Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Aware of hidden agendas, people no longer believe in the possibility of absolute truth or complete transparency from institutions, public figures, and individuals. Yet they are still drawn to honesty, integrity, and – at times – even vulnerability, which they expect from peers and brands alike.

Advert-blocking browser plugins are growing at a rate of nearly 70% year-on-year. The most popular, AdBlocker, reached 150 million users in June 2014. And if people really are more likely to climb Mount Everest than click a banner ad, what is next for online advertising?

Who wants the content they’re viewing to be covered by text? Many people may find subtitled films irritating, but adding them to adverts can have surprising benefits. New research suggests that same-language subtitles can actually increase the effectiveness of an ad.

With 79% of Brits rarely or never clicking online ads, brands are wasting huge sums of money on ineffective advertising. So how can companies entice consumers to voluntarily eyeball their content? Canvas8 sat down with 15 British men and women to find out what they think about online ads.

In London, cyclists have taken to the streets like never before, with a quarter of commuters now travelling by bike. Buzzbike offers free bicycles to cyclists, in exchange for pedalling ads, which give brands opportunity to tailor hyperlocal campaign. But do people really want to ride branded bikes?