That’s what builds lasting value. Not just in brand terms, but in human ones. 

There’s a quiet recalibration happening everywhere. 

Kantar’s 2025 consumer data doesn’t necessarily announce a crisis but it does reveal a shift. 
People aren’t just spending less; they’re thinking harder about every purchase from a personal consumer and corporate spending perspective. Cutting back on treats and wants. Switching brands. Shopping second-hand. Saving and being smarter, not splurging. Taking the points knowing the tries will come. The instinct, in times like this, is to pause and do less, but that would be a mistake. 

Behind all this behavioural change is something more human. The waning desire of control. In moments of uncertainty, which we’re absolutely in, people want to make better choices. The kind that reflects their current reality, not yesterday’s logic. We’re not in the good old days anymore. That’s where creative strategy earns its place. Acting with a guiding and convincing hand. 

We believe that content really matters when it’s doing something useful and not just filling space. Not just joining a trend, but actively helping people understand, decide, act or feel seen and heard. That belief matters now more than ever. Audiences, whether they’re learners or consumers, haven’t stopped engaging. They’ve just stopped tolerating noise. It’s a race to the bottom on price, and the value on creative seems to be dwindling. Or is it? They’re tuning out of brands and organisations that don’t adapt. They’re questioning where money and attention goes and are alert to anything that feels out of touch, over-polished or hollow.  

In one of Kantar’s opening comments, a participant summed it up bluntly: 

“They’re (businesses) not interested when people are struggling.” 

 So, what does that mean for brands? It means showing up with clarity and honesty. Being present, but not performative. Confident, but never careless. Sometimes that can be interpreted as an invitation for arrogance but as always, it’s about balance. It means adapting without losing shape. Bravery, in 2025, doesn’t look like doubling down on presence. It looks like adjusting tone, resisting spin, and making things people actually want to hear from. That might be a pricing strategy, a brand film or a simple piece of product content, crafted with care. It’s all communication, and in the right hands, it becomes creative with consequence. 

To combat the noise, we now work in a more focused way that’s precise, intentional, creatively mature work that gets to the point and makes it matter. It’s an approach and way of thinking that’s agile enough for now, but principled enough to last. It’s how we help our partners stay relevant when attention is tight and trust is fragile.  

The truth is, we’re through this moment with resilience. Sometimes, the data will suggest you play it safe, reduce risk, lower visibility and wait until things pick up. But during times of uncertainty, one of the first cuts made is in marketing, advertising and communication. How can you expect to win, if people can’t see or hear you?  

That’s exactly when the best brands, and partnerships, take a different step. A step that’s informed by evidence, but not paralysed by it and find a way to challenge the brief, gently. All in a way that proposes a creative route with just enough stretch, asking better questions and working hand in hand with you to answer it. Bravery isn’t just a tone or value. It’s a clear decision for better collaboration and a shared willingness to think a little further, care a little more, and go beyond the obvious.  

That’s what builds lasting value. Not just in brand terms, but in human ones. 

And it’s why the work matters, especially now.  

Disclaimer: This article is inspired by the findings of the current Kantar 2025 trend report that examines how consumers are feeling the FUD; fear, uncertainty, and doubt. It is the writer’s interpretation of what Kantar’s latest data tells us, and how brands should respond.