You can access the earlier Q&A with 4As Justin Thomas-Copeland, including a video of the full Q&A.
Is there a particular part of AI that agencies should know about or is there another trend that’s flying under the radar that agencies and brands should know about?
4As Justin Thomas-Copeland:
Here’s the thing about AI … AI potentially can touch anything. Other than a wooden desk, if it’s a human or it has an electronic pulse, AI can affect it. But I would say, the one trend that I think is going to continue to happen is the need for creativity as a real differentiator. Ideas, experiences that touch human emotion and get people to do things. The ability to do that and make those experiences and develop those ideas with or without the use of AI is critical. I think that’s intrinsically human because it’s based on human insight. How you make it though, could be through an AI loop or any technology loop depending on what it is you’re making.
That’s going to be critical as we go forward. More and more brands will be looking for that.
The challenge is, if you just go straight to the tool and you don’t challenge yourself with the human insight, you could prompt your way to a lot of work. Human creativity and human insight is really important.
The other thing I’d mention is that we just need to refocus on talent. We know talent’s going to be disrupted. We know it’s going to be displaced. We know that there’s a need for upskilling. But everything we do is around talent, and, while it’s always been a pillar of the 4As, it’s even more so a focus for me coming into this role: What are we doing in terms of people?
We need to help individuals navigate and grow in the industry, and then upskilling, making sure that they have the capabilities and competencies to keep them relevant in the space.
Some of that will touch AI, but as a whole, the human element of our industry is something that’s super important. I think [the industry is] going to start talking more about people and the role of people in our industry. For a couple of years now, it’s been a lot about the platforms and the tech. And yes, you’re going to need that. And yes, there’s probably going to be no slowing that down, but you need the human ingenuity that goes with that to fully bring to bear the advantages that any technology can give.
The other point I would touch on is just the business level conversation from marketing: Clients’ boardrooms. If you’ve never been in a boardroom for a client or been sort of under the microscope from a board leader at a client organization talking about the effectiveness of your marketing, you need that experience.
There’ll be more of that because there’ll be a level of investment by brands and they’ll want to know what the ROIs and when it’s coming and how it’s coming. Agency partners are going to be brought into some of those conversations more and more, or at least I hope they will be, because I think they can … they should be able to contribute to those conversations.
That business level accountability is a trend that should be coming agencies’ way because there’s just going to be a need for CEOs to understand and have a holistic picture. It’s becoming more front and center of how brands and businesses are being built, so there’s more of a need to have the expertise of agencies standing side by side with those senior clients and developing that narrative.
That’s a trend that I’m hearing about from agency owners and CMOs and senior clients, and I hope it continues.
In your crystal ball, what’s the outlook you see for the advertising industry? What about 4As?
Justin Thomas-Copeland:
My outlook on the industry is really positive. I think we’re all in this situation where we all have to adapt to thrive. If you don’t adapt, then it could be to your demise, and that’s both client side as well as agency side. I don’t think the agencies are under a unique microscope. The ecosystem is really now being tasked and being challenged to fully and truly change both sides – buy side, sell side.
I see people understanding that, and it gives me great hope for our industry.
I also see new models popping up. I see new launches for agencies popping up. I see brands trying to do things differently. For me, those are all positive signs of an industry that’s trying to find its new feet at speed.
And, for the 4As, we’ve got a thriving agency community who are ready to take on the challenge. They know it’s difficult. Some are going through some of those pain points, but everyone recognizes that this is a real time of change. And I see people stepping up to it. I see stakeholders, I see clients, agencies, partners, all stepping up to it, and it gives me great hope for the future.
We are going to be in great shape. And I say that not ignoring the macroeconomic situation and some of the complexities that exist in the world, but I still believe that, as it relates to the 4As and US agencies.
The US ad industry is about 20% of the US GDP, which is not insignificant – whether that’s directly through spend and or through jobs that we create, supply chain people, we employ directly in the industry.
We have a role to play, not just for marketing and brands, but in the US economy. I see everyone in the ecosystem looking to change and adapt, and really benefit from how they can evolve their propositions, which means everyone’s active.
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