Creating a connection between product and customer is the #1 job of advertising.

But many dismiss the importance of brand. If you have, look no further than Liquid Death.

The Liquid Death brand has captured the essence of modern branding and consumer culture. By defying convention and embracing a unique and defined persona, Liquid Death has managed to create a brand that far transcends traditional marketing boundaries and is a prime example of how compelling branding can transform a mundane product choice.

The traditional approach to advertising often involved interrupting the consumer experience with disruptive ads. Whether it was a TV commercial, a full-page magazine ad, or a native or influencer ad on social media, the primary goal was to grab attention. With AI's intervention, advertising becomes more personal, subtle, and tailored to the interests and preferences of the customer.

This shift from attention-seeking to attraction-building creates a possible win-win situation for advertisers and consumers. Advertisers can achieve better conversion rates, and consumers are presented with ads that align with their desires and needs.

But don't get excited just yet:

Ted Lasso is a show. But we get inspiration from many arenas (music, sports, movies).

So let's explore the lessons I picked up from Ted Lasso and what he can teach about human intelligence and leadership.

Find out more:

AI relies on the vast amount of information it receives from humans. (Much outside of the marketing and advertising industry.)

For creativity, though, let’s understand the potential risk: if information fed into AI systems predominantly consists of average or mediocre work; it can perpetuate uninspired and unoriginal ideas.

And with everyone having the same access to the same technology, all creative work could become the same.

What difference will a brand have in the future?

Last month, I partnered with a big four accounting firm unpacking an innovation, creativity, and sustainability problem for a global CPG company.

During my keynote, two slides made a larger impact - and these slides became a focal point for the following discussions over the days.

How do organizations foster innovation and creativity so they become the lifeblood of the business? The answer lies in a systematic approach that encourages creativity, embraces risk-taking, and fosters a positive culture of experimentation.

AI is rapidly changing the world of design and copywriting—some for good, some for bad. And for those who don't know my stance, Human Intelligence (HI) will not be replaced by AI. It is HI + AI. Only humans can do human things. Emotional tasks (creation, contact, heartfelt messages, and branding) will remain in the realm of HI.

It is more important than ever for designers and copywriters to be familiar with AI and how to use it to their advantage and to grow their careers.

In 2023, every company has the same access to the same tech, the same inventory constraints, the same supply chain, and to the same people.

Who you are, and what you stand for as a brand, will mean the difference between success and failure in decades to come. A brand will dictate how you act, will separate you from your competitors, and will set you up for growth.

People are at the core of the agency business. As a result, agencies can never out-tech tech companies.

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has made strides and is now capable of performing many tasks that were once thought to be the domain of humans (driving cars, writing news articles, and even creating art-like objects).

This has led to concerns that AI will eventually replace humans in the workforce. We need to think of the world as Human Intelligence plus AI.

And there are AI doubts. Geoffrey Hinton, the “godfather of artificial intelligence,” has announced his resignation from Google, citing growing concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

While it is true that AI is becoming increasingly powerful, it is important to remember that it is still a tool. It is up to humans to decide how to use this tool.

It's not a leap to see how Stable Diffusion and Bard/ChatGPT will be used to buy and place media and create ads in the near future.

These technologies will revolutionize how we create art and design for some work.

But only humans can do human things and connect to other humans. So people will still need to create Tier 1 and Tier 2 creative and strategy. AI can not do something that has never been done before.

Today, every company has the same access to the same technology, the same systems, the same global stage, the same supply chain, and, yes, even the same AI.

Only three interrelated things separate you from competitors in the future. 1) Talent. 2) How talent works together. And 3) Brand.

And if you aren’t going beyond the basic team offerings, and the basic branding, it is guaranteed your business is not recession-proof.

I've spent my career in advertising and marketing and seen firsthand the power of great leadership and a plan.

I've worked with some of the most talented and dedicated people in the business, and I've seen them achieve amazing things. I've seen them overcome seemingly impossible challenges and come out on top.

The key to their success is always the same: they have a clear vision, a well-defined plan, and the ability to motivate and inspire others.

It's not easy, but it's worth it.

I’ve worked with many companies and brands that need to transform and evolve. But, the evolution cycle inside companies must be continuous to survive. And to continually change and grow, you need people performing at their best.

Allowing HI to thrive will ensure your teams thrive. And when teams thrive, businesses will thrive. (And good creative leaders have known this for years.)

Layers slow people down with bureaucracy.

Many years ago, my creative partner and I had a campaign idea radically different from the usual auto ad.

Interestingly, no creative leadership (except the GCCO) could or would approve the work.

There is a reason that some tech companies can innovate so fast. They have a very flat organizational structure, and the team has direct access to decision-makers.

Creativity does not live in negative and dull environments. Celebrating small wins is vital to building a positive and creative atmosphere.

It can help to motivate and inspire your team, reduce stress, foster creativity, and build strong client relationships. And while the win may seem small, it can make a big difference in the long run.

The success you feel in one week can be predetermined by the prior Friday. Take the time to set yourself up for success. Set goals and tasks, and also plan for Monk-Mode - a period when you’re 100% focussed on one problem.

AI can remove subjectivity and skepticism that briefs are shallow or based on incorrect thinking. A study conducted by Deloitte Digital and me compared traditional creative briefs with AI-created documents. The study found that the AI-driven brief increased the diversity and number of ideas created by 57% compared to the traditional, human-created format.

Advertisers and Marketers need to be able to adapt fast to grow brands and get the response they desire. TikTok - outside of planned and programmed campaigns - allows you to jump on trends; if your process, systems and approval ladders allow you to be nimble.

TikTok is the act-fast medium or be left behind platform.

Briefing media and content in 2023 are very different. Instead of thinking about creating and launching content, think about how to start a conversation.

I have built Innovation and Creative CoE's in Tech and CPG brands (and I have delivered keynote speeches on Innovation and Creativity to the same companies countless times); and generally speaking, I am against one core team whose focus is innovation. Here’s why:

So much has been written about how to be a mentor. If done incorrectly, it can be a soul-sucking experience. If done correctly, I have found it to be rewarding.

At the start of the pandemic, I doubled down on mentoring. Helping others growing their confidence, find jobs, find worth and grow their network.