
Overall, UBA Trends Day offered a thoughtful look at an industry in flux. It’s clear that AI is reshaping the game and that brands must boldly adapt, evolve and embrace true transformation to thrive. “But greatness won’t come to those chasing productivity alone; it will belong to those who see AI as the spark that ignites meaningful creativity, deepens human experiences, and bridges the gap between content, data, and technology,” says Virginie Simeons, Director, Marketing & Digital Engagement at Empathy Lab. “The real power of AI isn’t just automation, it’s elevation.”
For CMOs, this event highlighted a clear path forward: blending innovation with authenticity to create marketing that resonates. This balance is at the heart of our work at Empathy Lab, where our evolving frontiers guide us toward a marketing approach that’s both forward-thinking and genuinely connected.