With the advertising industry, especially the creative function, facing its toughest threats from tech giants like Google and Meta, as well as the looming challenge of AI, an issue of major concern on and off the Goafest stage was that the whole business of advertising might be teetering on the edge
In a session on creativity, Ashish Khazanchi, managing partner of Enormous, said, “The industry is faced with two choices at this point – you either let technology conquer you or you maximise its potential and conquer it.”
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In today’s times, there is need for creativity to demonstrate immediate impact rather than nuance, Khazanchi said, “ChatGPT is not a tool for creativity but rather of productivity.”
In the next couple of years, advertising agencies will look to hire AI-prompt designers or AI-prompt copywriters, said Manish Solanki, COO and co-founder of TheSmallBigIdea. He added that nearly 30% of the agency’s recent hires were in AI-related engineering roles. Ad agencies that are more agile have a natural advantage but Solanki also pointed out the importance of strong client-agency relationships to help the industry not just survive but also grow.
In stark contrast, in a session on the future of creative leadership, creative consultant and former Ogilvy CCO Sonal Dabral lamented the loss of direction among creative agencies as they chased tech and consulting businesses, losing sight of their core strength. “Tech platforms respond and adapt with swiftness,” he said, asserting that agencies need to redefine their positioning instead of trying to do everything.
The role of the chief creative officer is more critical than ever, Dabral said, urging creative leaders to stop being “so rational”. To survive, agencies need to take risks with audacious ideas, he summed up.