Latest news with #LeoBurnett
Digital Trends
07-08-2025
- Digital Trends
ChatGPT 5.0 launch: six times I said 'wow' and three times when I said 'hmmmm'
The OpenAI team, led by Sam Altman, unveiled ChatGPT 5.0 this morning via livestream on YouTube. About 600,000 people watched the launch either live or during the first three hours afterward. While that lags certain space shots and World Cup events, the audience demonstrates tremendous interest in the newest version of ChatGPT. YouTube isn't totally forthcoming with viewership data, but only two or three Apple events have had significantly more people watching their livestream. I wrote this article yesterday previewing ChatGPT 5.0 and pretty much everything that we expected was announced. Here is a link to that article. Below, I will talk about what surprised/impressed me and what made me scratch my head. Wow #1. They have come a long way in 2 1/2 years Many writers including myself, have complained about hallucinations, errors and other flubs. All true. But we also need to take deep breath and acknowledge the tremendous progress that OpenAI has made since the first public version of ChatGPT. That version was more of a toy than tool. The currently available versions—4.0, 4.1 and 4.5— are very powerful and more useful. If ChatGPT 5.0 lives up to even half of the promises that they made today, it will represent a major jump forward. Wow 1.5 came when Sam Altman said that they now have 700 million users. I applaud their ambition and am reminded of a quote from Leo Burnett who is on the Mount Rushmore of advertising: 'When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either.' OpenAI is clearly reaching for the stars Wow #2: They are shutting down old models and moving everyone to version 5.0 If you look at the menu at the top of the ChatGPT page, you'll see multiple options for different models. There is a word-or-two about what each model is supposed to be good at. It was always confusing, at least to me. Now they are moving everyone to GPT-5 and are shutting down the older models. This chart summarizes the differences between GPT-4 and GPT-5. Altman said that if GPT-3 was a high school student and GPT-4 was a college student, GPT-5 will operate at a PhD level. This version will be available to all commercial users soon (enterprise and education later). Free users will have their usage capped and will be moved to a less powerful model when they exceed the cap. Feature GPT-4 GPT-5 (Expected) Reasoning Ability Strong, occasional logic gaps Near PhD-level reasoning Multimodality Text, images, voice Text, images, voice, video Context Memory Up to ~128k tokens Up to ~1 million tokens Agent Autonomy Limited, needs frequent input More independent, multi-step tasks Speed Options One main model Flagship, Mini, Nano versions Media Support No video support Full video understanding & generation Wow #3: Fewer hallucinations They stressed that GPT-5 will spend less time in Fantasyland than prior versions. This is welcome news, assuming that it's true. They made reference to percentages better but they didn't show their work. My gut says it will be directionally (and probably significantly) better but not yet perfect. Wow #4: Much stronger voice integration Some people have used voice to access ChatGPT in prior versions. There has clearly been a major effort to elevate voice to the same level as text input. I am not yet clear how much of their usage this will represent but it is definitely a great option. My skepticism is based in part on being overly optimistic about how quickly Alexa would revolutionize commerce for Amazon. I envisioned a world where people in kitchens would be ordering groceries while they cooked but I haven't seen that happen. Typing may still be the preferred input method for many people. Wow #5: More powerful code development This will go into both categories. They tried to demo how easy it is to develop web applications using GPT-5. One fellow 'developed' an app to teach his girlfriend how to speak French with his family. It kinda, sorta worked but looked like a high school class project. They claim that coders prefer working in GPT-5 but didn't show their work or sources. They also showed how GPT-5 could help with debugging. Put this in the bucket of 'great if it actually happens'. Wow #6: Big strides against bad actors First, do no harm. It sounds as if OpenAI is taking its responsibilities to society seriously. There was discussion of how GPT-5 would respond to problematic searches. It will provide more context as to why something is wrong, unethical or dangerous. They are terming this 'safe completion'. Will be worth continuing to track this over time. Hmmm #1: This felt like a class presentation not a product launch from a major company Maybe Apple and others have spoiled us, but the actual presentation was amateurish. They ran nervous product people on and off of the stage in three minute segments. A lot of the 'jokes' felt unscripted and awkward. I know it's about the product not the packaging but it feels like it is time for them to up their game. Hmmm #2: They need help translating their excitement and thoughts into English One very interesting example showed how a parent might help their high schooler with a science report on the Bernoulli effect. So far, so good. The presenter then asked 'Wouldn't it be great to have an animation that showed this?' Yes! And, if she had continued in plain English it would have been very great. Instead she said 'create an SVG using Canva' and showed a bunch of Python code. There is still an opportunity to make the power of ChatGPT 5.0 more accessible the average user but they need to get better at speaking English . Hmmm #3: They are claiming to have jumped the evolution of AI ahead by two or three years One of the leading AI scientists is Daniel Kokotajlo. He was a top engineer at OpenAI before leaving. He is also the main author of AI 2027 a very well documented and reasoned study of the development path for AI. According to that paper, it will still take two or three years for AI to really do much of a developer's job. OpenAI pretty claimed that they are there with GPT-5. Not sure that I buy this. Again, directionally perhaps. All the way? Not until I see more.
Chicago Tribune
05-08-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: The Rev. Martin Luther King felled by rock during Marquette Park protest
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Aug. 5, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1935: Leo Burnett started the Chicago ad agency that created the Jolly Green Giant, Pillsbury Doughboy and Morris the Cat commercials. 1955: Capt. George A. Stone, the pilot of a Northwest Orient Airlines Stratocruiser, was credited when all 68 people survived a crash landing at Chicago's Midway Airport. The crash occurred in the same area as a Braniff International Airways on July 17, 1955. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Plane crashes that stunned our city'Stone told officials of Northwest Orient Airlines that the propellers of the plane failed to reverse as he made a normal landing after a flight from Minneapolis,' the Tribune reported. 1966: During a march in Marquette Park to protest racial inequality in housing, Martin Luther King Jr. was struck by a rock. 'I've been in many demonstrations all across the South, but I can say that I have never seen — even in Mississippi and Alabama — mobs as hostile and as hate-filled as I've seen here in Chicago,' King told reporters afterward. Vintage Chicago Tribune: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. leads 'the first significant freedom movement in the North'Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ayushmann Khurrana breaks the loop with Kitkat and Spotify
Kitkat and Spotify have come together to help consumers 'Break the Loop' and break free from their monotonous playlists. Featuring Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana , Kitkat's new campaign is inviting people to break out of their usual Spotify playlists and discover fresh tracks, genres and moods, turning everyday music breaks into moments of discovery. The film, conceptualised by Leo Burnett , brings alive Kitkat's core message of meaningful, refreshing breaks in a modern, digital context. With specially designed KitKat packs, every break becomes a playful moment of discovery. Just scan the pack to unlock personalised Spotify tracks based on your listening behavior, serving you fresh music you've never heard before. Gopichandar Jagatheesan, head, confectionery business, Nestlé India , said, 'With 'Break the Loop,' we're extending that idea to the digital world, teaming up with Spotify to give consumers a light-hearted, relatable reason to pause their day and refresh not just their mood, but their songs too.' Sanketh Garimella, director of sales - CPG and auto, Spotify India said, "Kitkat's new campaign is a great example of how those who listen to their favorite songs over and over again, every day, can easily find new music they'll love on Spotify, with playlists curated just for them." The campaign kicks off with a digital-first film across YouTube and Meta platforms, supported by a multi-touchpoint rollout including outdoor media, Spotify in-app audio advertising and engaging social content. Watch the video here:
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cheil X appoints Ankit Singh as national strategy director
Cheil X has announced the appointment of Ankit Singh as national strategy director , further strengthening its leadership across strategy, creative, and brand experience. He will report to Jitender Dabas , chief executive officer, Cheil X, with a mandate to lead the agency's strategic vision across all Cheil X companies in India. The appointment comes as Cheil X continues to build a new leadership team and evolve into a future-ready, full-funnel agency — offering integrated solutions that drive persuasion across content, commerce, and experience. Singh is a seasoned strategist with a proven track record of building high‑performance teams, scaling businesses, and shaping iconic brands across South Asia. He joins from Hilton, where he served as director – brand marketing , South Asia, strengthening its positioning across the region. He previously led the strategy function at Leo Burnett, North, where he played a pivotal role in transforming the Delhi office into a strategic and creative powerhouse. He also led strategy for BBH Delhi, where he was instrumental in the agency's successful expansion into a new region. Over the years, he has spearheaded brand strategy for PepsiCo, Coca‑Cola, Reckitt, Unilever, Niva Bupa, Blackberrys, Apple, Uber, and Tinder. His expertise in brand strategy, cultural intelligence and technology-driven approach makes him instrumental to Cheil X's integrated solutions framework. Dabas said, 'I've always believed that a strong strategic core doesn't just solve business problems for brands - it shapes the agency's ability to stay ahead of change. Ankit brings his expertise of partnering with big global and Indian brands and an astute understanding of what marketing and brands need today. We are building a winning team — and Ankit will be a key player in that formation.' Singh said, 'Data and technology are reshaping how brands connect with people, and Cheil has long been at the forefront of this shift — creating connected experiences across the consumer journey. I've always been drawn to building new things, so when Jeetu shared his bold vision for Cheil X, it felt like the perfect moment and the right place to build a future‑ready agency that delivers impact at scale.' This announcement is part of a broader effort by Cheil X to bring together a new generation of leaders — strategists, creatives, technologists, and experience designers — to reimagine how brands are built in a connected world.
Mint
26-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Saatchi & Saatchi doubles in size in five years—but agency model under strain as ROI obsession rises
Mumbai: Creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi India has quietly doubled in overall scale and revenue size over the past five years, expanding headcount, winning marquee mandates and growing its digital arm nearly tenfold. But even as the agency rides a strong growth wave, chief executive officer (CEO) Paritosh Srivastava admits the broader industry is staring at some fundamental shifts—from broken revenue models and rising client demands to the slow erosion of creativity itself. The year 2024 has been the best in the agency's history, Srivastava told Mint. 'We've won large mandates—Diageo, Skoda, Pampers, FedEx and Leela Hotels—and we now operate with over 400 people across Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH India and digital agency Saatchi Propagate," Srivastava said. The group's digital arm, acquired in 2019, has grown from a ₹4 crore operation to ₹40 crore in projected revenues for FY25. While there is no formal industry ranking or audited revenue leaderboard for creative agencies in India, unlike media buying agencies, Saatchi competes with other top networks such as Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, McCann, DDB Mudra, FCB and Lowe Lintas. Srivastava attributes much of this momentum to Publicis Groupe's Power of One model, where integrated teams from creative, digital, CRM, media, commerce and data work together under one unified mandate. 'Close to 80% of our wins are now Power of One. Clients don't want seven different agencies interpreting their brand in different ways. We're solving end-to-end." But behind that integration lies the reality of a creative industry stretched thin. Margins are under pressure, campaign timelines are shrinking and budgets are splintered across platforms. Srivastava acknowledges that clients are more focused than ever on one thing: results. 'There's no ambiguity—measurableReturn on Investment (ROI) is the priority," he said. 'The advertising business has become serious. Clients are accountable for every rupee they spend and so are we. Awards are great, but we exist to drive business outcomes." There's no universal benchmark for ROI in advertising since it varies based on parameters such as brand, category, campaign objective, and platform. Yet firms like Ogilvy, McCann, Leo Burnett and FCB have traditionally led in both scale and awards tally. Identity rethink Srivastava believes this shift has forced agencies to rethink their very identity. 'The retainer and commission model is under stress. The only way forward is to align with clients on key performance indicators (KPIs) and take shared responsibility. If agencies want to stay relevant, they have to stop thinking in silos—creative, media, strategy—and start owning the full funnel." That shift has strategic implications. Saatchi, Srivastava said, now operates one of the largest strategy teams among Indian creative agencies. 'Strategy is no longer a support function—it's the arrowhead. It guides creative, informs effectiveness and brings the client's business reality into the room." Yet, the big question remains—what about creativity itself? In a world dominated by dashboards, performance metrics and templatized storytelling, where does the bold idea fit in? 'It's true," Srivastava admits. 'We're living in an age of sameness. There's too much noise. Brands are struggling to stand out. That's why belief systems matter—BBH's 'Zag when others Zig' or Saatchi's 'Nothing is Impossible' aren't taglines. They're creative operating systems that help us resist the pull toward mediocrity." Still, many in the industry are concerned that creativity is being overshadowed. 'There's a risk," he said. 'But creativity is no longer just about a 60-second film. It's about interpreting data in a fresh way, building loyalty and driving commerce. It has evolved, not disappeared." On talent, the cracks are deeper. The advertising industry, unlike IT or consulting, has historically underinvested in long-term pipeline building. 'We don't have a ready talent base. So we've started building our own," Srivastava said. The group has delivered over 1,600 hours of training in 2024 and now recruits actively from smaller towns and interdisciplinary backgrounds—science, statistics, anthropology. The employee fix He's candid about what's broken: 'As long as agencies keep hiring at ₹5-6 lakh, they'll keep struggling. You push that to ₹10-15 lakh, and the quality transforms overnight. But we need to convince clients to pay for the talent they expect." Srivastava also pointed to industry image problems. 'We haven't pitched advertising well to the next generation. It offers energy, challenge, impact—yet it's not considered sexy anymore. We need to fix that." The agency's certification as a 'Great Place to Work' is one step in that direction. 'We're the only large creative agency in India with that badge. That means something," he said. Attrition among fresh recruits remains around 30%, but drops sharply after three years, he added. Asked whether legacy agency brands still matter in an era dominated by startups, data, and performance-driven storytelling, Srivastava was emphatic. 'They'll matter more. As data and tech get democratized, what will set brands apart is trust, consistency and creativity. That's what legacy agencies—if they adapt—can still deliver best."
