Let’s not confuse reactive spend with real confidence! by Niusha Koucheksarai

Read her take below – plus the key findings from the report.

“Let’s not confuse reactive spend with real confidence. A bump in budgets is great, but leaning too hard into short term wins at the expense of brand building just doesn’t pay back. Strong, consistent brand storytelling matters. Always.

What we see working at Uncovered is where creative and media are genuinely integrated. Whether that’s in-house or through brilliant collaboration, it keeps strategy focused and execution fast, sharp, and culturally relevant.

And speed does matter. In social, we see it every day. Trends move fast, AI tools evolve overnight, and creativity is more democratic than ever. Brands have to anchor themselves in clear positioning otherwise things become scattergun. Eye catching on the quarters bottom line, but failing to build memory that will sustain through the longer term.

The challenge now is to think fast and long. Brands that truly align creative and media, from briefing to execution, will be best placed to do both.”