Marketing leaders are being presented with a growing number of AI tools, agents and agency-built solutions, all promising greater speed, efficiency and productivity.
But how do you know which are genuinely worth the investment?
15-20 years ago, media agency fees, including tech and data were c. 2% of the media budget, they have ballooned to now represent nearer 10-15% (not including rebates etc).
Some CEO’s seem to think that AI is a Magic Button. They assume that immediately and automatically, marketing can suddenly do 30% more, with 30% less. This hype cycle has without a doubt been perpetrated by strategy consultants that don’t execute and understand how to implement AI programs in marketing functions, and the agency landscape. And, agencies and software companies intent on selling their wares.
After 13 years helping some of the world’s leading companies transform their marketing, I’ve come to a fairly simple conclusion.
Most marketing transformation programmes don’t fail because the strategy was bad, the technology wrong, the agencies poor, or the org design ill-conceived, they fail because of this…
Flock and Screendragon recently hosted a roundtable on Marketing Automation and AI for leading brands from pharma, travel, financial services, CPG, entertainment, and beverages. The event was held in the opulent surroundings of the private dining room Fortnum & Mason.
Pharma and healthcare marketing used to be built around a relatively stable rhythm: launch planning, salesforce alignment, medical congresses, HCP education, patient support, access materials, field-force enablement, and, in the US, direct-to-consumer advertising.
That rhythm has broken. Totally.
For many marketers the use of influencers and creators has become a key part of their marketing mix, with some sources suggesting that the influencer economy may reach $43.9 billion in 2026.
It’s not news that many agencies make a lot of money from media planning and buying to most marketers. It’s been in the open for decades. It’s widely reported they make more money from non-client income derived from client media spend than from the fees they charge. But how can clients avoid the dreaded ‘triple dip’?
Automotive marketing used to be built in a predictable way: model launches, minor changes and sales events, broad reach, dealer co‑op, a lot of linear TV, lower funnel PPC, paid social and CRM. That rhythm has broken…
The silos between retailer, sales, and marketing are rapidly dissolving and retail media is the force driving that convergence. Global retail media spend is expected to exceed US$200 billion by 2027 (WARC).
Content has always been king and queen. But who creates it, and how, is now fully up for disruption. The creator economy is projected to reach US$191.6 billion in 2025 (Quick Market Pitch) and grow at 23% CAGR (Future Market Insights). There are already 404 million creator-partner opportunities available to marketers (Contentful), and the major platforms are vast conduits for reach
AI is no longer a peripheral tool, it is becoming the primary interface through which consumers live, choose, and buy.