As part of our Inside the Jury Room series, we spoke with Jodi Zucker, Partner, Head of UK Sales and Lettings Marketing for Knight Frank, to hear their perspective as a judge for this years M&M Global Awards.
In the interview, Jodi shares their views on the biggest opportunities for media over the next 12 months, how media’s role in shaping consumer behaviour continues to evolve, and the ways brands are using AI to drive greater relevance and effectiveness. She also highlights the campaigns and brands setting new industry benchmarks, what excites her most about this year’s entries, and her advice for entrants looking to impress the jury.
The extended deadline for the M&M Global Awards is 25 June. Enter now to benchmark your work against the industry’s best, gain global recognition, and secure your place among the world’s leading media campaigns.
Biggest opportunity for media over the next 12 months?
For me, it’s all about closing the gap between media and real business impact. We’ve optimised for attention, clicks and impressions, but… the real opportunity now is proving how media actually drives growth. The brands that win will be the ones who stop using media for pure delivery and start using it as a core commercial dial.
How has media’s role evolved in shaping consumer behaviour?
Media has completely shifted from something that interrupts behaviour to something that actively shapes, nudges and responds to it in real time. It used to sit quite neatly at the top of the funnel; build awareness, spark interest, then hand over to other channels. But now, it’s embedded across the entire journey. What’s really changed is how close media now sits to real-life behaviour. It’s not just about reaching the right audience, it’s about reaching them in the right moment, with the right message, in a way that actually fits into what they’re doing or thinking about.
At home, my daughter is deep in her Barbie era. One minute it’s a dream house storyline, the next it’s a vet, then a fashion show… it’s constant, it evolves, and it’s entirely driven by what’s capturing her attention in that moment. That’s not a million miles away from how people engage with media now. It’s fluid, it’s contextual, and it’s driven by what feels relevant right now, not what a brand decided weeks ago in a static plan.
The difference is, as marketers, we now have the tools to respond to that behaviour almost as quickly as it happens, whether that’s through dynamic creative, smarter targeting or more connected channels. It’s about small, consistent, highly personalised moments, the kind that quietly influence decisions over time. And ultimately, the brands that get it right are the ones who understand that they’re not just placing messages, they’re participating in people’s everyday worlds (like Mattel!).
How are brands using AI in smarter ways?
The smartest use of AI isn’t about doing more, it’s about being more relevant. It’s driving efficiency, but the real step change is in personalisation and creative scale. That said, the best work still starts with a strong human insight. Lots of people talk about “will AI replace our jobs”, but I don’t see how it can, as in the marcomms space, we’re fuelled by innovation, and AI regurgitates what’s already out there (at least for now!).
Campaigns or brands setting new benchmarks
The work that really stands out at the moment is where data, creativity and context come together seamlessly. It’s less about one big idea, and more about how that idea shows up consistently across channels, audiences and moments. The benchmark now is connected, end-to-end thinking, not siloed brilliance. It’s about teams that work using borderless creativity, rather than in swim lanes. Coca-Cola for me continuously hits it out of the park. They kept their TV ad for 20 years, the “Share a Coke” campaign turned a product into media, and they’ve done it again with their relevance around Devil Wears Prada. Consistency, as Mark Ritson says, is the biggest driver of effectiveness.
What excites you most about this year’s entries?
Seeing how brands are navigating a pretty complex landscape without losing clarity. There’s so much more pressure now. Not just to be creative, but to be relevant, responsible and commercially effective.
Advice to entrants to impress the jury
KISS*, and be honest. Don’t overcomplicate it or hide behind jargon. Just show us what actually made the difference, and why it mattered.
* keep it simple stupid
