Guardian columnist and brand strategist, Arwa Mahdawi, takes a look at the lessons 2022 has taught marketers for the year ahead.

Many client-side marketers failing to prioritise creativity, despite recognising its power to deliver more effective marketing 

Risk averse cultures, short-term-focus and too many decision makers are all key issues

Reversing the decline in creative communications effectiveness

With creative communications effectiveness on the decline, what can brand owners do to reverse the decline and drive sustainable brand growth? 

Having spent more than 10 years reporting on what works in marketing communications, the key to the effectiveness of creativity is down to more fundamental matters, says Marketing Week Editor-in-Chief, Russell Parsons

The WFA’s CMO Forum boasts marketing leaders from diverse categories and geographies, yet their priorities are often strikingly consistent. One of the clearest threads remains the ever-present need for transformation, says Rob Dreblow, WFA Global Head of Marketing Services.

Cannes is the annual celebration of all that is good about marketing and advertising. This year’s awards were virtual but that didn’t mean there weren’t great insights or learnings to share.

Four Lions judges share their experience of what they learned in some of the newer categories that were celebrated this year. From Creative Strategy to Creative eCommerce and Creative Data to Creative Business Transformation, they celebrate where the bar for great work lies in 2021.

Key trends have come to the fore due to COVID. Ian Malcolm, President and CEO at Lumency, a brand side sponsorship, experiential and content marketing consultancy, explains why they matter.

We asked the WFA Global Marketer of the Year jury  what work had stood out for them this year.