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We’re living through an attention crisis. Trust in media is fragile, audiences are splintering, and viewers scroll past content faster than it can load. For broadcast media, this isn’t a programming issue — it’s an existential one.
In this talk, Shingy maps the next three years of audience shift: the rise of micro-communities, emotional search, and AI-shaped media environments where attention is earned moment by moment, not inherited by brand or channel. He argues that the greatest risk for broadcasters today is playing it safe — because safe content doesn’t travel, doesn’t spark conversation, and doesn’t earn cultural relevance.
As linear viewing declines, platforms fragment, and younger audiences redefine what “media” even means, creativity is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the engine of growth. Brave ideas build loyalty, shape culture, and give broadcasters a reason to exist in an on-demand world.
To survive and thrive, broadcast leaders must stop thinking like schedulers and start thinking like culture-makers — because in an attention economy, relevance isn’t owned. It’s created.
David "Shingy" Shing, a Creative Omnivore and visionary futurist, pioneers the frontier of human technological engagement with his philosophy:"
From Imagination to Implementation of Ideas, Iconography, Instinct.” This globally acclaimed thought leader has transformed icons like LVMH, Chanel and Nike with his strategic forecasts, captivating audiences from TED to Cannes Lions with insights on humanising technology. Shingy’s boundless creativity and design mastery establish him as a preeminent authority in crafting iconic identities. His razor-sharp instinct, visual artistry, and verbal eloquence make him an indispensable advisor, orchestrating transformative think tanks for global leaders and nurturing cultural trailblazers.
Championing mindful technological engagement, Shingy's visionary leadership shapes a more enlightened digital future, turning bold ideas into tangible realities that redefine our world.
To succeed in the attention economy, you need to understand the rules of culture and the invisible codes that decide what gets watched, shared, and talked about. Whether we realise it or not, these codes shape social status, taste, and relevance. They are the currencies audiences trade in every day.
These hidden signals determine what feels cool, authentic, and worth committing time to. But in a fragmented media landscape shaped by subcultures, fandoms, and fast-shifting values, no single idea of status works for everyone. When shows, campaigns, or creative platforms misread these signals, even big budgets and strong ideas can land flat, feeling forced, try-hard, or out of step with the moment.
In this talk, Nick McFarlane explores how culture and status drive attention in Aotearoa New Zealand, and what that means for people making content for mass audiences. Drawing on semiotics, behavioural science, and cultural analysis, he shows that status is not about shouting
louder or chasing trends. It is about understanding which values, symbols, and rituals audiences recognise as meaningful right now. As competition for attention intensifies, mastering these invisible rules becomes a creative survival skill.
It helps advertisers and content makers stop fighting the audience, design ideas that align with how people see themselves, and create work that does not just interrupt culture, but clicks with it.
Nick McFarlane is a creative force with a mission: to tell the stories that drive positive change at scale. A veteran of the industry, he's bridged the gap between creative and design at many agencies within the Clemenger Group, including Raydar, Clems Shop and Colenso BBDO.
He now leads Semiotic, a brand consultancy focused on understanding how culture, status, and meaning shape behaviour. Through this work, Semiotic have developed the Status Shift tool; a framework for analysing how social currency operates across different groups – which is used in his presentations to explore why some ideas gain traction while others quietly fail.
These are the big ones — the most outstanding promos from around the globe in 2025 - including the winners from ANZ, AFRICA & ANZ 2025.
Jacob is Creative Director at Sky, leading the team across free-to-air promos, integrations and streaming.
He’s driven by bold, entertaining, story-led work that shapes brands and emotion, collaborating closely with teams to create standout creative with craft, clarity and a sense of humour.
His experience spans broadcast, streaming and digital, with expertise in brand design, integrated campaigns, UX, experiential installations and large-scale screen productions, along with extensive experience across live broadcast and streaming platforms.
Jacob has worked on projects for networks and platforms around the world, including Sky, TVNZ, Warner Bros. Discovery, Foxtel, Channels 7, 9 and 10, ESPN, ITV and BBC.