Inspiration: Trendspotting #1 2026 | Scotland

The Youth Bias

Who are we really leaving out of the story? In an industry obsessed with "going younger" to stay modern, we’re ignoring an extremely influential, high-spending cohort in the room: Gen X. We borrow their culture and remix their aesthetics - but do we actually value the people? Leith's new programme of work, “The Youth Bias”, explores how advertising misrepresents Gen X and why it's costing brands.

AI and the Death of the Brief

Are we going faster and cheaper — or deeper and braver? Generative AI is transforming creative production but is it improving the quality of thinking? This session puts the debate to the room across two perspectives. First, the bigger picture: what does AI mean for storytelling, creative craft and the ideas that make great work possible. Then the practical: how do you shape AI into a genuine thinking partner rather than a yes man? Two angles, one urgent question - where is AI genuinely adding creative value, and where is it eroding the craft that makes great work possible?

The New Shopper Mindset

What's really changing about how people shop — and what it means for your brand. The shopper of 2026 is more informed, more distracted and harder to win than ever. Discovery now happens across social feeds, loyalty apps, in-store screens and AI-powered search simultaneously. Physical retail is back - but on completely different terms. AI agents are beginning to make purchase decisions on the shopper's behalf. And GLP-1 weight loss drugs are reshaping basket habits, category loyalties and consumption patterns across food and drink. For Scotland's FMCG brands, where purchase decisions are made in seconds at shelf, understanding what's really driving behaviour right now has never mattered more.

Prove It.

Why the era of purpose statements is ending — and the era of purpose evidence is beginning. Is your brand purpose real or just well-worded? Is anyone talking about it other than you? DEI commitments are being shelved. Sustainability claims challenged in court. AI makes it easier than ever to say the right thing and harder than ever to be believed. But purpose marketing is also evolving - away from grand gestures and toward measurable commitments, local action and genuine proof. Purpose isn't dead. But the performance of it is. This session explores where purpose marketing is heading and makes the case that it only works when other people are doing the talking.