It’s that time of year again as East London gets ready to host the latest iteration of MAD//Fest, set to be bigger and better than ever fresh.
Centred around the habitually vibrant ‘Be Less Boring’ strapline, MAD//Fest 2025 is returning once again to Shoreditch’s Truman Brewery and will bring together a mammoth 15,000 brands and agencies for three days of big name speakers and an awful lot of networking.
Taking place from 1 to 3 July, this year’s edition will include a headline talk from actor and comedian Richard Ayoade, space scientist Dr Maggie Pocock and legendary stand-up and presenter Jimmy Carr.
Big names
These headliners are perhaps the only place to start – and in this, MAD//Fest has previous.
This year then is set to supercharge the celebrity tradition, with appearances from three big names within the UK broadcasting scene, alongside of course MAD//Fest’s resident guru Rory Sutherland.
Other stars set to offer their take on the marketing and branding worlds will include former paralympic star Tanni Grey-Thompson and industry stalwart Sir Martin Sorrell.
Speaking ahead of opening day, co-founder Dan Brain told Marketing Beat: “Our 2025 MAD//Fest theme is ‘Be Less Boring’ and this year’s festival is anything but dull.
“Expect insights on how top CMOs and agency royalty are building long-term growth and proving that marketing is a shrewd investment as businesses plan for disruption.
He continued: “There’s a huge number of colourful activations from top brands, agencies and platforms, a series of real pitch briefs, and vibrant spaces to connect you with the marketing world. All washed down with generous helpings of wisdom from Rory Sutherland, naturally.”
Brand challenges
Some of the world’s biggest brands including L’Oreal, Lego, Mars, Skyscanner, Clarins and Jack Daniels will take part in brand challenges in partnership with Co:Cubed.
Open to all attendees, the challenges range from balancing authenticity and consumer needs to harnessing the power of AI to double productivity and enhance creative ideation.
Also created in partnership with Cocreatd, successful applicants will be able to pitch, create and launch a business during the fest as part of a new brand challenge.
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New for 2025
For the first time this year, the festival will be running a MAD//Sports exclusive event – what the organisers are terming “eventception” – which will aim to unite leaders from sport, media, marketing, and culture.
The new initiative will additionally seek to unpack the “seismic shifts” reshaping the global sporting landscape, from evolving fan behaviours to tech disruption, new ownership models, and the ever-expanding role of sport in culture and society.
Launched in partnership with sports business network SIG, the event will run on 3 July and will be centred around how to help brands “navigate the evolving sports landscape.”
Bars, food and parties
As ever, MAD//Fest will include a varied line-up of popular street food and drink options. Set to be capped by an “epic party” featuring a two-hour set from Horse Meat Disco.
This year’s event will also a include a new Havana Club Social and brand activation by Lina Stores and popular Japanese food chain Sticks’N’Sushi.
Final countdown
With just one day to go before the big event, the British advertising and marketing sectors are truly abuzz with anticipation ahead of what is the UK’s largest annual industry festival.
Centred around the concept of disruption, MAD//Fest will once again offer an alternative to the stuffy, lacklustre atmosphere that plague so many other events of its kind, bringing its unique brand of dynamism and modern exuberance back to Shoreditch.
But despite its fun, colourful exterior – it shouldn’t be forgotten that some of the world’s biggest brands and marketers will be in attendance – making this year’s edition an absolute must.
