We break down Meta’s Andromeda shift from manual targeting to creative-led delivery and share a practical framework for building a content locker that the algorithm can use to match the right message to the right person. We map ten content buckets to the buyer journey and explain how to plan, produce, and optimise within ad limits.

• Andromeda’s move from targeting to content-led delivery
• The ten content buckets and why they matter
• How to plan a content locker across formats
• Balancing quick wins with complex productions
• Mapping ads to the messy path to purchase
• Using UGC, testimonials, and confidence ads
• When trend content fits the brand and when it doesn’t
• Turning objections into high-performing creatives
• Working around ad count limits and refreshing cadence
• Next steps on optimisation and measurement

Thanks for watching today. Really excited about these new Andromeda updates and hope that the information we're bringing is going to help you get better results with your Meta Ads campaigns.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

The AI revolution isn't playing out as expected. While tech headlines herald the transformative potential of artificial intelligence for business, a surprising reality is emerging: 95% of enterprise-level AI implementations have failed to deliver financial returns within six months, according to recent MIT research.

Meanwhile, small to medium enterprises are quietly succeeding where giants stumble. Between 30-40% of SMEs report achieving meaningful cost efficiencies from their AI investments. What explains this counterintuitive outcome? The answer lies in approach and execution. Large organizations typically pursue custom-built solutions requiring significant investment and organizational change, while smaller businesses leverage ready-made tools that solve specific problems immediately.

The most successful implementations aren't replacing creative functions but optimizing repetitive tasks—automating finance operations, streamlining data entry, and reducing time spent on menial work. This pattern suggests today's AI is best suited for process optimization rather than completely replacing specialized human roles. We've seen this reality check play out at major companies like Commonwealth Bank, where an AI call center implementation initially backfired, increasing call volumes and necessitating the rehiring of human staff.

Looking ahead, AI implementation is becoming increasingly accessible through platforms like N8N and Make.com, which create low-code environments where even non-technical users can build powerful automations. This democratization will likely accelerate adoption among smaller businesses that can quickly implement and iterate without massive investments. However, as businesses grow more dependent on these AI platforms, we should expect subscription costs to rise significantly—following the pattern of other essential business tools.

What repetitive processes in your business could benefit from AI automation today? The opportunity is clear: start small, focus on specific pain points, and leverage existing solutions rather than reinventing the wheel.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Remember when "Google it" was the automatic response to any purchasing decision? Those days might be numbered. We're witnessing a fundamental shift in consumer behavior that could reshape digital marketing forever.

I recently bought a washing machine without using Google once—not for research, price comparison, or even finding the store. Instead, I turned to ChatGPT, which recommended models, found the best prices in Australia, and even searched for coupon codes. I completed the entire purchase journey without encountering a single Google ad or search result. This wasn't a conscious choice to avoid Google; it simply felt like the most efficient path.

This pattern extends beyond personal purchases into business decisions too. When evaluating technologies like digital asset management platforms, AI provides comprehensive comparisons without the need to visit multiple websites or wade through marketing fluff and questionable reviews. The implications for advertisers are enormous—where will they place ads if consumers bypass traditional search engines? Will "Large Language Model Optimization" replace SEO as companies adapt to having their products recommended by AI systems? Could ChatGPT introduce its own advertising platform?

As our behaviors continue evolving across platforms like Meta and TikTok (which some of us still regularly delete to reclaim our attention spans), the digital marketing landscape faces unprecedented disruption. The question isn't just how consumers will adapt to AI tools, but how advertising platforms will transform to reach us in this new paradigm. What do your AI-assisted purchasing journeys look like? We'd love to hear how your habits are changing too.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

The fashion advertising landscape has been dramatically shaken by two competing denim campaigns that have captivated audiences worldwide. Our latest episode dives deep into this unexpected cultural moment, examining how American Eagle and Gap have approached selling essentially the same product with wildly different strategies—both achieving remarkable success.

American Eagle's controversial campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney centered around a clever "good genes" wordplay that sparked heated debates across social platforms. Despite (or perhaps because of) the controversy surrounding a blue-eyed blonde spokesperson making this particular joke, American Eagle saw sales surge by an impressive 10% immediately following the campaign launch. This raises fascinating questions about whether controversy might sometimes be a strategic advantage rather than a liability.

Meanwhile, Gap countered with their signature high-production music video approach featuring Cat's Eye performing to Kelis's "Milkshake" with mesmerizing choreography. The ad has proven so captivating that shoppers are literally stopping in their tracks at mall entrances to watch—a remarkable achievement in our attention-scarce world. What makes this particularly noteworthy is how it challenges current marketing wisdom. While platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have pushed brands toward raw, authentic-feeling content, Gap's polished production demonstrates that exceptionally executed creative can still outperform the homemade aesthetic when it delivers something influencers simply cannot replicate from their bedrooms.

Have you noticed these campaigns while scrolling? We'd love to hear which approach resonated more with you and why. Subscribe to Digital Horizons for more analysis of the trends reshaping marketing in real-time, and share your thoughts with us on social media!

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Meta's Andromeda update has quietly transformed digital advertising, and marketers who haven't adapted are already falling behind. This groundbreaking AI enhancement to Meta's advantage plus ads automation function represents the culmination of Meta's staggering $65 billion investment in artificial intelligence technology.

At its core, Andromeda fundamentally changes how ads find their audience. Rather than advertisers defining demographic parameters, Meta's neural networks determine which creative assets will resonate with specific users based on their behavior, preferences, and position in the buying journey. As we discuss in this episode, this creates a dramatic shift in campaign structure - moving away from multiple segmented ad sets toward a single ad account with diverse creative that addresses different aspects of the customer journey.

The implications for brands are profound. Creative diversity becomes the central pillar of campaign success, requiring marketers to develop content addressing various information needs rather than organizing by funnel stages. Performance measurement also transforms, as users often need multiple ad exposures before converting. Early adopters report 25-30% reductions in acquisition costs, demonstrating Andromeda's powerful optimization capabilities.

This evolution aligns perfectly with changing user behavior, as people increasingly prefer consuming information within trusted platforms rather than visiting external websites. For advertisers, success now depends on in-platform storytelling and creative excellence rather than targeting expertise. Subscribe to Digital Horizons for more insights on navigating these transformative shifts in digital marketing and leveraging AI advancements for business growth.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Want to save hours every week on content creation, client reporting and marketing strategy? In this episode of Digital Horizons, James Walker shares how he’s using AI to automate key areas of the business, from generating social media posts to building campaign insights at scale.

Joined by Brian Hastings, they walk through three real-world AI automation projects that are already up and running inside his business.

You’ll discover:

• How to automate content creation across YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram
• A smarter way to deliver reports using Loom videos and AI-written summaries
• How AI can analyse your past campaigns, competitor data and brand content to recommend what to do next

These are not just ideas. They are working systems built using tools like n8n, ClickUp and custom AI agents. If you’re a business owner or marketer looking to implement AI into your workflow, this is a real-world look at what’s possible right now.

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

Jaguar has officially dropped its agency, Accenture Song, following a disastrous rebrand that saw global vehicle sales nearly halved. In this Brand News episode, James Walker and Brian Hastings revisit Jaguar’s bold brand pivot and break down exactly what went wrong.

We discuss:

• Why Jaguar’s rebrand campaign failed to connect
• The downfall of data-driven strategy without creative clarity
• What brands should consider before pivoting away from heritage
• How HBO Max reversed a similar misstep
• Predictions for Jaguar’s next move

This is a cautionary tale for any marketing team or agency chasing reinvention without respect for brand legacy. If you’re in branding, advertising, or creative strategy, this one is for you.

Hosted by:

James Walker – Managing Director at WHD

Brian Hastings – Managing Director at Nous

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous

In this episode of Digital Horizons, James Walker (Managing Director at WHD) and Brian Hastings (Managing Director at Nous) break down how AI-generated summaries in search results are changing SEO, what it means for your business, and how you can still win in the new landscape.

We cover:

- What AI Overviews are and how they appear in search results

- Why click-through rates are plummeting

- What types of keywords are affected (and which aren’t)

- How to optimise your content for answer-driven queries

- Whether SEO is still worth the investment

- The role of local SEO and authority signals

- Real examples from clients seeing both drops and recoveries

60% of searches now result in zero clicks
47% of all Google searches are showing AI overviews

If SEO is part of your marketing strategy, this episode is essential.

Subscribe for weekly episodes on digital marketing trends, tools, and tactics for business owners, marketers, and eCommerce leaders.

Hosted by:
James Walker – Managing Director at WHD
Brian Hastings – Managing Director at Nous

The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:

James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous