The theme of the 37th MARUG Conference is:
From Swipe to Hype: Crafting Attention in the Age of AI
In a world where endless scrolling has replaced real attention, brands are fighting for just a moment of focus. Consumers are presented with a barrage of advertisements, videos, and notifications on a daily basis, all competing for that short valuable time of attention. The result is a generation trained to swipe, skip, and move on, making it harder than ever for brands to capture and hold genuine attention.
Consumers today live in a constant state of distraction. Rather than absorbing information, they filter it. For marketers, this fragmented world presents both a challenge and an opportunity: the challenge of earning attention in an oversaturated world, and the opportunity to turn that attention into lasting engagement and loyalty.
To break through the noise, brands must shift from simply chasing clicks to creating connection. It is no longer enough to be seen, brands must be felt. Consumers value authenticity and creativity over repetition and volume. They want to be addressed emotionally, experiences that feel personal, and messages that align with their own beliefs. In a trust economy in which misinformation or greenwashing can erode credibility in seconds and trust is scarce for a moment, authenticity is the strongest currency a brand can own.
At the same time, the way people search for information is changing. Instead of typing queries into Google and comparing dozens of links, more and more consumers turn to AI models to ask direct questions and receive instant, summarized answers. As a result, brands are no longer just competing on social feeds or in search results, but also within AI-driven ecosystems that filter, rank, and repackage information for the user. The challenge is not only to be clickable, but to be recommended.
In this shifting landscape, technology plays an increasingly complex role in the attention economy. Artificial intelligence helps marketers better understand behavior, discover hidden patterns, and personalize interactions at scale. With the rise of powerful AI models, brands can rapidly adapt messages, formats, and creative assets to different contexts and audiences. Yet these tools only have real impact when they serve a genuine human story and are used responsibly, transparently, and with respect for the consumer. Algorithms can optimize, but they cannot replace human creativity, intuition, or emotion.
At its core, attention is a journey. It starts with a single moment, scroll, a glance, a spark of curiosity, and, when done right, evolves into genuine engagement and long-term loyalty. The brands that master this journey focus not just on visibility, but on meaning: they transform brief interactions into lasting impressions through storytelling, emotional impact, and a clear sense of purpose.
Ultimately, From Swipe to Hype challenges businesses to move beyond superficial attraction. It’s about understanding what truly captures attention, and what keeps it. In a time defined by noise, distraction, and digital overload, the brands that will stand out are those that create trust, tell meaningful stories, and build communities that last.