When Machines Start Thinking Creatively: The Quiet Earthquake in Advertising

Last month, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a bold statement: brands might soon no longer need creative agencies—once Meta’s new generation of AI ad tools rolls out by 2026. The reaction was immediate. Shares of advertising giants like Publicis, WPP, Omnicom, and Interpublic dropped 3% to 4% overnight.
That drop wasn’t just financial. It hinted at a future many in the industry have long feared: a future where algorithms could replace the human imagination.

From Mad Men to Machine Men

For over a century, agencies have been architects of emotion. They shaped how we felt about brands, built cultural moments, and created messages that lived in our heads for years.
But the rules are changing.
Meta, Amazon, Google, and Comcast are now offering tempting ad creation tools powered by AI. These tools generate visuals and copy also analyze data, place ads, and measure results. Instantly. At a low cost. Without needing large teams or long timelines.
Jessica Serrano, a marketing veteran who’s worked with Burger King and Taco Bell, put it plainly: “If I ran an e-commerce brand with just three employees, I’d be thrilled.”

But Can a Machine Understand You?

Chris Beresford-Hill from BBDO says it best: “Big brands don’t just want ads. They want consistency. They want stewardship. They want a relationship.” And in a world obsessed with speed, sometimes, the soul of a brand gets lost in automation.
AI is brilliant at creating hundreds of variations and optimizing clicks. But it still relies on prompts given by humans. And perhaps, that’s where its current ceiling lies.

A Wake-Up Call

Agencies that focus heavily on performance marketing are most at risk. But those that anchor themselves in brand-building, storytelling, and cultural insight? They’ll find themselves more essential than ever.

What Happens Now?

Meta’s CMO, Alex Schultz, has tried to calm the storm, saying, “We believe in the future of agencies.” And sure, Meta continues to partner with agencies as it builds its AI tools.
Luxury brands like Gucci and Givenchy are already experimenting with AI-made ads. LVMH calls AI essential to navigating today's economic slowdown. Even L’Oréal is teaming up with Nvidia to scale AI in beauty ad creation.

Then what makes a human creative truly human?

AI can detect patterns, but it doesn’t carry memories. It can optimize engagement, but it doesn’t understand heartbreak, joy, or longing. It cannot be experienced. And creation without experience is imitation, not inspiration.

@SNC’s View: Just Perspective

@SNC, we see it as a course of correction.

  • We believe agencies must now become more than service providers—they must become strategic soulmates to brands.
  • We believe that emotional intelligence, cultural context, and ethical design will separate the good creatives from the great ones.
  • We believe that while AI might paint the picture, only humans can add meaning.

The future is not man vs. machine. It is man with machine.
And the brands that thrive tomorrow will be those that master both.