Since their birth, communication and advertising agencies have been a beacon of creativity. Their mission is not limited to selling products or services, but to connect emotionally with audiences, often pushing the limits of what is possible. This ability to explore the unknown should position them as leaders in the adoption of new technologies. However, in a paradoxical turn, they seem to have been left out of major strategic decisions in innovation. Why do brands choose consulting firms or technology companies to lead these conversations while relegating agencies to execute the operations?
This is largely the fault of the agencies themselves, but the full answer is a combination of factors that deserves to be analyzed in depth. And artificial intelligence (AI)—the technology that today fascinates and terrifies in equal parts—is the perfect case to illustrate this phenomenon.
One of the biggest barriers that communication agencies face is the level of dialogue they usually access within organizations. Historically, their relationship is anchored to the teams of marketingbut they are increasingly distancing themselves from those who manage strategic decisions or long-term budgets. For the most part, they interact with operational profiles focused on immediate performance objectives: achieving leadssales or clicks. Although these metrics are essential for measuring the success of a campaign, they also restrict experimentation.
The problem is amplified because the marketingas a discipline, is designed to minimize risks. Its function within the structure of a company is to protect and maximize the return on investment, which generates a natural aversion to any initiative that does not guarantee tangible results in the short term. Thus, when an agency proposes a campaign that involves emerging technologies—such as AI, augmented reality or blockchain—, the proposal is often seen as a dangerous bet. Why allocate budget to something that doesn’t yet have a proven case when existing formulas work?
Something must be made clear: it is not that the departments of marketing They are killing innovation. They are doing their job well, optimizing resources to obtain the best returns. It is the agencies who are knocking on the wrong door when talking about this type of projects, which not only slows down innovation, but also creates a cycle of inertia: brands adopt new technologies only when they reach massive maturity and their results are proven, long after agencies have tried to put them on the table. Instead of leading, they end up following trends, a dynamic that goes against the disruptive nature that should define the creative industry.
Generative AI as an example of missed opportunities
The case of generative artificial intelligence is paradigmatic. Nowadays, it seems like every brand wants to jump on the bandwagon of ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, Runway and other advanced models, generating ads, designs and content powered by these tools. However, this wave of enthusiasm masks years of failed attempts by some communications agencies to get brands to explore this technology before it became mainstream. mainstream.
A notable example is Publicis. At Cannes Lions 2023, the holding company French did not miss the opportunity to remind the industry that it has been experimenting with generative artificial intelligence since 2017 through its Marcel platform. Although his tone was arrogant—as if to say “I told you so”—the reality is that these types of initiatives often go unnoticed until the entire market is forced to pay attention.
Another case that reflects this dynamic was experienced firsthand that same year by one of us, the authors of this column, when working on a project that unfortunately did not see the light of day and therefore cannot be said much about it. In 2017, the DoubleYou Mexico agency, in collaboration with Google’s internal agency in the same country, developed a generative AI concept for one of the largest beverage brands in the world. The project, whose planning advanced enough to promise to be something revolutionary, ended up shelved due to a change in budget priorities that at the time made more sense for the company.
To understand why agencies are often left out of strategic conversations about innovation, it is crucial to analyze their strongest competition over the past few years. Consulting firms and technology companies have been able to position themselves as key partners for brands’ critical decisions. His speech focuses on data, scalability and transformation, a language that resonates most among management levels.
Agencies—especially those with a powerful technology department—have a unique advantage that consulting firms should not be able to replicate so easily: the ability to imagine how to integrate emerging technologies into relevant experiences that creatively connect with what consumers want. they have in mind. If consulting firms know how to structure a project and build it, agencies know how to tell the story behind that project and take it to the end consumer. Could consultancies and agencies then collaborate to complete the bridge between the technological and the human?
This year is shaping up to be a period of growth and significant advances in the field of intelligent agents. Experts and analysts point out that this technology will set the course for multiple industries.
In many cases the problem lies in the lack of a compelling narrative on the part of the agencies. They not only need to demonstrate that they have technological credentials, but also learn to speak the language of decision makers. That involves more than presenting innovative ideas: it is necessary to justify how these ideas align with corporate strategy, business objectives and, of course, return on investment. Consulting firms have known how to do it well: approaching the right consultant with the right speech from the beginning, getting into the depths of the business with products for which the consulting firm itself often owns the code—a smart way to make themselves indispensable—and finally , integrating creative teams as an added value that pulverizes agencies as competition.
Hacking corporate channels: a guide for agencies
If the creative industry is to regain its place as a catalyst for innovation, it needs a change of approach. Below are some ideas we would like to suggest for your exploration:
- Expand the dialogue: Stop depending exclusively on the teams of marketing operational. Identify decision makers in areas of innovation, digital transformation and business strategy, and build relationships with them.
- Form hybrid teams: Incorporate technological profiles such as data engineers, AI specialists and strategic consultants that complement the creative capabilities of the agency. Or, make strategic alliances with partners of technology to offer a comprehensive service.
- Prove the value of innovation: Innovative ideas need concrete examples to demonstrate their viability. This involves investing in pilot projects that serve as proof of concept to convince brands of the potential of new technologies.
- Educate the customer: Many times, resistance to innovation comes from ignorance. Agencies must take on a pedagogical role, explaining how emerging technologies can be safely and effectively integrated into business strategies.
The potential for communications agencies to lead the adoption of new technologies should not be underestimated. Their history is full of examples of how they have transformed industries with ideas that seemed impossible. But in an increasingly complex corporate environment, relying on creativity alone is not enough. It is time to combine that creativity with a more comprehensive service and adequate dialogue to turn communication into a true engine of innovation.
#integrated #communication #advertising #agencies
