When Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, boldly claimed that AI would replace 95% of ad agency work, it sent ripples through the advertising world. Some called it alarmist. Others, visionaries among them, leaned in. Now, a growing wave of top creative directors are not just surviving this AI-powered shift—they’re thriving.
In fact, three of the industry's leading creative minds have recently spoken out, crediting AI tools for helping them secure some of their most lucrative business to date.
1. Alex Tan, Global Creative Director at Vertex & Co.
"AI didn't replace my ideas. It gave them speed, scale, and sharpness."
Alex Tan recently led a pitch for a global beverage brand that involved creating 10 visual ad concepts in just 48 hours. Using a combination of AI-powered image generation and scriptwriting tools, his team was able to deliver an immersive, multi-channel campaign pitch that previously would’ve taken weeks.
Result: The agency won a $12 million annual retainer.
Why AI Worked: Speed to market, variety of ideas, and visual realism impressed the client.
2. Leah Martin, Executive Creative Director at Nova Works
"We used AI to map the emotional journey of our customer personas. That insight sealed the deal."
For a tech startup seeking a deeply personalized ad experience, Leah used AI to generate dynamic customer personas and predictive emotional mapping. Her team built multiple ad variants optimized for mood, behavior, and demographic—within days.
Result: A $6.5 million campaign spanning North America and Europe.
Why AI Worked: Hyper-targeted content and deeper audience resonance.
3. Jordan Reyes, Chief Innovation Officer at Signal Creative
"The client said our AI mockups looked like the final product they had in mind—even before production."
Jordan’s agency used generative AI to build 3D mockups, voiceovers, and storyboard animatics for a luxury automotive brand. The visual quality was so convincing, the brand’s CMO thought they were seeing final-stage assets.
Result: A $10 million multimedia campaign for a new vehicle launch.
Why AI Worked: Elevated production value early in the pitch and confidence in execution.
The Bottom Line: AI Isn’t the End of Creative Work. It’s a Power-Up.
While many fear AI will decimate creativity, these directors prove the opposite: AI is a creative co-pilot, not a replacement. Agencies that embrace it are finding not just efficiency, but competitive edge and profitability.
Sam Altman might be right about AI transforming 95% of agency tasks—but as these stories show, it’s those who adapt who will thrive in the new advertising era.
Are you ready to put AI to work in your creative process?
The tools are here. The wins are real. The future of advertising isn’t less creative—it’s smarter, faster, and bigger than ever.
Ready to future-proof your brand’s creative strategy?
At DESS, we blend AI with bold creative vision to deliver campaigns that don’t just compete—they dominate.
📩 Contact us today to discover how AI-powered creativity can win your next big pitch.
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