The Startling Power of Surprise
We tend to treat surprise as an executional device, a nice-to-have in the ad rather than a lever in the strategy. But it’s one of the most powerful multipliers of impact and effectiveness there is, and most brands are using it wrong.
One of the most talked-about sessions at Cannes Lions 2026 is now a webinar. Drawing on original research and System1 data, alongside insights from Peter Field, Dr Karen Nelson-Field and Orlando Wood, eatbigfish’s Adam Morgan and Jon Evans, host of the Uncensored CMO podcast, share a practical model for how and when to use surprise to your advantage.
You’ll come away knowing why surprise is such a powerful multiplier, the different kinds of strategic and executional surprise and when to use each, and what marketers can learn from people using surprise brilliantly outside the category.