Recently, GumGum hosted leaders from across the marketing and media landscape for our inaugural Customer Advisory Board meeting. It was an opportunity to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and explore how technology, creativity, and context are shaping the next chapter of digital advertising.
The discussion reflected a shared reality: audiences are harder to reach than ever, and relevance is increasingly determined by the environment a message lives in and the mindset of the person encountering it. This perspective shaped every conversation, from how technology can deepen our understanding of context to how brands define and measure meaningful success.
Meeting Audiences in the Right Moment
Participants agreed that today’s most effective advertising depends less on traditional audience tactics and more on the environment and timing that surround each impression. Relevance now comes from understanding what consumers are engaging with and how they’re feeling in that moment.
When brands align their message with the surrounding content and audience mindset, they create a more natural exchange of attention that strengthens both trust and impact. This emphasizes the growing importance of emotional alignment with how tone, visuals, and storytelling need to reflect not just what people are doing, but how they want to feel.
Innovation with Clear Intention
A consistent theme throughout the session was clear: innovation should deepen understanding rather than prioritize automation for its own sake. The group explored how emerging technologies, including AI, can help marketers work more intelligently while keeping creativity and ethics at the center.
Participants highlighted several priorities for how technology should be applied:
- Use AI to support human creativity, not replace it
- Maintain transparency to build trust and accountability
- Balance efficiency with empathy to ensure meaningful outcomes
These discussions underscored a shared belief that technology should expand what is possible while people define what is right.
CTV and the Evolution of the Viewing Experience
As streaming continues to reshape how people consume content, CTV remains one of the most promising spaces for brands seeking meaningful engagement. Viewers now expect advertising that feels intentional and enhances the viewing experience instead of interrupting it.
The discussion emphasized that creative success in this space depends on balance. When storytelling aligns with the viewer’s mindset and reflects the tone of the surrounding content, brands can connect more naturally and leave a lasting impression. It is about reaching audiences on the biggest screen in the home while respecting how and why they are watching.
From Insights to Action
The conversations from our Customer Advisory Board reinforced a shared vision for the future of advertising, one built on context, mindset, and measurable outcomes. As technology evolves, the opportunity lies in creating experiences that are not only effective but also responsible and human.
We continue to refine how context and mindset can translate into measurable outcomes for brands and meaningful experiences for audiences.
Now is the time to evolve your strategy.
Use mindset-led insights to connect with audiences more authentically, measure more meaningfully, and prepare for what’s next in 2026.
