Claire Enders CBE will open New Digital Age’s Trinity Lunch on 21 May 2026 with a keynote state of the nation address, bringing her trademark mix of economic insight, media expertise and straight-talking analysis to one of the industry’s flagship gatherings.
Ahead of the event, NDA editor-in-chief Justin Pearse spoke to Enders about the forces reshaping advertising, from geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty to AI, platform fraud and the enduring value of trusted media environments.
How would you describe the current mood across the media and marketing industry?
There is clearly a great deal of uncertainty. When macroeconomic conditions deteriorate, advertisers feel it immediately and that flows through the entire value chain.
You can already see categories reacting fast. Travel is an obvious example, where airline advertising has pulled back sharply as businesses reassess demand and consumers think harder about discretionary spending.
What follows is a wider change in consumer behaviour. People become more cautious, they travel less, they conserve energy and they focus spending on what they value most.
That creates pressure, but it also creates opportunities for the right kinds of media and the right kinds of brands.
Which parts of the media market look strongest right now?
Curated, trusted environments remain highly resilient.
Television continues to offer something unique, a safe, premium space where brands can appear alongside professionally-made content that audiences actively choose to watch.
That is why TV continues to hold its value. Broadcasters are adapting quickly, licensing more content, working more closely with streaming platforms and creating stronger mixed ecosystems of linear and on demand viewing. For advertisers, that remains incredibly attractive.
When families gather around major entertainment, drama or sport, those are still powerful shared national moments. They may not arrive in the same volumes as they once did, but they still matter enormously.
Why are those environments becoming more valuable?
Because the open web has become much harder to trust.
Brands are increasingly aware of the risks of appearing next to harmful or misleading material. On top of that, fraud has become more sophisticated, with cloned websites, fake offers and convincing scams damaging both advertisers and consumers.
An advert loses value instantly if it appears in the wrong context or is imitated in a fraudulent environment.
That is why premium publishers, broadcasters and subscription platforms have such an important role. They invest in editorial standards, moderation and customer trust.
How serious is the fraud challenge for advertisers?
It is one of the defining issues of the moment.
Fraud is not just a media efficiency problem, it is a brand safety problem, a consumer trust problem and an economic problem. Every pound lost to scams or invalid activity is money diverted from legitimate businesses, creators and publishers.
The industry needs a collective response involving advertisers, agencies, platforms, regulators and trade bodies. No single company can solve it alone. Protecting customers and protecting intellectual property have to be shared priorities.
What role is AI playing in all of this?
AI is both an opportunity and a threat. On one hand, it is making production faster, cheaper and more efficient.
Many businesses are already using it to improve workflows, reduce costs and unlock creative possibilities that would previously have been out of reach.
In production, for example, AI can now generate highly realistic backgrounds and visual effects that reduce the need for expensive shoots or large-scale physical staging. That can be transformational for margins in a difficult market.
But there is another side. AI is also helping generate huge volumes of low quality content, misinformation and fraudulent material. That creates noise, undermines trust and makes quality stand out even more.
Are companies moving quickly enough on AI?
Most companies in media, marketing and content are experimenting intensely. Nobody wants to be left behind.
The real challenge is not whether businesses are using AI, it is whether they are using it wisely.
The winners will be the organisations that combine technology with human judgement, creativity and trusted brands. AI alone is not a strategy. It is a tool.
What does this mean for content creation in the UK?
The UK remains a world class production centre. You still have major broadcasters, global streamers and outstanding independent producers creating content of real quality.
Investment remains significant and British creativity continues to travel globally.
The number of productions may fluctuate, but the importance of standout programming only increases. In a crowded market, audiences are drawn to event television, distinctive stories and content that feels meaningful.
What should advertisers focus on in the months ahead?
They should focus on value, trust and effectiveness.
In uncertain times, every budget decision matters more. That means backing environments that are safe, measurable and capable of delivering real attention.
It also means recognising that quality media is not a luxury. It is often the smartest investment when confidence is under pressure.
What message will you bring to the Trinity Lunch audience?
That this is a difficult period, but not a hopeless one.
The industry has been through shocks before and adapted. The businesses that succeed now will be those that stay agile, protect trust, embrace innovation and remember that consumers still want great content, strong brands and reliable experiences.
