From "Cost Savings" to "Value-Driven Governance"

In the Call: Russell Sharpe, Head of Production  | Eric Jillard, Group Director, Client Solutions | Erin Wilhoite, Chief Client Officer

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The consensus from our team? AI isn't just a mechanism for doing the same thing cheaper; it’s a tool for doing more, doing better, and moving faster.

The conversation covers several critical shifts happening in production right now:

• Prototyping as a Workflow Saver: Using AI to prototype creative concepts early allows stakeholders to align on a vision, drastically reducing the "swirl" and downstream overages that plague traditional production cycles.

• Redefining Compensation: As the production landscape changes, the old "hours and rates" staffing model is increasingly under pressure. We explore the industry’s need to move toward outcome-based and performance-based pricing—and why that transition requires a foundation of deep, trusting relationships between brands and their agency partners.

• The Hidden Cost of Innovation: We also touch on the recent Forrester findings that highlight the current tension in the industry: 75% of agencies are currently bearing the cost of generative AI capabilities themselves, without passing those costs to clients. This is an unsustainable model that requires transparency to resolve.

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Bridging Strategy with Governance


While the roundtable focuses on the why and the what of AI transformation, the how requires rigid operational standards. We believe this roundtable pairs perfectly with the recently released ANA Influencer Marketing Report.

Where our discussion identifies the need for new compensation and workflow models, the ANA report provides the industry-standard governance frameworks—such as centralized contracting and clear production playbooks—that brands need to implement to capture ROI.

We invite you to listen to the full episode and reflect on how your organization is shifting its creative supply chain to embrace these new possibilities.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE CALL:

1. The rules brands are setting around customer-facing content — Digiday (Aug 24)  

    “For some brands, AI platforms and services are proving to be game-changing for their ability to speed up creative processes, and save money… can save thousands of dollars.” 

2. Forrester AI Disruption Model: creative services at risk — State of AI Marketing (Aug 20)  

   “75% of marketing agencies bear the costs, with generative AI capabilities funded directly by the agency without passing the costs to clients.” 

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