Smartly’s Desmond: Agencies Must Lead Another Talent Transformation for the AI Era
A career in advertising can feel like a series of technological tsunamis. First came the internet, then the shift to mobile, and now the industry is navigating the powerful currents of artificial intelligence. Each wave has demanded a relearning of the craft.
Despite these shifts, the core mission of advertising and marketing has remained constant, according to one industry veteran. The job is still about helping brands grow by connecting them to consumers, all while creating a fair value exchange for people’s time, attention, and data.
That continuity in purpose can guide agencies as they confront the AI era, which represents another moment of incredible opportunity and disruption. “I think we sit at that time again,” Laura Desmond, CEO of Smartly, said in this video interview with Beet.TV.
A vital, changing role for agencies
Having spent over 27 years at Publicis Groupe, Desmond believes there remains a real and vital role for agencies in the ecosystem, but one that will inevitably change. The most significant challenge and opportunity, in her view, will be centered on people.
“I think that talent and workforce transformation is going to be a major theme,” she said. “The agencies will change, but they know brands better than anyone, they know consumers better than anyone, and their ability to connect their marketing clients to a ecosystem of partners and technology companies like Smartly is a vital one.”
This need for workforce evolution is underscored by recent industry spending patterns. While chief marketing officers are allocating an average of 15.3% of their budgets to AI, a Gartner survey found that only 30% of marketing organizations report having mature or fully developed AI readiness, highlighting a significant gap between investment and execution.
Learning from the digital shift
This is not the first time agencies have faced such a transition. Desmond drew a parallel to the mid-2000s, when the industry had to pivot from traditional media to digital. She recalled leading a similar initiative during her time leading Starcom Mediavest Group.
“We tackled that… when we knew that we needed to take our linear practitioners, people who knew traditional media, traditional television, and help them become digital,” Desmond said. “And we led our talent through a transformation that helped them grow as people and leaders.”
That early focus on reskilling not only benefited employees but also gave the agency a competitive edge. “It also helped the agency grow because we were first to digital transformation and that was what our clients needed to drive change,” she added.
Focus on the client connection
Today, as AI introduces new layers of complexity and can make advertising less transparent, the agency’s role as a strategic guide becomes even more crucial. Their deep knowledge of brands and consumers is the anchor in a sea of algorithmic decision-making.
Desmond believes the path forward for agencies lies in leveraging their core strengths to navigate the evolving landscape of partners and technology providers. Her own company, Smartly, is expanding its global footprint with a new hub in Mexico City to enhance its AI and connected TV offerings, exemplifying the growing ecosystem agencies must master for their clients.
Ultimately, her advice to agency leadership is straightforward and centers on their fundamental purpose. “My only advice is to spend time thinking strategically about how they help their marketing clients and to focus on that,” Desmond said, “and I think the rest will unfold well.”
A career in advertising can feel like a series of technological tsunamis. First came the internet, then the shift to mobile, and now the industry is navigating the powerful currents of artificial intelligence. Each wave has demanded a relearning of the craft.
Despite these shifts, the core mission of advertising and marketing has remained constant, according to one industry veteran. The job is still about helping brands grow by connecting them to consumers, all while creating a fair value exchange for people’s time, attention, and data.
That continuity in purpose can guide agencies as they confront the AI era, which represents another moment of incredible opportunity and disruption. “I think we sit at that time again,” Laura Desmond, CEO of Smartly, said in this video interview with Beet.TV.
A vital, changing role for agencies
Having spent over 27 years at Publicis Groupe, Desmond believes there remains a real and vital role for agencies in the ecosystem, but one that will inevitably change. The most significant challenge and opportunity, in her view, will be centered on people.
“I think that talent and workforce transformation is going to be a major theme,” she said. “The agencies will change, but they know brands better than anyone, they know consumers better than anyone, and their ability to connect their marketing clients to a ecosystem of partners and technology companies like Smartly is a vital one.”
This need for workforce evolution is underscored by recent industry spending patterns. While chief marketing officers are allocating an average of 15.3% of their budgets to AI, a Gartner survey found that only 30% of marketing organizations report having mature or fully developed AI readiness, highlighting a significant gap between investment and execution.
Learning from the digital shift
This is not the first time agencies have faced such a transition. Desmond drew a parallel to the mid-2000s, when the industry had to pivot from traditional media to digital. She recalled leading a similar initiative during her time leading Starcom Mediavest Group.
“We tackled that… when we knew that we needed to take our linear practitioners, people who knew traditional media, traditional television, and help them become digital,” Desmond said. “And we led our talent through a transformation that helped them grow as people and leaders.”
That early focus on reskilling not only benefited employees but also gave the agency a competitive edge. “It also helped the agency grow because we were first to digital transformation and that was what our clients needed to drive change,” she added.
Focus on the client connection
Today, as AI introduces new layers of complexity and can make advertising less transparent, the agency’s role as a strategic guide becomes even more crucial. Their deep knowledge of brands and consumers is the anchor in a sea of algorithmic decision-making.
Desmond believes the path forward for agencies lies in leveraging their core strengths to navigate the evolving landscape of partners and technology providers. Her own company, Smartly, is expanding its global footprint with a new hub in Mexico City to enhance its AI and connected TV offerings, exemplifying the growing ecosystem agencies must master for their clients.
Ultimately, her advice to agency leadership is straightforward and centers on their fundamental purpose. “My only advice is to spend time thinking strategically about how they help their marketing clients and to focus on that,” Desmond said, “and I think the rest will unfold well.”
