MOI Scoop
Christmas
Games
Turning Heads
Social
Trends
ISSUE #25
DEC 25
THE ‘GIFT OF STORIES’ ISSUE
MOI Global creatives are often asked where we get our inspiration. The answer is always the same: anywhere and everywhere.
Take a stroll through this set of head-turning art, copy, ads, literature, culture, and trends that inspire us. And some of our original work that proves we take notice of what we see, when we look around. Features images and articles from multiple online sources, shared for inspiration purposes only, not commercial use. © various owners (see URLs throughout for more information).
Creator of The Bookability Formula and a former international speaker bureau owner, Maria Franzoni is a master speaker. With over 25 years in the industry, she helps speakers get booked with practical, proven, and commercially focused strategies. We had the chance to pick her brain...
MOI: What does it take to stand out as a speaker?
Maria: To stand out, you need to be relevant, talking about what truly matters to the audience right now, and memorable, leaving an impression that lasts long after the event. In a crowded market, it’s not about being different for the sake of it, but about being distinctly you in a way that solves a real problem for the audience.
MOI: How does a speaker really get to understand their audience?
Maria: The best speakers ask a lot of questions and then listen. They don’t assume to know the answers. They ask the right questions, learn who’s in the room, what their challenges are, and what success looks like for the event. The deeper the insight, the greater the connection and the more lasting the impact.
MOI: How can speakers provide more value to their audience as subject matter experts?
Maria: Expertise alone isn’t enough; value comes from interpretation. Great speakers translate their knowledge into practical, usable insights that help people do or think differently. It’s about relevance and application, not just information.
These days, more and more organizers are also looking for an experience, so it’s not enough to just have great practical content, you also need to deliver it really well.
MOI: What advice would you give to anyone thinking about becoming a professional speaker?
Maria: Don’t just learn to speak, learn the business of speaking. And don’t underestimate how much of your time will be spent finding and getting the bookings versus being on stage. So, the first step is to understand who books speakers, what they buy, and how to position yourself as the most relevant choice for their event. Professional speaking needs to be treated like a business, not a hobby.
Creator of The Bookability Formula and a former international speaker bureau owner, Maria Franzoni is a master speaker. With over 25 years in the industry, she helps speakers get booked with practical, proven, and commercially focused strategies. We had the chance to pick her brain...
MOI: What does it take to stand out as a speaker?
Maria: To stand out, you need to be relevant, talking about what truly matters to the audience right now, and memorable, leaving an impression that lasts long after the event. In a crowded market, it’s not about being different for the sake of it, but about being distinctly you in a way that solves a real problem for the audience.
MOI: How does a speaker really get to understand their audience?
Maria: The best speakers ask a lot of questions and then listen. They don’t assume to know the answers. They ask the right questions, learn who’s in the room, what their challenges are, and what success looks like for the event. The deeper the insight, the greater the connection and the more lasting the impact.
MOI: How can speakers provide more value to their audience as subject matter experts?
Maria: Expertise alone isn’t enough; value comes from interpretation. Great speakers translate their knowledge into practical, usable insights that help people do or think differently. It’s about relevance and application, not just information.
These days, more and more organizers are also looking for an experience, so it’s not enough to just have great practical content, you also need to deliver it really well.
MOI: What advice would you give to anyone thinking about becoming a professional speaker?
Maria: Don’t just learn to speak, learn the business of speaking. And don’t underestimate how much of your time will be spent finding and getting the bookings versus being on stage. So, the first step is to understand who books speakers, what they buy, and how to position yourself as the most relevant choice for their event. Professional speaking needs to be treated like a business, not a hobby.
MOI: Which speakers have recently turned your head, and why?
Maria: I always dread this question because it’s impossible to answer without upsetting someone. It also needs context. I could name a speaker I think is brilliant, but they might be a terrible fit for someone else reading this, who’d wonder why on earth I suggested them. So instead, I’ll tell you what makes me sit up and take notice. I’m drawn to speakers who bring something fresh: a unique perspective, a new angle, or an insight that makes me stop and think. Those are the ones who truly capture my attention, the ones who challenge my thinking.
MOI: What inspires you outside of the speaking world?
Maria: I love watching legal dramas and well-written series or films. A brilliant courtroom summing-up is, to me, a masterclass in public speaking; it’s persuasive, emotional, and purposeful. I’m also drawn to crime thrillers and clever storytelling, because at its heart, speaking is about telling stories that move people. I love stories.
MOI: Where do you see the speaker market going in the next few years?
Maria: What’s interesting is how little is changing, rather than how much. Despite new formats, technologies, and hybrid options, speaking is still about people coming together to connect, learn, and be inspired and I think that will always remain at its core. Get that right and you will always be relevant to whatever is happening in the speaking market.
MOI: Which speakers have recently turned your head, and why?
Maria: I always dread this question because it’s impossible to answer without upsetting someone. It also needs context. I could name a speaker I think is brilliant, but they might be a terrible fit for someone else reading this, who’d wonder why on earth I suggested them. So instead, I’ll tell you what makes me sit up and take notice. I’m drawn to speakers who bring something fresh: a unique perspective, a new angle, or an insight that makes me stop and think. Those are the ones who truly capture my attention, the ones who challenge my thinking.
MOI: What inspires you outside of the speaking world?
Maria: I love watching legal dramas and well-written series or films. A brilliant courtroom summing-up is, to me, a masterclass in public speaking; it’s persuasive, emotional, and purposeful. I’m also drawn to crime thrillers and clever storytelling, because at its heart, speaking is about telling stories that move people. I love stories.
MOI: Where do you see the speaker market going in the next few years?
Maria: What’s interesting is how little is changing, rather than how much. Despite new formats, technologies, and hybrid options, speaking is still about people coming together to connect, learn, and be inspired and I think that will always remain at its core. Get that right and you will always be relevant to whatever is happening in the speaking market.
The BFG is back for Sainsbury's Christmas 2025 – and this time he brings Annie with him, a real Sainsbury's employee. Together, they save festive Christmas spreads from a ravenous giant, keeping Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range front and center.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Read here
Described by Knightley as “silly, fun and delicious,” Waitrose's 2025 Christmas ad is a massive hit, wrapping genuine warmth in playful storytelling. It’s a love letter not just to Christmas romance, but to the supermarket’s own role in Britain’s collective festive imagination.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Read hereThis year's John Lewis Christmas ad is a love letter to fathers and sons and all the things they can't say. Featuring a nostalgic musical throwback to the 90s, we see a father relive his own youth, and his son's, all in a matter of seconds. No words, just storytelling that feels both familiar and new.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Read here
The BFG is back for Sainsbury's Christmas 2025 – and this time he brings Annie with him, a real Sainsbury's employee. Together, they save festive Christmas spreads from a ravenous giant, keeping Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range front and center.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Described by Knightley as “silly, fun and delicious,” Waitrose's 2025 Christmas ad is a massive hit, wrapping genuine warmth in playful storytelling. It’s a love letter not just to Christmas romance, but to the supermarket’s own role in Britain’s collective festive imagination.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
This year's John Lewis Christmas ad is a love letter to fathers and sons and all the things they can't say. Featuring a nostalgic musical throwback to the 90s, we see a father relive his own youth, and his son's, all in a matter of seconds. No words, just storytelling that feels both familiar and new.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Clash Royale: Heroes Take the Crown
The "Heroes Take the Crown" video is an action-packed, eight-minute animated short film created to announce the highly anticipated "Heroes" feature in the mobile game Clash Royale.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Watch hereGrand Theft Auto VI
Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming open-world game set in the fictional modern-day state of Leonida (Florida), starring a romantic criminal duo, Lucia and Jason. The highly anticipated title promises a massive, detailed Vice City environment and refined gameplay mechanics when it launches in 2026.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Watch here
Gears of War: E-Day
Gears of War: E-Day is an upcoming horror-focused prequel game set 14 years before the original, following beloved characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during the initial, chaotic invasion of the Locust Horde. The game will focus on the origins of the war and is currently scheduled for release in 2026.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Watch here
Clash Royale: Heroes Take the Crown
The "Heroes Take the Crown" video is an action-packed, eight-minute animated short film created to announce the highly anticipated "Heroes" feature in the mobile game Clash Royale.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Grand Theft Auto VI
Grand Theft Auto VI is an upcoming open-world game set in the fictional modern-day state of Leonida (Florida), starring a romantic criminal duo, Lucia and Jason. The highly anticipated title promises a massive, detailed Vice City environment and refined gameplay mechanics when it launches in 2026.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Gears of War: E-Day
Gears of War: E-Day is an upcoming horror-focused prequel game set 14 years before the original, following beloved characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago during the initial, chaotic invasion of the Locust Horde. The game will focus on the origins of the war and is currently scheduled for release in 2026.
Image and article courtesy © Creative Boom
Turning Heads™
Why creative
thinking should be
a feature article.
(What? In this case…
is brand!)
At MOI, we have our own proprietary ‘way’ that we approach creative and divergent thinking and problem solving which we call Turning Heads.
We use Turning Heads to help B2B brands rethink the role of brand—not as some fluffy, surface-level exercise, but as a critical component of growth.
Our philosophy? Brand is your biggest differentiator, especially in a space where everyone’s shouting about features and functions. With the right strategy, brand can elevate your value proposition, create emotional connections, and, yes, turn heads. It’s time to think differently about what your brand can do—because being the smartest person in the room isn’t enough if no one’s listening, but neither is being the most outrageously dressed if no-one’s taking you seriously!
(What? In this case… is brand!)
Written by Nicky Kemp
Humans have chased perfection for generations. Then AI came along, and suddenly it didn’t feel so out of reach. We were given a tool that allows us to finetune, polish and fabricate things that don’t even exist, all in a matter of minutes. And as a result, creativity and storytelling changed almost overnight.
But unlike traditional progress trajectories, AI isn’t displacing old-school creativity. In an act of defiance, it almost seems to be encouraging it.
Take last year’s Coca-Cola Christmas ad – their first ever entirely AI-generated spot. It certainly delivered on spectacle, but some viewers were left feeling a tad cold. Not necessarily disappointed, just less connected. It lacked the emotional storytelling that audiences typically associate with the campaign. This year’s attempt didn’t fare much better. Technologically impressive, but strangely hollow.
Here’s where things get interesting. While AI continues to take center stage, us Creatives couldn’t help but notice what feels like a resurgence in human craftsmanship. Work that feels tactile, analogue, and even a little imperfect.
Telstra animated a tiny town with painstaking stop-motion. Greenfield Natural Meat Co. filmed a single-take ad with a live-recorded soundtrack and hand-painted OOH murals. Quorn revived full Muppets-style puppetry. And Waitrose delivered one of the only festive ads this year with a tangible, human plot.
These brands could have leant into the polished appeal of AI. But instead, they chose processes where the imperfections become part of the story. The slight wobble of a puppet, the texture of a painted wall. They’re unmistakably human and real.
This goes deeper than a trend. It’s psychology. Humans have always gravitated toward flaws. Fictional characters are easier to connect with when they’re imperfect, and the same applies to brands. It’s why handheld, unedited videos often outperform sleek studio content. The rawness feels more trustworthy. More human.
None of this is to say that AI is going anywhere any time soon – nor that it should. It’s pushing creativity further and forcing brands to think differently. But there’s something to be said about the fact that human creativity is still here. It’s still needed. Because in a world that’s flooded with synthetic perfection, perhaps it takes something imperfectly real to truly connect.
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Humans have chased perfection for generations. Then AI came along, and suddenly it didn’t feel so out of reach. We were given a tool that allows us to finetune, polish and fabricate things that don’t even exist, all in a matter of minutes. And as a result, creativity and storytelling changed almost overnight.
But unlike traditional progress trajectories, AI isn’t displacing old-school creativity. In an act of defiance, it almost seems to be encouraging it.
Take last year’s Coca-Cola Christmas ad – their first ever entirely AI-generated spot. It certainly delivered on spectacle, but some viewers were left feeling a tad cold. Not necessarily disappointed, just less connected. It lacked the emotional storytelling that audiences typically associate with the campaign. This year’s attempt didn’t fare much better. Technologically impressive, but strangely hollow.
Here’s where things get interesting. While AI continues to take center stage, us Creatives couldn’t help but notice what feels like a resurgence in human craftsmanship. Work that feels tactile, analogue, and even a little imperfect.
Telstra animated a tiny town with painstaking stop-motion. Greenfield Natural Meat Co. filmed a single-take ad with a live-recorded soundtrack and hand-painted OOH murals. Quorn revived full Muppets-style puppetry. And Waitrose delivered one of the only festive ads this year with a tangible, human plot.
These brands could have leant into the polished appeal of AI. But instead, they chose processes where the imperfections become part of the story. The slight wobble of a puppet, the texture of a painted wall. They’re unmistakably human and real.
This goes deeper than a trend. It’s psychology. Humans have always gravitated toward flaws. Fictional characters are easier to connect with when they’re imperfect, and the same applies to brands. It’s why handheld, unedited videos often outperform sleek studio content. The rawness feels more trustworthy. More human.
None of this is to say that AI is going anywhere any time soon – nor that it should. It’s pushing creativity further and forcing brands to think differently. But there’s something to be said about the fact that human creativity is still here. It’s still needed. Because in a world that’s flooded with synthetic perfection, perhaps it takes something imperfectly real to truly connect.
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Indeed tells a story we can all relate to: the dreaded job search. But with oversized suits, giant resumes, and even a cow, they advertise their new AI job search agent in spectacular fashion, bringing out both the humor and the pains of the experience.
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Read here
Willow Wealth (renamed from Yieldstreet) takes the classic story of Humpty Dumpty and spins it on its head. Reimagined as Hampton Dumpty, a man with a giant egg for a head, they use the tale to represent the volatility and stability of the public and private market relationship.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Read herePutting a chaotic spin on a holiday classic—The Twelve Days of Christmas—Ikea shows what it’d really be like if somebody received the gifts in the carol. So, why not just buy them Ikea instead?
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Read here
Indeed tells a story we can all relate to: the dreaded job search. But with oversized suits, giant resumes, and even a cow, they advertise their new AI job search agent in spectacular fashion, bringing out both the humor and the pains of the experience.
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Willow Wealth (renamed from Yieldstreet) takes the classic story of Humpty Dumpty and spins it on its head. Reimagined as Hampton Dumpty, a man with a giant egg for a head, they use the tale to represent the volatility and stability of the public and private market relationship.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Putting a chaotic spin on a holiday classic—The Twelve Days of Christmas—Ikea shows what it’d really be like if somebody received the gifts in the carol. So, why not just buy them Ikea instead?
Image and article courtesy © Muse by Clios
Nostalgia and tech blended into one. This Christmas ad from Google sees a reprisal of Macaulay Culkin as Kevin. Except this time, he uses Google Assistant to do everything for him. A familiar story with a modern twist.
Image and article courtesy © thebusinessmagnets
Watch hereAttention spans are waning and stories are going bitesize. Just check out these 'micro dramas' from Singapore-based company, DramaBox. Considered the 'next big thing' in streaming, these episodes run at just 1-3 minutes long each. And viewers are hooked!
Image and article courtesy © DramaBox
Watch here
The Grinch becoming a meme in 2025? That wasn't on our Bingo card. The official Dr. Seuss TikTok account has had a full Grinchmas takeover, with a series of holiday-themed videos, popular YouTube show parodies, and pop culture references, bringing the iconic character into modern digital life.
Image and article courtesy © Dr Seuss, TikTok
Watch here
Nostalgia and tech blended into one. This Christmas ad from Google sees a reprisal of Macaulay Culkin as Kevin. Except this time, he uses Google Assistant to do everything for him. A familiar story with a modern twist.
Image and article courtesy © thebusinessmagnets
Attention spans are waning and stories are going bitesize. Just check out these 'micro dramas' from Singapore-based company, DramaBox. Considered the 'next big thing' in streaming, these episodes run at just 1-3 minutes long each. And viewers are hooked!
Image and article courtesy © DramaBox
The Grinch becoming a meme in 2025? That wasn't on our Bingo card. The official Dr. Seuss TikTok account has had a full Grinchmas takeover, with a series of holiday-themed videos, popular YouTube show parodies, and pop culture references, bringing the iconic character into modern digital life.
Image and article courtesy © Dr Seuss, TikTok
How brands tell their stories has changed. It's no longer about polished, controlled narratives. Instead, brands are starting to think less like businesses and more like creators – prioritizing stories that feel human.
Evian's 'Drink True' campaign celebrates authenticity, transparency and honesty. It doesn't shout about how Evian is the 'superior' choice – it simply takes you on the water's journey, so the audience feels PART of the story.
Image and article courtesy © Evian
Read hereInfluencer-first storytelling is also taking center stage, with brands like Pepsi collaborating with creators across music, gaming and fashion to tell stories of self-expression in a way that felt organic and real.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Read here
The "Oreo Twist Challenge" took the brand's iconic ritual (twist, lick, dunk) and turned it into a story for fans to partake in. With TikTok challenges, influencer skits and a trending hashtag, it accumulated over 1 billion TikTok views and proved that simple things can become massive cultural moments when you make the customer the storyteller.
Image and article courtesy © Cool Nerds Marketing, TikTok
How brands tell their stories has changed. It's no longer about polished, controlled narratives. Instead, brands are starting to think less like businesses and more like creators – prioritizing stories that feel human.
Evian's 'Drink True' campaign celebrates authenticity, transparency and honesty. It doesn't shout about how Evian is the 'superior' choice – it simply takes you on the water's journey, so the audience feels PART of the story.
Image and article courtesy © Evian
Influencer-first storytelling is also taking center stage, with brands like Pepsi collaborating with creators across music, gaming and fashion to tell stories of self-expression in a way that felt organic and real.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
The "Oreo Twist Challenge" took the brand's iconic ritual (twist, lick, dunk) and turned it into a story for fans to partake in. With TikTok challenges, influencer skits and a trending hashtag, it accumulated over 1 billion TikTok views and proved that simple things can become massive cultural moments when you make the customer the storyteller.
Image and article courtesy © Cool Nerds Marketing, TikTok
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