What Next?

Jerremy Howell, Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development at Publicis Health, and Chris Keating, Vice President of Learning and Development at Publicis Media on the personalisation of learning in the workplace and the impact of AI and trauma in rethinking how we work. Jerremy’s speciality in talent, organizational behavior and leadership development matched with Chris’ passion in understanding and decoding the human condition underscore their drive to explore the psychology, behavior and coping mechanisms of the workforce at Publicis, as well as their podcast guests in The Lessons Learned.  In a world of minimal attention span and more complex human experience, they believe, bosses must figure out how to use different learning styles to maximise the potential of their teams.

Natalie Berg, retail analyst, podcaster and author on the future of trends, innovation and the convergence of physical and digital commerce in the retail space.  The co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce, and podcast host of Retail Disrupted argues that successful retailers will focus on continuous innovation, customer centricity and the will to disrupt. Differentiation, she says, will come from offering immersive experiences rather than just convenience and value, and the need to balance technology with human touch to create a seamless and compelling customer experience. Podcast and website: www.nbkretail.com

On another special episode of What Next?,  Rishad, after scores of episodes discussing the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our future, is finally replaced by AI. Outsourced to AudioStack by guests Chris Outram, head of Blockchain at Publicis Media, and Keith Soljacich, Head of Innovation at Publicis Media Content Innovation known as PMCI, we hear for ourselves what’s around the corner. Chris, as a technical guide on the marketplace of cryptographic solutions for brands at Publicis, and Keith whose strategic development of groundbreaking brand experiences has already leveraged cutting-edge technologies for Fortune 100 clients like Samsung, Visa, McDonald's, Disney and Campbell's, are way ahead of the game. As they explore the future of content creation evidenced by the twinning of Rishad’s own voice, we get a glimpse of the extraordinary abilities of this new age of creativity, connection, and community.

In a special episode of What Next?, best-selling author of Can't Sell, Won't Sell: Advertising, Politics and Culture Wars, Steve Harrison returns to discuss his new book which is about an unsung hero in the history of advertising: Howard Gossage. As you'll discover, Gossage got to “interactive advertising” in 1964. Back then, he was also pioneering the publicity and unpaid media-generating stunts that dominate our award shows today. But Steve says his hero’s biggest lesson for us is this: if you want to attract, involve and engage your audience you must realise you are in showbusiness. After a decade dedicated to soulless data and po-faced purpose, Gossage teaches us that advertising works best when it is entertaining. And, as Steve suggests, in him you have an entertainer who wrote the most imaginative, irreverent, funny - and effective ads you’ll ever see. The Howard Gossage Show: and What it can Teach You About Advertising, Fun, Fame and Manipulating the Media, by Steve Harrison and Dave Dye www.amazon.co.uk/Howard-Gossage-Show-advertising-manipulating/dp/0957151535/ Check out Gossage Ads here!https://lion.box.com/s/h1yhe3apx5pjc6ue4ntd2wlr2h9eqioh

Ofir Krakowski, CEO of Deep Dub, discusses the emotional potential of AI-driven dubbing solutions for content accessibility. He highlights the democratization of viewing and learning through localized language dubbing. The podcast explores the challenges of translating emotions and cultural nuances across languages and the role of human involvement in training AI for emotional understanding.

HR strategist Nirit Cohen discusses the future of work, emphasizing the need for organizations to adapt to remote work, AI impact, and employee expectations. They explore the shift from W2 to 1099 work, importance of sabbaticals for career longevity, rise of 'companies of one', and reimagining work with flexibility and life balance.

Eric Levin, GM and Chief Content Officer at Publicis Media Content and Innovation (PMCI) and executive producer of Impact on National Geographic, joins us to discuss the transformative impact of AI on content creation, funding, and distribution. Leading content innovation for Publicis Media globally, Eric’s team was the brains behind the award-winning CES experiences for Canon and the first-ever brand channel on Roku. He says that because the content landscape is changing so quickly, business models across the entertainment and brand space will have to embrace the power of AI in developing, distributing, optimizing, and customizing content for their audiences. Eventually, he says, commerce and content will be seamlessly interlinked as businesses and marketers will need to strike a balance between technology, creativity, and entertainment.

Stacy Feiner and Jack Harris, co-authors of  The Sixth Level: Capitalize on the Power of Women's Psychology for Sustainable Leadership. They make the case that current leadership models are missing critical elements and offer an addition to Maslow’s five-model Hierarchy of Needs. Feiner and Harris suggest that this Sixth Level is women’s unique ability to move between the analytical side and the emotional side of the brain which they call the ‘art of toggling’. Mutuality, ingenuity, justice, and intrinsic motivation, they believe, could elevate communities to work collaboratively and justly, and eliminate an outdated model of command and control. Further reading links:https://www.thesixthlevel.com/

John Winsor discusses leveraging global talent for business success, emphasizing the shift towards micro-entrepreneurs and freelancers. The future of work involves open workplaces and an abundant mindset. Companies must tap into cognitive surplus globally for task completion, reshaping traditional work dynamics.

Sophie Williams, former global leader at Netflix, anti-racism activist, TED speaker, and the author of Millennial Black, Anti-Racist Ally, and The Glass Cliff on the opportunities offered by a more diverse workplace. Her passionate advocacy for more women and Black and global majority people in the industry focuses on growing existing talent and creating a workplace designed to improve the return on its workers' investment. As the Glass Cliff phenomenon identified 20 years ago and replicated in research around the world shows, women are finding themselves being brought in to lead in businesses undergoing a crisis, when their chances of success are limited from the start. Sophie argues that the companies that set out to grow people from all backgrounds are likely to be the winners in the future. Further reading links: The Glass Cliff TED talk UN transcript