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1. Rethinking Creative: From Static Concepts to Dynamic Content
AI is changing how we develop creative. It’s no longer a one-and-done process—ideas can evolve in real time based on performance and feedback. Creative is now dynamic, not static. That means teams need to move faster, build with flexibility, and work more closely across strategy, media, and production.
2. Personalization at Scale
AI lets us go beyond basic demographics and target based on how people actually think and behave. It makes true 1:1 marketing possible. But personalization only works if it’s meaningful- without insight, it’s just more noise. Relevance still wins.
3. Media Buying Gets Smarter - But Not Hands-Free
AI can help with bidding, optimization, and even testing creative. It makes things faster and more efficient. But automation alone isn’t enough - smart strategy still needs a human touch to build long-term brand value.
4. Strategic Thinking Still Matters
The speed of AI can tempt teams to deprioritize long-term strategy. But thoughtful planning, consumer insights, and brand clarity can’t be outsourced to algorithms.
AI should free up time for deeper strategic thinking, not replace it.
5. Alignment with Clients on AI Use Is Essential
As agencies integrate AI into workflows, it’s important to align with clients on how it’s used. From creative development to data handling, transparency is imperative.
Set expectations early. AI use should reflect client goals, values, and comfort level - not just internal efficiencies.
6. Performance Measurement Enters a New Era
AI goes beyond basic metrics and KPIs and helps uncover contextual patterns - like linking ad exposure to offline behavior or creative to sentiment shifts.
Use AI to find the “why” behind the “what.” That’s where the next level of optimization lives.
7. The Ethics and Trust Equation
AI brings risk - bias, misuse, or overreach can damage consumer trust. Responsible use, clear consent practices, and value alignment must guide implementation.
Just because AI can do something, doesn’t mean it should. Put ethics before automation.
When a client came to us with a brand revitalization assignment targeting families with kids, we took an extra step and unearthed the family construct of the modern day. We moved past just looking at families with kids and worked to understand how families are built, what connects them and just what those families look like – do they really all have kids? We knew that if we were going to evolve the brand so that it spoke to today’s consumer, we had to ensure we were grounded in the human truths specific to today’s consumer.
What we found gave us insights that extended well beyond the assignment. We crafted a rich perspective on how the modern family is defined. As we used these truths to guide how we relate to our audience, we were able to find beautiful examples of brands infusing these learnings well in their marketing efforts. While looking for inspiration, we also uncovered places where brands were not applying a present-day view and unintentionally furthering stereotypes. Here’s what we learned on our journey to connect the brand with the consumer.
