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Yours, Verena

💸 BCG: How much CMOs are investing in AI

According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), CMOs worldwide are increasingly investing in generative AI: 71 percent plan to spend over 10 million dollar annually on it. Last year, the figure was 57 percent. The goal is to increase efficiency and improve the customer experience. GenAI is used in a variety of ways – from video creation to AI agents. Critical: The measurability of ROI often remains secondary. >>> BCG

🦁 Cannes Lions: 53 predictions for the winners – including Serviceplan and Lidl

Ad Age asked 29 top creatives worldwide about their Cannes Lions favorites for 2025. Germany is represented: Serviceplan scores for Penny with "Price Packs" – a radical form of packaging with oversized, colorful price labels. Marcel impresses for Lidl with "Lidlize" – an AI campaign in which consumers designed their own products in Lidl colors. Two million designs were created, and a Lidl bicycle as the winner was produced and sold. Other highlights: Apple Vision Pro "Submerged”, Cheetos "Other Hand Font" and the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony. >>> Ad Age

💀 Disney+ draws a bitter conclusion: "Streaming is dead"

Tony Gilroy, showrunner of the 650 million dollar Disney+ series "Andor", draws a sobering conclusion: for him, the streaming model has failed economically. Despite creative successes, streaming brings studios hardly any revenue. Disney+ may have strong content, but it is struggling with high production costs and stagnating user growth. Gilroy describes streaming as "dead" – at least as a business model that is permanently profitable. >>> Variety

🎥 OpenAI’s video AI Sora: Free thanks to Microsoft

OpenAI’s video AI Sora is now available free of charge via Microsoft’s Bing app. Users can generate short videos by entering text. Ten quick clips are free, with more available using Microsoft Rewards points. The low barriers to entry promote the spread and acceptance of AI, as more people can try out and use creative AI applications. This should accelerate innovation and participation. >>> iDownloadBlog

⚜️ Snapchat’s luxurious new advertising world

Luxury brands such as Prada, Cartier and Versace are increasingly using Snapchat to reach Gen Z with innovative storytelling, augmented reality and community building. Virtual fittings, AR experiences and personalized content make products tangible, emotional and interactive. Exclusivity is being replaced by proximity in order to remain culturally relevant. The goal is strong, authentic brand loyalty. >>> W&V (€)

📺 Netflix advertising director: More impact with less advertising

Susanne Aigner, advertising director at Netflix Germany, is focusing on a strategy of "more impact with less advertising". There is a maximum of four minutes of ads per hour, with each commercial break lasting no more than 75 seconds – carefully placed and never in the middle of exciting scenes. Advertising is curated by hand to ensure high attention. This is to prevent brands from getting lost. In the future, AI-supported, interactive formats will follow, linking advertising more closely to Netflix content. >>> Horizont (€)

🤷 Hardly any demand for AI experts in Germany

Despite the AI boom, demand for AI experts in Germany has been stagnating at a low level since 2022. According to an analysis by the Bertelsmann Foundation, only about 1.5 percent of all job advertisements relate to AI. The number of advertised AI jobs has even fallen slightly recently. There is demand above all in metropolitan areas such as Munich, while rural regions are left behind. The economic opportunities offered by AI have not yet been exploited. >>> Standard

🍞 Apple Design Awards 2025: One winner comes from Germany

Apple has announced the twelve winners of its 2025 Design Awards. German developer Philipp Stollenmayer from Würzburg wins in the "Innovation" category with his game "PBJ – The Musical" – a handmade gaming experience about the absurdly comical love story between peanut butter and jelly. According to Apple, the app impresses with "its original implementation of classic narrative structures in a fresh, interactive format". >>> Apple / App Store