Creative LIAisons Day three puts one of advertising’s most respected leaders center stage as Susan Credle, former Chair and Global Chief Creative Officer of FCB, received the LIA Legend Award. Established in 2023, the honor recognizes Susan not simply for the work she has made, but for her generosity in lifting people up and leaving something behind for the next generation.

Our rising stars also spent the day tackling some of the industry’s most interesting creative questions, discussing where entertainment ends and advertising begins, the questions young creatives rarely get to ask CCOs, how brands can scale creator-owned IP without stripping away its magic, and how creativity in sport can create both brand and cultural impact. It was a day about learning from the people who have shaped the industry, while looking closely at where it is heading next.

Celebrating LIA Legend Susan Credle: A Leader Who Lifts People Up

One of the day’s biggest moments belonged to Susan Credle, former Chair and Global Chief Creative Officer of FCB, as she received the 2026 LIA Legend Award from LIA President Barbara Levy. Established in 2023, the award celebrates creative leaders whose influence stretches far beyond the work itself, through mentorship, talent development and a lasting contribution to the industry. Across a career spanning BBDO, Leo Burnett and FCB, Credle has built not only enduring creative work, but teams, cultures and careers that have helped shape generations of talent.

Introducing Credle, Levy reflected on a legacy that reaches far beyond campaigns and trophies, including her contribution to the very first Creative LIAisons in 2012, then known as Creative Conversations. “Susan has mentored, she has led, she has nurtured,” she said. “Her generosity of spirit, and the goodwill she has left on the pages of advertising history, will be felt for years to come.”

In a fireside chat with Creative LIAisons Host Chris Smith, Principal and Chief Creative Officer at Plot Twist Creativity, Credle shared lessons from a career spent staying curious, watching culture and surrounding herself with talented people. She spoke about leadership that challenges the work without diminishing the person, the importance of play in finding bravery, and resisting the urge to simply emulate what already exists. Her philosophy came back repeatedly to generosity: creative leadership is not only about making great work, but also creating the conditions for other people to become better too. As Credle put it, “You can be tough on the work, but you can still leave the person whole.”

Where Advertising Ends and Entertainment Begins

Moderated by Geoff Edwards, Managing Director, Creative at GALE and Jury President of Entertainment & Content and Cultural Catalyst, the session brought together fellow jurors Kiki Nam, CEO/Executive Creative Director at Studiok110; Saulo Rocha, Executive Creative Director at TBWA\Media Arts Lab; Jimmy Smith, Chairman, CEO and CCO at Amusement Park Entertainment; and Marielle Wilsdorf, Partner and Managing Director Creative at Scholz & Friends. Together, they unpacked the distinction between traditional advertising, content and entertainment, and why simply being entertaining is not the same as creating entertainment.

An ad can be funny, compelling or beautifully made and still remain an interruption. Entertainment asks more of brands: to immerse themselves in culture, understand what audiences already choose to spend time with, and find a credible way to become part of that experience rather than break into it. The lesson was less about making ads more entertaining, and more about learning how brands can genuinely belong in entertainment.

Unfiltered: Inside the Minds of Top CCOs

Creative LIAisons once again gave its rising stars rare, direct access to leading creative leaders and permission to ask what they might normally hold back. Moderated by Liz Taylor, Global Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy, the conversation with Jeff Benjamin, Global CCO at Tombras; Marjorieth Sanmartin, Chief Creative Officer at Philipp und Keuntje; and Magnus Jakobsson, Nordic Creative Director at NORD, explored what the top creative job really demands, from championing great work to being a champion of talent.

The conversation went beyond how to make and curate great work, digging into what the CCO role actually demands. One clear takeaway: anyone can aspire to be a CCO, but being a CCO is not for everyone. Some creatives are happiest staying close to the craft. Others are drawn to shaping culture, developing talent and building an environment where great people can do their best work. It also offered a reminder that careers and ideas rarely arrive looking effortless from the inside. As Taylor put it, “The world doesn’t know you’re on round 28.”

Protecting the Magic When Brands Enter Creator Worlds

Creator IP has become one of marketing’s most valuable assets, but Chanel Lake, SVP, Influencer Marketing at Weber Shandwick, argued that the opportunity comes with a simple risk: the harder a brand tries to control what made a creator successful, the easier it is to break it. Instead, brands need to enter creator worlds with the mindset of a fan, taking the time to understand the content, the community and the rituals audiences already care about before deciding where the brand belongs.

That means doing the homework, from actually watching the creator’s work to reading the comments where audience sentiment is hiding in plain sight. Done well, the creator’s story strengthens community trust and, in turn, builds brand equity without making the partnership feel forced. As Lake put it, “The best compliment sponsored content can get is, ‘I didn’t even notice it was an ad. I’d watch this on purpose.’ That’s when the brand has truly earned its place.”

Why the Best Sports Creativity Travels Beyond the Game

Moderated by Creative LIAisons Host Chris Smith, the session brought together members of LIA’s inaugural Sports jury: Shannon Washington, Chief Creative Officer, Managing Partner, 11 OUNCES, Brooklyn; Stephen de Wolf, National Chief Creative Officer at Clemenger BBDO; Thomas Heyen, Creative Lead at Jung von Matt Group; Damaune Journey, Global Chief Growth Officer at 72andSunny; and Isabel “Issie” Mandry, Senior Creative at MSQ Sport and Entertainment. Together, they explored why sport is at such an interesting creative inflection point, and how brands can build ideas around what athletes, fans and sporting communities already do naturally rather than simply attach themselves to the game.

The discussion pushed beyond the action on the field, encouraging creatives to explore how fans experience the wider world around sport, from music and culture to the rituals surrounding major games. The jury also challenged rising stars to think harder about where limited budgets can make a difference, including underrepresented spaces such as women’s sport, where smart investment can create both brand and cultural impact. As Issie Mandry put it, “When you solve a real problem for a fan, they’ll remember you.”

Creative LIAisons Mentee Reflections

Jenny Tieu
Motion & Video Editor, Klick Health Toronto

“What I really valued was the access to the CCOs. It gave me a better understanding not just of how great work gets made and judged, but how creative leaders build their own careers and create teams where other people can do their best work too.”

Arthel Tagnipez
Senior Copywriter, EON The Stakeholder Relations Group Manila

“It’s one thing to make an entertaining ad. It’s another to immerse a brand so deeply in culture that it becomes part of the entertainment itself. That distinction really opened my eyes.”

TK King
Associate Creative Director, Social & Content, Grey New York

“Susan reminded me that play isn’t just something I need for my own creativity. As a leader, my job is to create the conditions for other creatives to play, experiment and be brave, even when the situation feels restrictive.”