The Truths We Tell

And not just because my “debut show” was to present the challenge of discerning truth during Day for Meaning.
It’s because truth was everywhere—in every meeting, every brief, every brainstorm.
Honestly, I wonder if I’d been brainwashed.
 

What Even Is Truth?
 

Is truth just whatever most people agree on? Nah, that felt off. 
I stumbled on Harari’s Nexus, where he breaks it down: 

There’s one reality, but it’s messy. Reality has layers. Even the most truthful story can’t cover it all.

And then he hit me with this curveball: 

Some truths exist only because we agree they do—things like laws, money, gods, and, yes, love. These aren’t objective facts; they’re stories we all buy into, and that collective belief makes them real.

Boom. That’s the truth advertising plays with. Not cold, hard facts—but stories powerful enough to shape how we see the world.

The Power of Creative Advertising: Breaking Through AI’s Info Bubbles

Let’s be real—AI’s got us living in bubbles. Algorithms show us what we like, tell us what we want to hear, and trap us in echo chambers. Before you know it, your worldview is as airtight as a sealed jar of peanut butter.
But here’s the kicker: 
 

When everyone’s stuck in their own little bubble, we stop listening to each other. No dialogue, no understanding—just “me vs. them.”

Enter creative advertising. It’s more than catchy jingles and flashy videos. It’s about telling stories that pop those bubbles, connect strangers, and make people see the world a little differently.
We’ve done it before—uniting people around ideas, sparking conversations, and even changing minds. And now? We’ve got to do it again.
 

How Not to Get Played by Fake News

So, how do we survive in a world where fake news spreads faster than your latest TikTok scroll?
Researcher Alex Edmans says: "Be open to being wrong". Sounds easy, but let’s be real—it’s tough. Most of us don’t have the time to fact-check every tweet or Instagram post.
And here’s the thing: even if we could, wouldn’t someone just find a way to spin it? In advertising, if consumers started fact-checking everything, you know we’d be out here designing “truthy” campaigns to win them over.
 

Maybe Ignorance Is Bliss?

Crazy idea: what if we leaned into not knowing? Socrates did it. The dude literally built his whole philosophy on admitting he didn’t have all the answers.
It’s kind of freeing when you think about it. Instead of chasing certainty, we could focus on staying curious, asking questions, and, most importantly, keeping the convo going.
Lao zi agrees with this too. In the Tao Te Ching, he mentions that the way out is to: 
 

Recognize the limits of knowledge and act without ego or distortion. It’s about finding clarity in simplicity and wisdom in uncertainty.

At the end of the day, truth isn’t a static thing. It’s a shared journey—a story we build together.
 

I hope in the future I could build powerful stories that shape the world with McCann again!

*Matthieu Mondin - Strategy Director, McCann Bristol

*Beth Evans - Senior Strategist, McCann Bristol