At one of the creative industry’s biggest gatherings, Advertising Week Europe, we had the opportunity to lead a conversation that’s becoming more relevant by the day: how to stand out in a world of infinite scroll.
With over 7,000 attendees, 350+ speakers, and three days packed with panels, workshops, and industry voices, AWE is where the future of content, marketing, and storytelling takes shape. Artlist took to the stage with a session focused on one of the most urgent content questions today: What makes people stop, watch, and connect?
Led by Eldad Weinberger, Creative Lead at Google, our panel brought together voices from brand, agency, and creator communities to explore how authenticity, storytelling, and craft are shaping the next chapter of content.
Here’s the thing: 63% of consumers trust what creators say about brands more than what brands say about themselves. That statistic alone reframes the challenge and the opportunity. In a content-saturated world, trust becomes the real differentiator.
“This session is about authentic storytelling, the kind that feels real, crafted, and genuinely valuable,” Eldad said as he opened the panel. “It’s how brands break through, build credibility, and create something people actually want to watch.”
Don’t shout louder. Earn attention.
Charlotte Greywoode, Head of Production at VML UK, kicked off the conversation with a powerful reminder: good content doesn’t interrupt — it earns its place.
“Substance doesn’t come from shouting louder,” she said. “It comes from making something people want to spend time with.”
Charlotte spoke candidly about the push-pull between agility and craft in agency life. While speed and budget pressures are real, she emphasizes that meaningful storytelling often comes from slowing down, listening deeply, and building with intention. A standout example? A campaign created with a deaf director and deaf talent for the hard-of-hearing community — a slower process, but one that deeply resonated.
“We learned so much through that process. The director rewrote the whole script to make it work for the deaf community. And that’s what made it truly authentic.”
Trust creators to know their audience
Travel photographer and Creative Director Luke Jackson-Clark (aka Watch Luke) knows a thing or two about storytelling. With 420K+ followers and a portfolio of high-end brand campaigns, Luke knows that trust is everything.
“The best brand projects happen when I get handed the trust,” Luke shared. “That trust comes in the form of creative freedom.”
He described how his most successful collaborations, like a six-month campaign with Omega that saw him photograph their Aquaterra watch in 12 countries, worked because he was trusted to tell the story in his own voice.
“It became one of their best-performing campaigns. And I truly believe that’s because the story was mine. It was real.”
Luke also gave a shoutout to Artlist, his longtime creative partner: “They’ve always focused on my content being authentic. That’s why our videos together consistently perform so well.”
Curation is the secret ingredient
That’s where Dikla Bengio, Global Partnerships Manager at Artlist, came in. With over 26 million users, Artlist is on the front lines of helping creators tell better stories faster — with tools designed for substance, not just speed.
“Every brand today needs a digital presence. But the demand for content is outpacing what most teams can handle,” Dikla said. “Our curation process helps creators focus on what really matters: storytelling.”
From royalty-free music and footage to AI tools and original templates, Artlist’s assets are handpicked and trend-informed. But what really makes them stand out is who creates them — real artists, sound designers, filmmakers, and voice actors.
“We recently sent a team to Tuvalu, a Pacific island threatened by rising sea levels, to capture authentic footage and sound. That’s how far we’ll go to make sure our library has real substance,” Dikla continued.
Handmade stories, lasting Impact
Tina Touli, Creative Director & Graphic Communication Designer, wrapped up the panel with a perspective on handcrafted design. Her work blends analog and digital techniques to create visuals that feel alive and deeply human.
“People are craving something they can almost touch,” Tina said. “That’s why brands come to me because handcrafted visuals carry texture and emotion.”
Her recent work for the Pentawards using liquid typography (oil and water) captured their values of creativity and transformation in an impactful way.
“When brands trust independent creators, we can bring a unique perspective. That’s what makes content memorable.”
She summed up her process beautifully: “It’s a creative handoff. I craft something with care, and someone else turns it into a story that’s uniquely theirs.”
Final thoughts: Stories that stick
So, what’s the takeaway for brands trying to make a mark in a crowded feed?
Start with trust. Lead with substance. Give your story the space to breathe.
As Eldad closed the session:
“Real stories, real voices, and real craft — that’s how we stand out in the scroll. Not by making more content. But by making content that matters.” To learn more about Artlist and how to create impactful stories today, talk to a member of the Artlist Business team here.
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