Kenyatta Collins on why embracing uncertainty is reshaping advertising

If I had to summarize the spirit of Possible Miami in a single word, it would be: unlearning.

From the SVP of Telemundo to the CEO of Group Black, from agency execs to nonprofit leaders, the underlying theme of “we are building the plane as we fly it,” was refreshingly consistent. That may sound terrifying to the uninitiated, but to anyone who’s worked in this industry long enough, it feels honest, liberating, even. For far too long, there’s been a pretence erected that encouraged posturing in the face of progress. This forced unnecessary mistakes and increased the dissonance between the reality of the markets and consumer behavior and the fantasy of control being subscribed to.

AI is here, you can end the speculation 

Yes, there was a heavy focus on AI at Possible. There were panels dissecting its impact on creative production, media buying, content personalization, and beyond. Even books such as “The AI Conundrum” by Caleb and Rex Briggs and “Generation AI”, by Matt Britton were available for guests to pick up and use as resource material. But the truly striking part was the posture felt around it. No one brand showed up triumphant, but none came in terror either; so many came with a calm sense of curiosity in the face of uncertainty. Executives spoke candidly about what they didn’t know and how much they were learning in real time. There was no pretending that we had a roadmap for the next few decades of the artform.

Instead, there was a quiet (and sometimes loud) acknowledgment that AI will redefine what we do, who gets to do it, and the need to engage with eyes wide open. I sat in on Adweek House’s programming and saw leaders such as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Maker AI, Celeny Da Silva, and Head of Travel & Growth, AMER for Trip Advisor, Allison Lambroza, openly discuss desire, demand, consumer sentiment, brand narratives, and how these things will be impacted by AI. 

This matters because when an entire industry embraces learning over legacy, new seats at the table become possible. And more than ever, people realize the table itself might need to change.

The myth of the perfect expert is dying

If the last decade was dominated by the creator whisperer, the influencer, the personal brand as prophet, we’re witnessing the decline of that archetype. The smartest people in the rooms at Possible weren’t putting up facades and pretending or trying to control the narrative; they were trying to understand it. There’s power in that. We’re still operating in a world where political division, environmental pressure, and economic disparity are dominating news cycles. And while many brands are pulling back from bold stances, there was other quiet consensus at Possible was fear to act and not acting at all would be much worse than acting and learning through experience.

The best conversations I heard all week were about people, access, the impact still to be had to raise the standards across markets, trust, and how brands can go from being just self-aggrandizing billboards, to being scaffolding for communities. It wasn’t all idealism, quantifiable data and ROI still mattered, but there was a sense that impact and revenue are not mutually exclusive and there was still more to learn about that relationship.

“People are still buying”

This might be the most encouraging insight from the entire week. Despite inflation, despite polarization, despite the chaos of constant reinvention, consumers are still engaging and spending, even if with a more discerning palette. In one of the final talks to close the conference, Pinterest’s CEO Bill Ready emphasized just how much consumers were shopping throughout his presentation. Not only is the growing platform seeing this through an increase in shopping through Pinterest directly, but Ready reported the increase in better quality ads came with an increase in purchases, users, and intent to purchase through higher per user engagement. 

If Possible showed me anything, it’s that we are finally stepping into a new phase of this industry’s life. The teenage rebellion of digital disruption is behind us. The awkward twenties of chasing every new platform that shows up are starting to slow.

Now, we’re entering adulthood and the stakes are real.

This is where we stop trying to impress everyone, and start focusing on doing what matters to our companies and our customers. It’s where collaboration trumps blind competition because who cares if you sit on the iron throne when you’re ruling over a pile of ash and bones. It’s all about the long-game now, and you build with a different value system at play when you shift from short-term success being your north star.

So, keep listening and learning with the intent to build for the bigger picture. I left Possible not with more answers, but with better questions, and I think that’s the point when you’re around your peers in an environment where you’re consistently reminded about what’s possible.

The best minds in this business are finally saying what should have been said long ago: “We don’t know everything. But we want to learn. And we want to learn together.”

If that’s the future of advertising, count me in.