Making Ads Smarter & Saving Millions: Root to Rise Podcast Appearance
AC Founder Tom Ollerton was recently interviewed by Abhilasha Mohandas on the Root to Rise podcast, talking about the mission of Automated Creative, our goals for the future, and his transition into entrepreneurship.
At Automated Creative, our ambition is to stop the waste of billions of media dollars on ineffective ads and make ad creative that works. We’ve proven we can improve effectiveness by 17% on average and have unlocked creative value for brands like McDonald’s, Mars, P&G, Diageo, etc. But it’s not all about technology. As Tom explained on the podcast:
“Technology isn’t the whole answer - it’s the balance of using technology with skilled and talented people. There’s a human part and a technology part of our business.”
Here are three key things to take away from the podcast:
Data-driven creativity is the future of advertising
Adding live data insights into the creative process is a pivotal shift. The old model of advertising is like investing in a rocket and trying to fly to the moon, but not having any mission control, like our Global Head of Creative Strategy, Amy Wright, says. Using AC’s tech becomes that mission control and ensures campaigns deliver what they should.
Through our work, we’re giving brands true insights into why their ads work. That use of the intersection of creativity and data defines successful insight - something we strive to achieve on an ongoing basis.
2. Technology needs to fuse with human insight and creativity to unlock value
Finding the balance between using tech to parse data and harnessing human creative power is key for brands. It will make ads that are not only technically sophisticated, but also genuinely engaging with an audience.
3. You need to constantly innovate and adapt to succeed
From his own experience with continuous learning and transitioning into running a business, Tom talked about how success is an ongoing commitment to learning and visualising where you want to be. He shared his learnings from James Clear’s Atomic Habits and the importance of accepting that you always need to change, always having to adapt to the new. “We have to stay interested in what’s coming.”
You can hear more about the challenges of running a business, the future of data driven marketing, and some more entrepreneurial tips on the podcast.