Looking back on an inspiring day at the Royal Institution, London
As brands look ahead to 2026, the balance between effectiveness and responsibility in advertising is both a commercial and moral imperative. On 7 October, Ebiquity brought together over 200 senior marketing leaders at the Royal Institution in London for ERA26, a day dedicated to exploring how advertisers can build more effective, trusted, and sustainable media investment strategies for the years ahead.
Ebiquity Group CEO Ruben Schreurs opened the day with a clear message:
“Effective and Responsible Advertising are mutually inclusive and have a multiplicative effect. When you invest in advertising more responsibly, it will drive effectiveness. And when you put effectiveness at the centre of your decision-making, you will de facto make more responsible decisions.”
Our speakers’ contributions were framed as “lectures” in recognition of the setting of the Royal Institution, a historic venue that has hosted scientific luminaries from Darwin and Faraday to the late Jane Goodall. The Institution’s founding purpose, “to diffuse science for the common purposes of life”, felt especially fitting.
More than 200 brand advertisers gathered for twelve lectures designed to inform 2026 planning. While marketing science underpinned the agenda, three broader, connected themes emerged throughout the day:
1. Read | The evolving media and marketing landscape
2. Read | Trust, integrity, and responsibility in the AI era
3. Read | The human dimensions of marketing effectiveness
ERA26 demonstrated that effectiveness and responsibility are no longer parallel ambitions but interdependent disciplines. The challenge for 2026 will be to connect data, creativity and human values in ways that build trust and drive sustained growth.
Ebiquity clients can request access to the full ERA26 lectures through their client partner. You can explore summaries of each theme through the links above.
