The omnipotence of social media is infiltrating all aspects of life, making advertising ever more ubiquitous. Two studies have found that, while the constant exposure is frustrating for the majority, a sizeable number still attest to ads introducing them to brands they wouldn’t usually come across.

Authenticity has long been a buzzword in marketing, but with 51% of people saying that less than half of brands create ‘authentic’ content, there’s a significant disconnect with audiences. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. James Oakley to find out what factors affect whether something is seen as genuine.

Gen Zers are a tricky yet intriguing generation to grasp – they’re offline-shopping, eco-conscious, genre-defying, values-defending mavericks. As they grow into adolescence and adulthood, what do Gen Zers actually think is cool and how can brands appeal to this cohort’s unique mindset?

It may not be common for companies to celebrate their critics, but Channel 4 has done just that in its ‘Complaints Welcome’ ad. By directly engaging with real people's complaints, Channel 4 is throwing out the rulebook and meeting demand for originality in a world saturated with inauthentic ads.