3 UK CEOs Weigh In on the State of Creativity and Advertising for Q1 2025

As the first month of 2025 draws to a close, the advertising industry finds itself navigating a fragmented and evolving landscape. The past year saw significant changes – not least the headline-grabbing IPG/Omnicom merger – and a notable influx of women into C-suite roles, leading the charge with fresh perspectives and bold initiatives. 

Against this backdrop, LBB’s Olivia Atkins spoke with three female CEOs from UK agencies – Zoe Eagle of Iris, Miranda Hipwell of adam&eveDDB and Cressida Holmes-Smith from Lucky Generals. Their reflections on 2024, insights into 2025 and priorities for the year ahead paint a picture of an industry poised for transformation. 

For many, 2024 was a year defined by endurance and challenges. Economic uncertainty put pressure on businesses, evolving client needs and evolving technology created a demanding environment. 

Zoe Eagle, who joined Iris last year after two and a half years at Accenture Song, describes her return to a creative agency as a “warm hug,” a shift back to delivering value through creativity while leveraging technology and marketing operations effectively. “2024 was a hard year,” she says. “Two things made it challenging: the economic pressure on budgets and agencies, and the disruption brought by technology. Our industry has gone relatively undisrupted for a long time, but this might be the moment we adapt and industrialise. This requires curiosity, hunger for intelligence, and empathy. Even if budgets recover, we’re in a fragmented environment requiring agility.”

Cressida, stepping into the CEO role at Lucky Generals after six years at the agency, echoed this sentiment. Her first year at the helm saw the agency double down on its reputation for risk-taking work. Despite the pressures of 2024, she remains committed to pushing for work that’s “famous, diverse and present in different spaces.”

Miranda Hipwell, now just over a year into her role at adam&eveDDB after 13 years with the agency, described 2024 as a strong year. Their ‘Feeling First’ positioning rooted in emotional effectiveness, resonated with clients and audiences. “When we go to clients, we focus on the feeling we want to evoke with their brand… Whether it’s John Lewis, PlayStation, or Marmite, it’s always about determining the feeling we want to evoke,” she explains. Miranda’s focus has been on maintaining excellence while evolving for the future, embedding this approach internally and externally – and getting people to see them as an agency that does more than just traditional film work. 

As the industry moves into 2025, agencies are treading carefully but optimistically. Many are starting the year with strong account wins and renewed energy, while others are prioritising strategy and planning. There’s still a lot of uncertainty around whether the buoyancy of budgets in Q4 is here to stay.

Zoe emphasises Iris’ pragmatic and experimental approach: “In a fragmented environment where everything is smaller, faster, and a bit more disposable, Iris listens to clients, focusing on what they genuinely need – balancing time, money, and quality – without digging in its heels about ‘the work, the work.’ We aim to solve real client problems without losing sight of the bigger picture and uniquely engaging with culture, without disrupting existing consumer behaviour. We look at what people are already doing and lean into it.”

A good example of this is the ‘Vertical Gig’ for Samsung (2019), which saw Iris create a concert designed to be filmed in response to criticism gig-goers got for filming performances. 

With a new leadership to boot – that includes the likes of Katy Hopkins as executive creative director and Eduardo Maruri as global creative chair, Zoe feels optimistic about the year ahead. She says: “[Co-founder] Ian Millner is brilliant at casting teams aligned with Iris’ entrepreneurial and experimental spirit and the new leadership team, including me, brings a more grown-up approach to brand stewardship.”

Lucky Generals is also enjoying a round of new leadership appointments, in the form of Shelley Smoller as CCO and CSO Damien Le Castrec, who join from Droga5 – and which will no doubt mark a pivotal moment. The CCO role is actually a new fit for the agency and will support the agency’s ongoing focus of fostering young, diverse talent into the industry. 

“Our proposition – as a creative company for people on a mission – remains unchanged,” Cressida says. “The work will always be our focus. We aim to make it more famous and diverse, modernising in this era of content and AI.” The agency has already kicked off the year with a major account win for Irn Bru and it’s something she hopes to see more of – and to attract clients that are similarly “on a mission – those seeking real change, not just incremental improvements.” 

At adam&eveDDB, internal promotions have shifted the creative leadership dynamic – with Mike Sutherland and Ant Nelson moving into CCO roles and WIll Grundy taking on the CSO position, as well as Martha Rzeppa joining in Berlin. “We have incredible talent stepping up,” shares Miranda. “The business has fostered this talent over years, and succession planning has always been intentional. Although it’s sad to see Rick and Bevo [Richard Brim and Michael Beverley] go – they’ll do amazing things elsewhere – their departure creates opportunities. The energy flow is positive; where something felt static, suddenly there’s momentum. Bevo often talks about moving brands on without moving them off, which I love. And it’s about building on our DNA while evolving for the future. ”

The integration of artificial intelligence continues to redefine creativity in advertising and it’s no doubt a trend that will further unfold in 2025. AI tools are unlocking opportunities for efficiency, though Cressida reminds about the need for responsible application: “There are exciting developments in AI. We’re always talking about staying close to the consumer, and AI offers new ways to validate, test and gain insights. It’s exciting to have these tools, but they need to be used correctly… If we can save costs and time with AI on repetitive tasks, we can reinvest in areas where creativity is essential. That’s the exciting part – freeing up resources for impactful work.”

Diversity and inclusion remain at the forefront, with agencies renewing their focus on fostering diverse talent and inclusive work environments. Lucky Generals’ Open Source Bereavement Policy, introduced in 2024 – off the back of previous initiatives like their miscarriage, menopause and fertility policies – exemplify this commitment. Cressida highlights the success of aligning data-driven ideas with cultural resonance. “We want to keep investing in younger talent,” she says.

“There’s a big opportunity for brands to make a difference,” says Zoe. “With great power comes great responsibility, and there are still many inequities and tensions in the world. Brands and businesses can advocate for marginalised groups and support those who need help. If we see brands as entities fighting to make life better, we can be optimistic about their future.”

She thinks that a channel-agnostic approach allows brands to best respond to culture and their communities: “We’re adapting to whatever serves the brand and culture best. We aim to follow what people are doing and influence it positively.”

Despite economic uncertainties, resilience and optimism define the outlook for 2025. Miranda says: “Last year, there was so much noise about AI. It’s evolving, and we see it as a tool to enhance creativity but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Creativity drives growth, and AI supports that, not replaces it. Creativity is a human trait that can’t be replicated by tools like language models. They help, but the sparks of true innovation come from people.”

Cressida agrees and stresses the importance of a strong strategy to support creative ideas – “get the strategy right and don’t worry too much about being overly safe with the work. If your strategy is solid, you’re already safe,” she advises.

At Iris, Zoe is focused on remaining nimble and being resourceful, rather than offshoring or cost-cutting. “Our structure is simple and agile, which lets us adapt to change and act quickly. For instance, we recently made and executed a major decision in just four days, whereas in most network environments, that would take months, if not years. It’s all about empowering people internally so we can be externally agile.” 

Lucky Generals under Cressida’s leadership aims to amplify its legacy of creativity and bravery: “Our ambition is to be the most creative and brave agency on the planet – effective too, but creativity and bravery come first. We want to have the best of both worlds: access to collective resources and a strong, independent culture.” The teams are also strengthening connections between their London and New York teams. 

At adam&eveDDB, Miranda is concentrating on trust and adaptability. “It’s interesting to consider the role of brands and organizations in a world full of mistrust and change,” she says. “People only engage with brands that bring positive value – whether it’s through a transformative service, a trusted product, or simply enjoyment. Brands have a role in softening the external chaos. They need to show up with integrity and truth[…] In a world of uncertainty, we need to provide as much certainty as possible – for our people and our clients. Our long-standing partnerships – like 35 years with Marmite, over a decade with Mars, and five years with PlayStation – are all about relationships, maintaining trust and adapting to challenges. Creativity thrives when people feel good, so we need to see everyone as individuals and provide space to navigate challenges.”

2025 is shaping up to be a year of change and opportunity. Following a year of resilience, the industry’s renewed focus on creativity, technology and talent signals a promising and more resourceful future. While challenges remain, agencies are embracing later thinking and strategic agility to navigate the unknown. As Zoe aptly puts it, “the only certainty is change.” 

While budgets might be surging, there’s no time for complacency and if this is what CEOs are currently thinking on Q1, it’s hopefully an indication of a good year to come.