Brand Experience & Activation is “Boundary-less”: Droga5 UKI CCO Tara Ford on the Power of Getting People Talking

“This category is perfect for this landscape,” says Tara Ford, chief creative officer at Droga5 UKI. “If you make something that’s worthy of being shared, people will engage across platforms, and content creators will gravitate towards it. It works when it's compelling and relevant to its audience – something that prompts people to make their own content, in their own way, for each individual channel.”

This ripple effect – from core audience to broader cultural resonance – is, for Tara, the hallmark of truly effective work within the category. But it all starts with one crucial thing: connection.

Heading up the Cannes Lions jury for Brand Experience & Activation this year, Tara is keen to see the category’s freedom used to full effect. “The exciting thing is that it really doesn’t have boundaries when it comes to format or media,” she explains. “I’m hoping to see that pushed in new and unexpected ways.”

And while the industry has seen a strong wave of purpose-led work in recent years – a movement that remains essential – Tara notes a shift back toward levity and playfulness. “The world still really needs purpose-driven work. But I’m also hoping to be entertained by ideas that simply make people smile and want to take part.”

Two campaigns stand out for Tara as enduring examples of experiential brilliance in the category’s history.

Pedidos Ya’s ‘World Cup Delivery’ tapped into the nation’s football fever with an immediacy and cultural insight that made it unforgettable. “Starting with a simple push notification, they created a frenzy. It was the right time, right place, and hugely relevant to the brand. It was simple, but it had scale – and that’s what made it powerful.”

Then there’s Vice’s ‘Unfiltered History Tour’, a campaign that reframed visits to the British Museum by offering alternative narratives via mobile. “It hijacked an existing experience to tell overlooked stories,” Tara says. “It was provocative, immersive, and amplified beautifully across social and PR. It really captured the attention of the younger audience they were targeting.”

In an era of shrinking budgets and divided attention, experiential work is not just relevant – it’s essential. “It’s exactly the kind of work that works now,” says Tara. “If it’s strong and compelling, it will be shared. That’s how it grows.”

And in a landscape defined by uncertainty – economic, political, and social – brands are responding in different ways. “Some are tackling injustice and supporting equality.

Others are going the opposite direction – offering lightness, levity, dumb fun to tickle our humanity,” she says. “Our category has seen a pretty good mix of both, which has been great to see.”

As she prepares for the jury room, Tara’s also looking forward to what she calls “the creative barometer” of Cannes Lions.

“Seeing the best work of the year from around the world is always such a powerful way to take the temperature of the industry. What are we making? What are we putting out into the world? Are we moving people, making a difference, or just delighting them?”
Ultimately, it comes down to craft, impact, and feeling. “There’s a lot of talk about the future,” she reflects, “but in the end, it’s about the work. Is it good? Does it make people care?”

And, of course, catching up with the community who make it all happen.