Lights, camera, innovation!

This year’s BAFTAs struck a familiar chord…

It had it all…

Glitz. Glamour. Gags. Tears. Expletive-laden acceptance speeches. Oh, and an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction worthy of a double-page spread in The Daily Mail (poor Mark Hamill, whose trousers betrayed him at precisely the wrong moment!)

Of course I’m talking about this year’s BAFTAs, which aired last Sunday.

The BAFTAs have had their fair share of criticism over the years… who can forget the #BaftasSoWhite controversy of 2023? But as my wife and I settled in front of the telly for the evening, one thing became clear: the 2025 film nominations mark a time when filmmakers aren’t just making movies. They are pushing boundaries – technically, narratively, and socially.

As expected, Conclave?and The Brutalist?were the big winners of the night. The latter tells the story of a Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States. Made for less than $10 million, it challenges narratives whilst reminding everyone that groundbreaking storytelling doesn’t require a blockbuster budget.

And at three and a half hours long, it’s clearly not afraid to break the usual “rules” of audience patience (although if, like me, you find yourself dozing on the sofa by 9.30 pm, it’s probably a film best saved for a lazy Sunday afternoon!).

Meanwhile, Mikey Madison walked away with Best Leading Actress for Anora,?a film about an exotic dancer caught in the whirlwind of a Russian oligarch’s world. Another example of a film unafraid to tackle difficult themes and go where others have previously hesitated.

And then, my personal favourite… Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which my kids and I watched on repeat over Christmas, picked up two BAFTAs. It became the first British film to win Best Animated Feature, marking a major milestone for UK animation and proving once again that clay and comedy are a match made in heaven.

The evening also saw the brilliant Warwick Davis?receive the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship for his contributions to film and disability awareness. Hugely deserved and a true inspiration.

As a kid I remember watching Davis as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi. And now my own kids love him for his many roles in Harry Potter. His career has been a masterclass in resilience and reinvention –?breaking barriers in both the industry and wider society.

As I watched the winners take the stage, I realised that many BAFTA-winning filmmakers share a common trait: they are not afraid to take risks. To challenge norms. To push the limits of what’s possible.

And that, right there, is the parallel. Because whether it’s on the big screen or in business, innovation is the key to success.

At All-Tag, we know a thing or two about pushing boundaries. Just as today’s filmmakers are challenging conventions to create masterpieces, we’re also innovating and adapting in a rapidly changing industry (Scorsese who!?!).?

Much like Brady Corbet, the Director of The Brutalist, we’ve also honed the art of cost-effective production, enabling us to offer our retail customers the same great service and value for less.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of watching All-Tag go from strength to strength – breaking records (1.25 billion EAS labels produced last year!), forging new paths and redefining what’s possible.

Sometimes, that means creating products from scratch. Other times, it means looking at existing ideas with fresh eyes. Either way, the goal remains the same: pushing innovation forward. And with some exciting strategic partnerships and product developments in the pipeline, our trajectory is only getting stronger.

Tim and I will be sharing more about these changes as we gear up for Retail Risk – London on 27th March. So if you’re coming, do stop by our stand for a quick chat or to learn more about some of the game-changing projects we’re working on!

And, of course, following the conference we have our very own BAFTA-style awards ceremony – the Pride of Retail Risk – to look forward to.

I’ll be dusting off the dinner jacket (and doing my very best to avoid a Mark Hamill-style wardrobe malfunction!) as we gather to recognise and reward the unsung heroes who have contributed so much to our industry. Not the leading actors, but the film crew, the editors, the lighting technicians, the sound engineers…

The BAFTAs might celebrate excellence in the film industry, but I can say with confidence that the Risk Management world has some equally remarkable stories of achievement to tell too… and I can’t wait to hear them!