As an advertising executive, I am a little bit suspicious of trends and predictions.
Of trends because iconic brands navigate the depth of the soul rather than the surface of the water.
Of predictions because our job is to establish a vision and bend reality and perceptions to make this vision happen. I don’t really like to think the future is happening to us. More like the other way around ?
BUT IF I AM NOT SURE ADVERTISERS CAN PREDICT THE FUTURE, FENG SHUI CAN.
So I have asked Lesley, one of our brilliant planners at BETC Shanghai who also happens to be a Feng Shui master, to do a reading of what 2025 had in store for us. Feng Shui in China is serious. Very. Serious.
To the point that businesses in China wouldn’t dare starting the year without a proper Feng Shui reading of their offices. Yes, even your western FMCG client has a Feng Shui master on speed dial.
So Lesley made a reading and I want to share with you two predictions:
The first one is that – after decades spent (some might say “stuck”) in the young girl era - we are entering the era of mid-age women. Bye bye nymphet influencers. Hello boss ladies. This is good news for women overall. The mid age woman is actually the ultimate woman. She’s the working woman, with economic power, cultural, social and political influence.
And we are so ready for more of her influence.
Give us Alexandria Ocasio Cortes, Kaja Kallas, Fatoumata Bâ by the dozen. Let us hear more voices like Justine Triet, Barbara Butch or Zoe Saldana. Let more women like Dr Fei Fei Li or Fidji Simo shape our world 3.0. Let’s see more Jasmin Paris first to the finish line, more Megan Rapinoe kind of gold and more Williams kind of slams.
We need these dreams, we need to show a future where women are as capable as men. But more importantly we need the mid age women powerful enough to enable a future for younger women to thrive in.
The mid age woman is currently having all the difficult conversations about money and equal pay and equal opportunities.
About health. Reproductive and beyond.
About politics and woman rights.
And I can’t wait to hear even more of her in the coming years.
When the mid age woman thrives, womankind thrives. And dare I say mankind thrives.
The second Feng Shui prediction is that the industries of “fire” will be the winners in the years to come. And guess what : advertising and comms are fire industries. Honestly, I am less clear about how this prediction will unfold. And what it will change. But can you imagine ?
AI is up and running and doing all the lame inhumane stuff while our industry is back to thinking with its head and its heart again.
Or everybody leaves LinkedIn and has meaningful human conversations on reddit (or in cafés).
Performance Marketing shows its limits. Storytelling enchants.
Greenwashing is out. Big Beautiful Brands are in.
I know economic predictions are dire.
So I thought I would contribute a feng shui pep talk on the bright future of our beloved industry.
Happy New year of the Snake my friends.