Welcome to Seichō 2026: Opening remarks from our UK&I CEO Annette Male
In her opening address at Seichō 2026, Annette Male, CEO of dentsu UK & Ireland, sets the context for this year’s theme: Navigating Change. She explores the forces shaping today’s business landscape from rapid technological advancement and AI to shifting consumer sentiment and wider economic and societal uncertainty.
Annette highlights how brands and leaders can respond with clarity and confidence, using insight, creativity and collaboration to turn disruption into opportunity.
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From Budget to Basket: How Consumer Intent Just Shifted and What It Means for 2026 | Report
Link to Find out moreNavigating Change: A Brand Leader's Perspective with Matt Landeman
In this session at Seichō 2026, dentsu’s UK&I Chief Client Officer Matt Landeman is joined by senior leaders from some of the world’s most influential brands to explore how organisations are navigating change in real time.
Together, the panel discuss how brands are responding to economic pressure, evolving consumer expectations and organisational transformation while continuing to drive growth and relevance. Drawing on their own experiences, they share practical insights into decision-making, brand leadership and the strategies helping them adapt in an increasingly complex landscape.
Panel features: Kate Waters | Client Strategy & Commercial Marketing Director, ITV, Maria Koutsadakis | Chief Brand Officer VodafoneThree, Arjoon Bose | VP, Marketing, Coach
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The real skill CMOs need now isn’t creativity or data; it’s orchestration | Blog
Link to Read morePowering Intelligence: Data, Technology and the Rise of Agentic AI
In this Seichō 2026 session, dentsu leaders Ben Gott, Matt Willifer and Rachel Leaver explore how data and technology are transforming the way brands make decisions and create value.
Through a live demonstration of Poppy, dentsu’s agentic AI system, the team show how high-quality data can power intelligent systems capable of analysing audience signals, generating insight and responding in real time. Using a fictional brand scenario, the session brings to life how agentic AI can help marketers test ideas, understand audiences and move from data to action faster than ever before.
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Powering Intelligence Through Data: From Collection To Connection | Report
Link to Find out moreFrom Intelligence to Ideas: AI-Powered Creative with Idea Builder
In this session at Seichō 2026, Joe Newcombe demonstrates how brands can move from insight to impactful creative faster than ever before with Idea Builder, dentsu’s AI-powered solution for generating reactive, scalable ideas.
Building on the intelligence surfaced through Poppy, dentsu’s agentic AI system, Joe shows how real-time audience signals and data can help teams identify a catalysing idea; a creative concept that can quickly evolve into content and campaigns across channels. The session highlights how AI can support creative teams by accelerating ideation while keeping ideas grounded in genuine audience insight.
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Think Like a Fashion Designer: Rethinking Media for a New Era
In this Seichō 2026 session, Mike Florence challenges brands to rethink how they approach media by encouraging marketers to “think like a fashion designer.”
Just as designers craft collections tailored to different audiences, moments and contexts, Mike explores how brands must move beyond one-size-fits-all planning and instead design bespoke media strategies that blend creativity, data and AI. By understanding audiences more deeply and tailoring media experiences to specific needs and behaviours, brands can create marketing that feels more personal, relevant and impactful.
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Fandom, Sport and the Power of Communities
In the final session of the morning at Seichō 2026, Jessica Tamsedge, CEO of dentsu Creative, was joined by the NFL and Adobe, the discussed how sport has become one of the most powerful cultural platforms for connection, where passionate fan communities create identity, belonging and shared experiences.
From grassroots participation to global sporting moments, they explored how brands can move beyond traditional sponsorship to actively participate in fandom helping fans feel closer to the teams, players and moments they love. By engaging authentically with communities and understanding the culture surrounding sport, brands can build deeper, more meaningful relationships with audiences and remain relevant in an increasingly fragmented attention landscape.
Panel features: Henry Hodgson | General Manager UK, NFL, Simon Morris | Vice President of International Marketing, Adobe
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Connecting Data, CX and Growth: A Fireside Conversation
To close the Partner Forum, Chris Freeland, CEO, Merkle, joined Tom Wallis, Chief Customer Officer, Compare the Market, for a fireside conversation on how brands can connect data, customer experience and technology to drive meaningful growth.
Drawing on real-world experience, the discussion explored how modern organisations are using data and insight to better understand their customers and deliver more personalised, effective experiences. The session highlighted how strong collaboration between brands, agencies and partners can unlock new opportunities for innovation and performance in an increasingly complex marketing ecosystem.
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Seichō 2026 is just the beginning.
Real change happens when inspiration turns into action.
If Seichō has sparked new ideas for your brand, let’s continue the conversation.
Contact dentsu by filling out the form to explore how we can help you drive meaningful growth and future-proof your business.
