Find the Breakthrough
Industry trends, insights, and updates from ASTER.
Can AI Save the "Soul" of Advertising? — Three Battlegrounds for Humanity in 2026
Coca-Cola's AI ad was scorched as "soulless." Jacquemus's 79-year-old grandmother shook the luxury world. AI companies dominated Super Bowl ad slots. In 2026, advertising has become a grand experiment over what it means to be human.
8 min read
The Age of Average Is Over — The Return of Contour in Advertising and Branding, 2026
AI mass-produces copy, and creative converges toward the average. What awaits at the end is a graveyard of ads that move no one. In 2026, what the industry must reclaim is "contour" — ASTER’s thesis on the future of branding.
6 min read
The Fusion of Advertising and Infrastructure Accelerates — How DOOH and Smart Cities Are Reshaping Brand Strategy
In 2026, the rapid growth of the digital out-of-home market and smart city initiatives are dissolving the boundary between advertising and infrastructure. We decode the coming era where brands exist naturally within urban flows.
2 min read