This Indie Spin featuring 4 million organic impressions from a Kotex cultural moment, agencies treating AI like therapy rather than threat, and the annual indie pilgrimage to Cannes
When Indie Agency News member 8AM Creative opened their post with “Fade in on an exceptionally well-written caption about transitions. Star wipe to a second sentence”, they delivered a masterclass in self-aware content creation. Meanwhile, Need Pastel embraced radical minimalism by posting just two emojis — 🤷🏻😌 — proving that sometimes less really is more. And VaynerMedia showed the power of cultural listening, helping U by Kotex turn a cultural signal into nearly 4 million organic impressions by truly understanding how their audience communicates.
🥨 The Snack Food Truth Bomb
When agencies finally admit what we already know
Mischief @ No Fixed Address discovered that more than 50% of Goldfish are consumed by adults, leading to their Chilean Sea Bass limited-time rebrand. Same shape, same taste, same everything—just a grown-up name. The results? Double-digit percentage sales growth within weeks, 14.5 billion earned media impressions worth $23M in paid equivalent, and the most successful PR campaign in the brand’s history.
TravelBoom Hotel Marketing shared their passion for data-driven hotel marketing, bringing analytics to an industry that needs every advantage it can get.
Portland State University – School of Business highlighted their career services team, who help students navigate the job market with actual human support and personalized guidance.
🤖 The AI Support Group Sessions
Where agencies work through their replacement anxiety together
Chameleon Collective‘s Caleb Ludwick wants everyone to stop panicking: AI doesn’t kill creativity, it challenges us to sharpen it.
Mower Agency opened #ANAb2B with IBM’s Roopa Maniktala, delivering the line of the week: “AI can mimic style, but it can’t fake conviction”.
Giant Spoon leaned into the possibilities by using Google’s just-launched Veo 3 AI video platform to explore what’s real when nothing looks real anymore — a timely creative experiment.
📱 The Tech Plot Twists Nobody Saw Coming
Except everyone who’s been paying attention
Klick noticed that Google has pivoted on privacy… again, with Kristy Quagliariello explaining why Chrome’s cookie-consent reversal represents “a retreat from a cookieless future.”
Drake Cooper proudly announced creating Boise, Idaho’s first broadcast spot shot entirely on iPhone 15 Pro for Lakepointe — embracing new production methods for Pacific Northwest storytelling.
🎪 The Cannes Preparation Committee
Where everyone pretends they’re going for the sessions
STRIKE will be at Cannes Lions with creative climate allies Lucy von Sturmer and Thomas Kolster, promising to connect, get inspired, and share exciting news (translation: rosé on the beach). Togetherwith expressed genuine enthusiasm about Santiago Puiggari, Brandi Lafontaine and Heidi Singleton representing at the festival. VaynerMedia is hosting pre-Cannes cocktails because apparently the actual festival doesn’t have enough drinking opportunities.
🏆 The Recognition Industrial Complex
Awards, appointments, and other things to update your LinkedIn about
Uncharted celebrated their first US TV campaign making Ad Age’s creative highlights, directed by rising talent Florence Poppy Deary in her first project since signing with the agency.
Brandon cracked Charlotte’s 2025 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list for the fifth straight year, demonstrating remarkable consistency.
VaynerMedia‘s President of the Americas and Global Chief Media Officer John Terrana joined The List: 2025, Ad Age and Meta’s recognition of industry leadership.
💊 The Healthcare Reality Check
Where agencies admit medicine is complicated
Klick dropped two healthcare insights this week. First, they introduced Guardrail™, their “glass box” transparency tool for pharma compliance that explains every flag with evidence-backed insights. Then they explored “time toxicity” in cancer treatment — the often-overlooked burden of travel, waiting, and recovery.
Club CMO acknowledged that navigating executive roles isn’t straightforward as the workforce evolves and becomes more fluid.
🎨 The Creative Philosophy Corner
Where agencies explain why they do what they do
Mother in Shanghai decided Mother’s Day shouldn’t be limited to one day, collaborating with UNIQLO on a collection that extends appreciation beyond Hallmark holidays.
Buntin shared thoughts on keeping creativity center stage in an industry that sometimes pushes it to the margins.
Storythings published their first B Corp Annual Impact Report, celebrating their commitment to using business as a force for good.
🌎 The Global Perspective File
Because not everything happens in North America
Reverve Agency‘s Lauren Douglass got quoted in Campaign US discussing the industry’s advice to new grads — always exciting to see member agencies featured in major publications.
Barrett Hofherr worked with HotelTonight and Airbnb on their first-ever travel perk campaign, bringing two travel giants together in a new partnership.
Curiosity featured host Ashley Walters and Mischief’s Oliver Graves discussing how in this business, it’s sink or stir — an intriguing take on industry survival.
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