AI is a daily topic of conversation here at Outlook Creative—and for good reason. With developments moving at breakneck speed, it’s high time we update you on our approach to AI, the immediate benefits you can expect and how we see it shaping our future.
But before we launch in, there’s one important thing to reiterate: Confidentiality comes first. In all our AI explorations, protecting our clients’ information, data and outputs remains our top priority.
As an agency, we’re committed to using the latest and most advanced software, many of which have integrated AI into their latest offerings. All our production teams have access to these tools, and we’re already seeing the benefits in the speed and quality of outputs.
We’re still working on quantifying this in detail, but early data suggest that both cost per asset and the average overall project cost are decreasing.*
There’s a growing list of ‘quick wins’ facilitated by AI. Let’s get into them.
Voiceovers
AI voiceovers have come a long way in recent months. Historically, our view was that they weren’t quite good enough. But now they are, we’re looking at how we can take full advantage to reduce your costs. On average, we’re currently seeing cost reductions of 50–80% when using AI voiceovers—and much shorter lead times.
For the avoidance of doubt, there’s absolutely still a place for human voiceovers. But there’s also now one for AI-generated alternatives, too.
Moving forwards, for all projects requiring a voiceover, we’ll provide you with both options. The decision will always be yours to make.
LinkedIn
We know video posts perform better on LinkedIn—they get 5x more engagement on average. And with research suggesting that around 30% of people are auditory learners, adding voiceover can help make your message more memorable, accessible and effective.**
Given that AI voiceovers now provide a quality, more cost-effective solution, the team will now provide you with the option of an AI voiceover to support your LinkedIn assets. Again, this is your choice, but we will always give you the option.
Social assets, including LinkedIn
We’re also seeing some encouraging results when we take static social posts and animate them using AI, and we have a feeling that this will soon be ready for us to suggest as a matter of course. Once we get there, the team will routinely ask if you’d like to add animated versions of your static social posts to the assets we produce. Again, your choice.
We’ve formed an internal AI Action Group—a cross-agency team that pilots and tests new AI solutions as they emerge and meets regularly to discuss their findings.
It’s easy to get drawn in by the big, shiny applications of AI—and we have an eye on that. Our team is focusing on tangible, real-world applications that support your need for efficient, cost-effective solutions. Our efforts are underpinned by a ring-fenced fund dedicated to AI research.
Ongoing pilots include but are not limited to: ElevenLabs, Midjourney, Runway, Copilot, Claude, Descript, Adobe Firefly and ChatGPT. Some of you may have already received AI-generated meeting notes and actions to support effective project management.
Please note: These pilots are being conducted with confidentiality considerations as a top priority.
It would be very easy to make big, bold and profound predictions. However, the reality is that in this field, there’s still a lot to play out.
In the last few weeks alone, we’ve seen global news stories about the emergence of new AI being developed for a fraction of the cost—with even more capabilities. It feels likely that this is a story that will continue long into the future.
We also predict that AI technology will increasingly begin to migrate towards core products. The integration of AI into long-standing, trusted industry software is already happening, making further advancements surely inevitable. As a result, we expect any outstanding legal questions around licensing, usage, copyright and the legalities of AI-generated content to be resolved.
In the meantime, however, we must look to take advantage of AI within sensible risk parameters.
What’s for sure is that we intend to fully embrace this technology and explore all that it can offer our industry and the service we provide to you.
We’d love to hear from you if you have questions, ideas or thoughts. I’ve provided a link below for you to do just that.
*Based on a cross-section of example projects delivered in 2024 compared to previous years.
In an era dominated by short-form, snackable content, a fascinating shift is happening—long-form content is making a remarkable comeback. We’ve seen firsthand how meaningful, in-depth content can cut through the noise and foster genuine engagement.
Whether it’s through extended podcast episodes, magazine-style storytelling, high-value thought leadership pieces or long-form video content, the resurgence of comprehensive storytelling is an opportunity that marketing and communications professionals cannot afford to ignore.
1. Podcast episodes are getting longer
The top global podcasts indicate a trend towards extended episode lengths. Shows like The Joe Rogan Experience frequently exceed three hours, while others like The Daily cater to a more time-sensitive audience with concise 20—30-minute episodes. However, research suggests that audiences are increasingly engaging with long-form discussions, seeking deeper, more nuanced content over quick soundbites.
2. The return of magazine-style storytelling
Digital fatigue and the rise of AI-generated content have led audiences to crave well-crafted, immersive reading experiences. We’ve observed a resurgence of long-form storytelling in the form of digital magazines, industry reports and feature-length articles. These formats provide the space to develop narratives that resonate, creating lasting value rather than ephemeral engagement.
3. Industry experts endorse long-form content
Thought leaders like Daniel Priestley and Neil Patel strongly advocate for the power of long-form content. Priestley emphasises that deep, unscripted conversations foster trust and credibility, while Patel highlights the SEO and authority-building benefits of in-depth articles exceeding 2,000 words. Both experts agree: long-form content is a powerful tool for engagement and influence.
As communicators, we must recognise that audiences are shifting their attention towards content that feels authentic, valuable and not just another fleeting asset in a sea of digital clutter. The success of our internal and client-focused magazines serves as proof—when done right, long-form content generates stronger brand affinity, deeper engagement and more meaningful conversations.
How to leverage long-form content effectively
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, brands that invest in meaningful, high-quality content will stand out. The challenge isn’t just about length—it’s about depth, authenticity and value. Marketing and communications professionals who embrace this shift will be better positioned to build trust, create lasting impact and foster loyal audiences.
The time for long-form content is now. Are you ready to tell a story that truly matters?
This article was created in collaboration between myself and AI, using the following prompt and then refined through human (me) editing:
There seems to be a growing prominence for long-form content in marketing and communication use.
It seems to me that:
1. Many popular podcasts have episodes that are growing in length.
2. A return to magazine-style content seems on the rise.
3. Prominent voices in the industry such as Neil Patel & Daniel Priestley seem to be advocating its use.
In addition, I find myself craving authentic, meaningful content that doesn’t seem ‘throwaway’ or just another asset in hundreds that have been created.
We ourselves have produced a number of magazines to use both internally and as client communications, which have received rave feedback.
Using the above and the following questions:
1. What are Daniel Priestley’s views on long-form content?
2. Looking specifically at the top 10 podcasts globally, what trends can be seen in episode length?
3. What are Neil Patel’s views on long-form content?
Using this information, write me a thought leadership article, from the position of a creative production agency, supporting MarComm professionals on the topic of long-form content and its benefits.
When you type “What is testimonial marketing?” into ChatGPT, the answer it gives is: “a strategy where businesses use positive feedback from satisfied customers, clients, or influencers to promote their products or services.”
But that in itself feels like an undersell—a robotic-sounding response to what is fundamentally a very human thing. Which perhaps isn’t surprising, given that it’s come from an AI chatbot (more on that here).
There’s a school of thought that says there is no more B2B or B2C marketing. All marketing (done well) is now human-to-human, or H2H. People want to form connections, and that means finding commonality by stripping jargon from our language to create authentic, genuine conversations.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better way of doing that than via a human story, communicated in a compelling way. That’s why testimonial marketing can be so effective—it gets to the heart of what makes H2H impactful: building trust, fostering empathy, and creating connection.
With a good chunk of our client base in the healthcare and MedTech space—where patient stories are essential for establishing confidence in a product or therapy—we’ve been fortunate enough to work on a host of powerful testimonial projects over the years.
We’ve delivered creative solutions telling the human stories behind innovative deep brain stimulation systems, produced videos highlighting the life-changing impact stoma care products have had on people’s lives, and set up interviews with inspiring individuals. We’ve even facilitated in-person testimonials, live on stage. The common thread linking every one of these projects is the power of the human-interest story.
It’s no coincidence, then, that these are some of our favourite and most rewarding jobs to work on. In fact, if you were to ask any of the Outlook Creative team about the projects that have stuck with them (cue campfire stories of gathering round an editing suite screen, shedding a tear at first cuts), we’d bet on their answers being variations on a testimonial theme.
A recent case in point is the story of Elliot Awin who, in December 2023, became the first person to row solo and unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean with a pacemaker. It was an honour to meet Elliot and help share the story of how his own experience of living with a heart arrhythmia has inspired him to support others.
“Elliot Awin is such an inspiration to all, especially those that are nervous about getting an implantable cardiac device. It was such a pleasure to work with him and Outlook Creative to create his patient testimonial.”
— Sr. Global Product Manager
So, yes, testimonial marketing is “a strategy where businesses use positive feedback from satisfied customers, clients, or influencers to promote their products or services.” But let’s rewrite that from an H2H perspective:
“Testimonial marketing leverages personal stories and real-life experiences to foster authenticity, trust, and emotional connection with a product or service.”
Because ultimately, when you block out all the noise, escape the buzzwords, and step away from the salesy lingo, the success of every campaign boils down to one thing: connecting with your audience.
And that’s where human stories will always win.
Keen to see how we can help shape your next patient testimonial? Got a patient story you want to share? Drop us a line: sales@outlook.co.uk
We make a promise to our clients that projects will be ‘passionately delivered,’ and we mean it. This is something that my fellow MD and I are… well… passionate about.
You may not be aware, but my background is that of an account handler, and Adam is an event producer by trade. We have been passionately involved first-hand in the delivery of thousands of projects.
Personally, I think it’s a pride thing. When delivering a project, or even a part of a project, I want to be proud of the outcome and how we got there—the easiest way to ensure that is to be passionate about the delivery of the project from the very beginning.
I asked Adam how he felt about it, and he said:
“There’s no better feeling than seeing your hard work, collaboration, and sleepless nights (!) come together to deliver the original vision (and beyond).
It’s a line of thought that our industry is one of the most stressful there is, but I strongly believe it’s one of the most rewarding. It takes a certain individual to work agency-side; passion is a key element. Without passion, the long hours, rounds of amends, and challenges would seem insurmountable. Some call us crazy. Maybe they are right—but we love it.
Passion can certainly be influenced and developed, and being around like-minded people helps keep this burning. Everyone has the potential to be passionate about what they do. As humans, we are intrinsically motivated to master skills, grow, and get excited about the tasks we’re working on. Here at Outlook, one of our core values is collaboration and we believe this is one of the key drivers when transforming creative into reality.”
We are fortunate that there are many other people at Outlook Creative who share this sense of pride in themselves and their team. It shows in the passion which fuels the delivery of their projects.
It’s part of who we are, what we do, and where we will go.
Recently I stumbled across a video of Barack Obama giving advice for people starting out in their careers; it got me thinking.
It was clear to me that the advice he went on to share is relevant for a business and especially an independent creative agency like Outlook Creative.
What he said was, “learn how to get stuff done” and that he looks for “somebody who says, ‘Let me take care of that.’”
My experience shows me he is right.
As I approach my 15th year in this industry, I haven’t yet encountered a client who doesn’t like it when we say, “let me take care of that.”
Reflecting on my interview at what we then called The Outlook Creative Group, way before I moved into the leadership role I hold today, I recall being encouraged by the can-do attitude that existed and how everyone was focused on providing solutions. Not just a solution but multiple solutions, allowing for clients to make informed decisions.
Seemingly, this agency’s leaders before the current team established a great culture in this regard.
Which brings me to my point; sorry it took so long to get here. It is all about solutions first.
Every brief we receive has a challenge for us to overcome, a problem to solve. The journey to finding the optimal solution isn’t always linear or direct and often requires us to lean into many of our specialist capabilities to crack it. But it’s those twists and turns and bumps in the road that can be the catalyst for uncovering some of the most creative ideas.
Mr Obama also says “I’ve seen at every level people who are very good at describing problems, people who are very sophisticated in explaining why something went wrong or why something can’t get fixed.” That has never been us at Outlook Creative and never will be. We will say “let me take care of that” and find a solution.
A solutions-first mindset has served us well for 25+ years and it is here to stay.