Soapbox 2025: “Creativity Often Comes from Chaos,” says Anto Chioccarelli

 

My biggest hope for 2025 is that we will see more experimentation in advertising. As an industry, I believe we need to push boundaries, take risks, and dream big. It’s about messing up a bit, having fun, and embracing chaos. Because creativity often comes from chaos.

 

As a native of Naples, I know this first hand. Our city is chaotic. But from that chaos has come great art, theatre, opera, writing. And it’s the same in advertising and media. The truth is, ideas just need to be in the world to be tested, to fail, and to succeed.

 

 

For inspiration, one need look no further than the real world. Inspiration is all around us when we take the time to leave behind the noise of the digital world and immerse ourselves in the moment. Look up! Tune into your senses, embrace the environment you’re in, and allow yourself to be curious. Sometimes the best ideas and solutions come when you step outside, interact with the world, and have fun.

 

Outdoor advertising has a unique ability to connect with people at a visceral level. It’s in our daily lives – on our commutes, as we walk through our cities, and when we look up at the world around us. My mission is to help create work that moves people, that inspires a brighter future, and reminds us of the power of human connection.

 

 

Next up on my soapbox… we need to refrain from asking for permission every time. That doesn’t mean sacrificing craft. But it means not letting perfectionism slow us down or prevent us from seizing the moment. The biggest obstacle to experimentation is often our own mindset and in a world that can feel chaotic and uncertain, we too often let the pursuit of perfection hold us back from bringing ideas to life. 

 

We tend to talk ourselves out of bold ideas before we even try them, or we seek approval from people who may not share our ambition or vision. The key to overcoming this challenge is simple: stop asking for permission. Give yourself the freedom to take risks, trust your instincts, and take ownership of your creative journey. 

 

In digital and online spaces, we see more of a test-and-learn mentality, but with offline platforms like out-of-home, the industry is still playing it safe. Working as an outdoor media owner, I’d love to see more risk-taking and experimentation in this area. 

 

An example from last year that showcased the power of the medium was Refugease and Havas London’s ‘Unsafest Journey,’ which used digital screens on the London Underground to bring the menacing waves of a small boat crossing to life. In another example, Dentsu Italy’s ‘Unbreakable Posters’ responded to the action of vandals who destroyed an open-air queer exhibition in less than 24 hours by reassembling the posters piece by piece and putting them back on display via digital out-of-home screens all over Milan. NHS Blood and Transplant’s ‘Waiting to Live,’ is also a great case study that showcases how creativity can have an incredibly positive impact. They created 233 bespoke dolls to represent 233 children on the transplant waiting list and scannable badges attached to billboards allowed people to register as organ donors. 

 

In 2024, we did see some meaningful progress towards more experimentation in the industry. This was driven in large part by the growing influence of artificial intelligence which has empowered creative teams to move faster, to explore new ideas more quickly, iterate more freely, and embrace pushing boundaries.

 

AI tools have made it easier to generate and refine concepts in real time, analyse what resonates with audiences, and adapt campaigns on the fly. This means that everyone can experiment more, launch faster, and measure impact in ways that were previously impossible. 

 

AI has helped bridge the gap between big ideas and their real-world execution, enabling brands and creators to bring things to life quicker. 

 

However, it’s essential to note that AI is not the sole driver of innovation. AI, like electricity, is here to stay, but it will only be as transformative as our ability to guide it with human insight. While AI is great for scalability and efficiency, it can become generic if left to its own devices. The true power of AI lies in how we use it to amplify our own creativity.

 

Ideas matter to us! That's why here at Global, we’ve launched a number of initiatives committed to nurturing creatives through education. We created an Outdoor Masterclass in partnership with D&AD, we’ve teamed up with Creative Circle to develop educational and mentorship programs, workshops, and initiatives to help young creatives from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds develop and find employment within the UK’s creative industry, and we’ve just launched our third ‘Look Ahead’ creative competition in partnership with Contagious. The winning idea from that will run for two weeks across the busiest London Underground stations later this year. 

To summarise, if you have a big idea, give it the platform it deserves. Think big, aim high, and give your ambition the canvas it needs to shine. Ideas matter more than ever and we need more big ideas to rise – especially in the world we are living in.