Latest Report
THE EFFECTIVENESS RESET
13 years of what actually works
What if most of what we believe about effective marketing is wrong?
We obsess over algorithms, AI, attention and short-term metrics. But when you step back and look at 13 years of the world's most effective campaigns, a different picture emerges.
Together with WARC and Cannes Lions, we've analysed more than a decade of globally recognised effective work to uncover what separates campaigns that simply perform from those that genuinely move markets, brands and people.
The findings challenge some comfortable assumptions. The strongest work doesn't just grab attention it taps into deeper human needs. And despite the growing backlash, environmental and social ideas can be a powerful source of growth when they're creatively relevant, human and sustained over time. This isn't another talk about purpose. It's a talk about what works.
From the research, Thomas Kolster identifies 10 creative levers that repeatedly show up in the world's most effective work - and shows how you can put them to work.
Key lessons
Discover what 13 years of effectiveness data tells us about what really works
Challenge the myths around creativity, purpose and sustainability
Understand why the strongest work moves people, not just metrics
Learn 10 creative levers to create more effective work
Turn the findings into an unfair creative advantage
Two formats
30-minute keynote
A fast, provocative, data-driven tour through 13 years of effectiveness — the surprising findings, the myths the evidence challenges and the 10 creative levers behind groundbreaking work.
Perfect for: conferences, leadership meetings and team inspiration.
90 minute to full-day workshop
Go from evidence to action. After exploring the key findings, teams apply the 10 creative levers to their own brand, brief or campaign.
You leave with: a clear diagnosis of what's holding your work back, the creative levers with the greatest potential, and new directions you can put to work immediately.
Want the story behind the data?
Listen to Thomas Kolster discuss the research, why sustainability continues to matter for effectiveness, and what brands can learn from the world's most successful campaigns.
WATCH / LISTEN ON YOUTUBE ↗Download the full report here.
Questions to ask yourself
Do you actually know what makes your marketing effective?
Are you moving people - or just moving metrics?
Is sustainability a responsibility to manage, or a creative opportunity for growth?
Are you building something over time — or starting again with every campaign?
What could 13 years of the world's most effective work teach you about your next one?