Ten consecutive years leading the “Top 100 Communication Consultancies and Agencies in Spain” ranking by El Publicista is not just an industry recognition: it is proof of how a profession evolves in constant motion.
During this decade, communication has shifted from being reactive to becoming a strategic tool to anticipate risks, build trust, and guide business decisions. 2025 is no exception — artificial intelligence, regulatory pressure, and geopolitical dynamics are completely reshaping the environment in which organizations operate.
As Jorge López Zafra points out in his interview published today in El Publicista: “Today communication enables more complex, faster, and more responsible decision-making. And that requires working differently: hybrid teams, complementary perspectives, analytical capacity, creativity, and a culture focused on impact.”
This year’s position, based on the evaluations of more than 300 professionals from companies across Spain, highlights precisely that way of working: flexible, integrated, collaborative, and prepared to anticipate the context.
Leading for a decade is an achievement. Leading what comes next is the real challenge. And we will continue doing so with the ambition to add value and to support organizations in an environment that demands new questions, new narratives, and new ways to influence.
‘Sosegá, el palo sin prisa’, the project created by CHINA part of LLYC, for Cervezas Alhambra, has become the standout of the BCMA Awards 2025. The jury unanimously awarded it the recognition for Branded Content of the Year for its relevance and distinctive approach. In addition, the project won two other categories: Best Branded Content — Audiovisual and Best Innovation Project in Branded Content. The ceremony, organized by the Branded Content Marketing Association in Spain and held within Branducers, took place at CaixaForum Madrid, bringing together some of the sector’s most notable initiatives.
Brand communication continues to consolidate as a space where culture, strategy, and innovation intertwine to generate real impact. A significant example is Sosegá, Cervezas Alhambra’s proposal that, on the occasion of the brand’s centenary, materializes in the creation of a new flamenco palo inspired by Granada, the brand’s origin and the epicenter of its identity. This project, which already reaches 450 million in audience, €5.3 million in PR Value, and more than 300 media hits, highlights a unique approach: celebrating Alhambra’s 100 years by contributing new culture instead of looking to the past, reivindicating calm as a way of life and strengthening the emotional bond with its territory.
The trend is clear: brands capable of transcending traditional communication and generating cultural heritage through music, local roots, and creativity are shaping the future of communication.
With a presence in over 20 markets and a team that innovates every day, we continue to drive content and projects that connect authentically with audiences. Our priority remains the same: to add value and support our clients where their challenges turn into impact.
Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
The year 2025 has consolidated AI as a technological tool and has also managed to embed itself in cultural conversation and brand strategy. Brands have moved from experimentation to practical application, integrating AI into creativity, campaigns, and strategies… In a year full of changes, one thing has remained constant: the value of brands that matter, also in the social ecosystem.
1. THE YEAR AI WENT FROM TOOL TO LANGUAGE
From brand tool to pop culture engine
Brands have adopted AI following two major strategic paths. On one hand, we see functional AI, focused on process optimization and service personalization; on the other, creative AI, which uses generative technology as a new canvas for creativity and communication.
Both strategies seek a place in the brand ecosystem. Functional AI appears in tools such as Ralph Lauren’s ‘Ask Ralph’, an AI agent for luxury clienteling. Creative AI is visible in brands like IKEA joining social media conversations using AI to generate content.
At the same time, a third force has emerged: AI as a driver of pop culture. Major trends (like the “Studio Ghibli” filter or Dall-E viral content) no longer originate from brands, but from the audience. The challenge is no longer just to use AI (functional or expressive), but to understand and connect with the culture that the technology itself is generating.
2. THE SHIFT TO TRUST: PEOPLE TRUST PEOPLE
The power returns to authentic voices and communities
Trust has shifted from logos to people. A message reaches 561% more people if shared by individuals behind the official account, whose networks are 10 times larger than the company’s. Social Leadership has stopped being optional and has become the most effective reach strategy.
An interesting shift is also happening in the luxury sector. Many brands have reduced the presence of major influencers at events, overwhelmed by exposure that generates likes but no real business impact or brand value. Instead, they are betting on profiles with history and credibility, such as athletes, entrepreneurs, actors, or musicians. The focus moves from appearance to meaning: less posing, more contribution, less noise, more authentic voice.
These two phenomena lead to the same conclusion: power resides in the community. The challenge is no longer to create a community with a hashtag, but to find existing communities, understand their codes, and build from them, earning the right to participate.
3. NOSTALGIA, TEXTURE, AND TRUTH: WHY THE TANGIBLE MATTERS AGAIN
The resurgence of the tangible in the digital age
This year, brands have moved between two complementary poles. On one hand, the adoption of AI to generate new visual universes (such as Coca-Cola’s recent campaign); on the other, the Back to Basics trend, which revives materiality and physical processes. Far from opposing strategies, they coexist in the market: technology scales creativity, while craftsmanship adds texture and warmth, helping certain brands stand out in the digital environment.
This focus on tangibility is evident across sectors. Apple TV+ renewed its visual identity using manual processes and real camera capture, favoring physical objects over computer generation for its new intro. In luxury, Jacquemus has transcended fashion to return to roots: origin, nature, and the tangible.
In line with this, physical formats are also experiencing a resurgence, with examples such as digital reading communities crystallizing in physical book clubs led by creators, or the growing popularity of vinyl, driven by Generation Z seeking a break from digital connection. Similarly, classic tangible hobbies like sewing, ceramics, and crochet or knitting are reclaiming Generation Z, who breaks leisure stereotypes, avoids screens in free time, and chooses creative hobbies.
The retro and handmade movement has become a powerful communication asset on social media, as showing human processes and real textures generates high visual impact compared to pure digital imagery. This “back to basics” trend responds to audience needs and preferences, rooted in nostalgia and the search for authenticity.
4. FROM EXPOSURE TO CONNECTION: WHEN QUALITY AND INTENTION REPLACED FREQUENCY
Social media is no longer a public photo album
Social media no longer rewards constant presence, but content with intention. Posting just to post no longer works: today, building a brand on social requires thinking, planning, and adding meaning.
The interest algorithm sets the rules. It personalizes what we see and decides what thrives or dies in the feed. For brands, understanding preferences and insights is not enough; it matters how they respond to them. Leaders like VICIO, MilfShakes, or Nude Project demonstrate this by adopting drop-based strategies, content designed to entertain and create anticipation. It is not an aesthetic or trend choice: it is a channel necessity (quality over quantity). If a brand wants relevance, it must adapt its strategy to what the algorithm and audience demand.
Welcome to the age of fascination. First, we competed to sell. Then to capture attention. Today, we compete to fascinate. Visibility is no longer enough: we must provoke extended attention, inviting immersion in a universe. It is not the ephemeral that wins, but the unexpected, the sublime, the memorable, the valuable. Fascination creates emotional connection and activates the FOMO that sustains communities around a brand.
For the third consecutive year, we have renewed the Meta Media Certified Company accreditation, the distinction with which Meta recognizes the companies with the highest level of specialization in planning and activating campaigns on its platforms. This global certification validates our team’s work and strengthens our value proposition in an environment where efficiency and measurement make all the difference.
To award this certification, Meta Blueprint evaluates both team performance and the quality of the work delivered. In our case, the process included passing official exams and demonstrating:
- Advanced technical knowledge of the Meta ecosystem.
- Proven experience through successful case studies.
- Best practices in campaign management, from structure and segmentation to measurement and the use of advanced functionalities.
The certification is not just a seal — it is a gateway to exclusive benefits: specialized training and content, early access to betas and new products, priority technical and strategic support, client reward programs, and the use of the official badge as a recognized partner. All of this allows us to design and optimize campaigns with more information, greater testing capability, and faster response times.
In the words of Luis Manuel Núñez Maestre, Partner & Global Managing Director of Marketing Solutions LLYC:
“Obtaining the Meta Media Certified Company badge strengthens our position as a strategic partner within the Meta ecosystem. This recognition validates the robustness of our media planning and buying capabilities, as well as our ability to analyze, measure, and optimize campaign performance by incorporating AI throughout the entire process. It is a testament to our team’s excellence and an additional guarantee of impact and results for our clients.”
For our clients, this translates into something very concrete: better-designed campaigns, better-measured campaigns, and campaigns more closely aligned with their business objectives within the Meta ecosystem. From defining the media strategy to daily optimization, we work with criteria validated by the platform itself.
Renewing this distinction for the third year in a row reminds us that digital excellence is built day by day. Our challenge now is to continue leveraging this position to explore new possibilities, share more knowledge with local teams, and support our clients in a new generation of smarter, more integrated, and more efficient campaigns.
At our Mexico office, we are celebrating our recognition in the HRC Equidad MX 2026 Index as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ 2026”. The program, led by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation in partnership with ADIL Diversidad e Inclusión Laboral, has once again placed us among the companies that achieved the highest score in its annual evaluation of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.
HRC Equidad MX is now the leading benchmark in Mexico for measuring companies’ real commitment to diversity. Through an annual survey, it analyzes internal policies and practices and grants the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+” distinction to companies that meet all established criteria. In the 2026 edition, 240 companies participated, 189 of which achieved a 100% score and are part of this list.
In our case, the certification recognizes that we have non-discrimination policies that explicitly mention sexual orientation and gender identity and expression; that we have formal diversity and inclusion structures that systematically address the needs of LGBTQ+ talent; that we promote specific training at key moments of the employee lifecycle; and that we maintain an active public commitment to LGBTQ+ rights, beyond our own offices.
This recognition adds to the path we have been building as a firm to create more diverse, safe, and authentic work environments. From our diversity committees across regions, with dedicated groups focused on LGBTIQ+ populations, to projects that connect communication, technology, and rights, we understand inclusion not as a slogan but as a driver of competitiveness, innovation, and culture.
Remaining among the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ 2026” reminds us that we are heading in the right direction, but also that there is still work to be done. Our challenge now is to deepen our understanding of the real experience of diverse talent, to listen more and better, and to continue making decisions that ensure our day-to-day reflects the values we stand for.
Because when people can be themselves at work, creativity wins, business wins, and, above all, the society we want to live in wins.
The Merlundies campaign for LEROY MERLIN has been recognized at the Effie Awards, a prestigious competition that honors campaigns combining strategy, creativity, and measurable impact. The campaign earned three Gold awards in the categories of Tactical Communication, Community Engagement, and Retail & Distribution, establishing itself as one of the standout campaigns of the year. This achievement was made possible thanks to the collaboration of our partners VML, Samy, Fullsix Portugal, and Arena Media Portugal.
The campaign was born from a familiar situation for anyone involved in renovations, DIY, or professional work: the awkward moment when bending down to reach a difficult space unintentionally reveals more than intended. LEROY MERLIN coined these moments “unexpected revelations.”
As a solution, the brand launched Merlundies, high-waisted boxers designed to provide “discretion on every project.” Targeted at both professionals and DIY enthusiasts, Merlundies quickly became a humorous and culturally relevant symbol within the world of home improvement.
Thanks to the combination of insight, creativity, and a results-driven, multi-platform execution, the campaign achieved outstanding recognition and demonstrated our ability to develop strategic solutions that unite social relevance, creativity, and measurable impact.
Congratulations to everyone involved!
The Sosegá campaign, created for Cervezas Alhambra by the CHINA part of LLYC team, has been recognized at the W!N Awards, a contest that celebrates excellence in communication through earned media and highlights the outstanding integration of strategy, creativity, and innovation in the sector.
Sosegá won the Silver Award in the category Best Product/Service Communication Campaign Targeting the End Consumer, establishing itself as one of the most outstanding projects of the year. The W!N Awards, organized by the Association of Communication Executives (ADC) in collaboration with the Technical Secretariat of the Best Awards, are known for their inclusive approach, open to communication consultancies, advertising, digital, content, events, and public affairs agencies.
The award-winning campaign was launched in a very special year for the brand, Cervezas Alhambra’s centenary, and pays tribute to its origin: Granada. From this perspective, Sosegá was born—a cultural project without precedent consisting of the creation of a new flamenco palo, an unprecedented contribution to the genre and a gift to a city that, like the brand, lives “without hurry”. Conceived alongside some of flamenco’s greatest exponents, Sosegá incorporates unique elements, such as the absence of a closing phrase, making it a singular style within this artistic tradition.
Led by CHINA, part of LLYC, and under the musical direction of composer and producer Javier Limón, Sosegá brought together artists from different generations: figures such as Carmen Linares, Arcángel, Kiki Morente, Sandra Carrasco, Antonio Cortés, Juan Carmona, Saúl Quirós, David de Jacoba, Gema, and Samara Carrasco; guitarists Diego del Morao and Dani de Morón; dancer José Maya; and percussionist Ané Carrasco, all contributing to a collective work that pays tribute to flamenco with respect and innovation.
The creative process was documented in a film produced by Little Spain, shot entirely in Granada and presented at an exclusive event at the Callao cinemas in Madrid. The piece offers an intimate look at the birth of the Sosegá palo and the artistic dialogue that took place among its participants.
Sosegá stands as a transformative project that celebrates the identity of Granada, the legacy of Cervezas Alhambra, and a way of living that, now more than ever, invites people to pause and feel: the “without hurry” lifestyle.
Congratulations to all participants!
In an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, the European Commission faces the challenge of turning diversity into a strength, building an inclusive narrative that brings Europeans together around the values that make collective action possible.
The purpose of this report is to analyse the public conversation surrounding the European Union’s strategic priorities and how the European Commission communicates them over the first year of the new mandate, in an increasingly complex environment.
Drawing on artificial intelligence and big-data techniques applied to institutional, media and social sources, we explore this question from three complementary angles:
- Institutional communication: what is the Commission saying to the European society at such a critical juncture and how is it saying it?
- Media coverage: do the media in the Member States contribute to consolidating, amplifying, o fragmenting the social conversation around the EU’s strategic priorities?
- Social conversation: what are the main concerns that emerge in citizens’ conversation?
Our preliminary findings suggest that the significant fragmentation of Europe’s public conversation—a result both of the Union’s inherent diversity and the uncertainty of the current context—places clear limits on the substantial effort the Commission has made since 2024 to convey a cohesive narrative centred on competitiveness.
In a context marked by rapid technological advancement and by the structural transformations derived from the COVID-19 crisis, Europe has intensified its focus on developing and updating its health frameworks. At the same time, artificial intelligence has gained increasing prominence, establishing itself as a key element in the management and circulation of information.
This report offers a detailed analysis of how different AI language models are trained and how they respond to questions related to the new European health regulations, incorporating external variables such as the profile of the person asking and the country in which the query is made.
Based on thousands of responses, contextual data, and comparisons between models, the document makes it possible to identify not only the biases present in AI answers, but also to understand the mechanisms that feed these systems and the opportunities and challenges they present for public policy design and information transparency.
An exclusive perspective for understanding the role of AI as an actor capable of influencing public opinion, shaping information flows, and affecting the perception of key issues such as health and regulation.
In 2025, food and beverage brands are not just focused on taste or convenience; they are focused on identity. The coffee you hold, the hard seltzer in your fridge, or the snack on your desk has become a shorthand for lifestyle, values, and community. For marketers, this change is not just a cultural observation; it signals that brand strategy needs to go deeper. It’s about more than just function; it’s also about symbolism.
With traditional sources of belonging like religion, geography, and political affiliation shifting, especially among younger generations, consumers are using brands to define and express their identity. John Emery, writing in Entrepreneur, noted that people are increasingly building their self-image through the brands they choose, a trend that has intensified since 2023.
This is particularly strong in the food and beverage sector. Products are highly visible, often shared, and usually consumed in social settings, both in person and online. Every bottle, bar, and can could become a cultural artifact. Food Business Review pointed out that visual identity is essential for building emotional connections and ensuring immediate recognition. In practice, this means your packaging, typography, and color choices are more than design decisions; they are cues to identity.
Take Liquid Death ($350M revenue, 2024) whose bold aesthetic and irreverent tone in 2025 continue to represent anti-establishment values, not just hydration. Or consider Kin Euphorics, which embraces a wellness-meets-performance lifestyle while appealing to mainstream consumers. These brands thrive not just because of their products, but also because they resonate with current cultural trends.
The New Rules of Brand Engagement
In 2025, top-performing brands are adapting in four main ways:
- Emphasizing universal human values like joy, celebration, craftsmanship, and authenticity instead of divisive themes.
- Engaging with local communities to build real connections while steering clear of national controversies.
- Creating subtle distinctions that allow products to convey cultural understanding without being overly loud.
- Taking bold stances only when they align with core brand values, and doing so consistently and clearly.
This is especially important in premium and lifestyle markets, where overt branding is being replaced by more refined approaches. Vogue Business reported that visual signatures, rather than logos, are now the primary way brands are recognized. In food and beverage, this could mean a minimalist label, a unique color scheme, or packaging that conveys sustainability through its design rather than its message.
An example is Oatly’s “Unbranded Barista” line, launched in early 2025, which completely forgoes traditional labeling. The packaging uses subtle cues, like tone of voice, material choice, and typography, to connect with consumers who appreciate discretion and values over aggressive branding.
Implications for Marketing Executives
This shift to symbolism challenges marketing leaders to rethink how brands are created, managed, and experienced:
- Your brand is now performed, not just consumed. Know how it appears across social, physical, and cultural spaces, and enhance all three.
- Visual and verbal identities must do more; they must convey meaning, values, and emotions at a glance.
- Brand architecture and portfolio strategies should prioritize differentiation along with functional or flavor segmentation.
- Product development and innovation must align with new identity narratives, whether that’s wellness, rebellion, or cultural curiosity.
- Even passive choices now matter. Consumers may not consciously support a brand’s mission, but to others, those choices convey everything from political views to lifestyle aspirations.
In a world where cultural alignment is quickly becoming a competitive edge, the strongest brands will be those that combine product quality with symbolic craftsmanship. Brand meaning, not just messaging, will decide whether your brand finds its way into someone’s hands and onto their social media feed.