10 brutal truths Sir Martin Sorrell dropped at MAD//FEST that EVERY marketer needs to hear:
1. AI is reshaping the creative process
GenAI is drastically reducing the time and cost of ad production. What once took 12 weeks and £1m can now be done in 3 days for £100k.
S4 Capital Group/Monks used tools like Runway and MiniMax to produce campaigns at speed.
“The tech we used for PUMA Group three months ago is already outdated. That’s how fast this is moving.”
2. Personalisation at scale is the new holy grail
Brands are waking up to the value of tailored creative delivered at scale.
Many are spending 10–15% of their media budget on creative and beginning to question if that’s sustainable.
In a low-growth environment, effectiveness and efficiency matter more than ever.
3. The future of media buying is automated and platform-driven
Tools from Meta and Google are already automating media planning and content production, particularly for SMEs.
These tools will soon expand to large enterprises.
“250,000 people work in media buying today. That number won’t exist in two or three years.”
4. The big four dominate digital advertising
Google, Meta, Amazon and TikTok now account for 50% of all digital ad spend.
Their investment in AI infrastructure (CapEx) – not just ad revenue – is cementing their dominance. Each is spending between $50 billion and $100 billion annually.
5. Clients are taking back control
Since the 2008 financial crisis, brands have increasingly outsourced key marketing functions.
That’s changing.
Embedded teams and in-housing – especially for media planning and first-party data – are on the rise.
General Motors is leading the way with a fully integrated, AI-led in-house model.
6. The agency of the future will be smaller and smarter
Agencies will become more strategic, more integrated, and leaner in structure.
Roles such as media planners and buyers are in decline.
Creativity still matters – but it must be tech-enabled, efficient and measurable.
7. Flattened structures are replacing hierarchy
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang manages 51 direct reports.
How? Firms that utilise AI and share knowledge horizontally can move faster and reduce internal politics.
8. Geopolitical uncertainty is stalling progress
Global tensions, along with unclear tariffs, are making clients hesitant.
“The fog must clear before clients start investing in AI at scale.”
9. AI will supercharge efficiency
S4 Capital Group is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Adobe and NVIDIA to slash production costs across the board.
For example, cloud-based AI can reduce outside broadcast costs for major events by up to 90 percent.
Expect similar savings across content/media production.
10. Growth will come from the East and South
Sorrell is cautious about Europe’s outlook.
He’s far more bullish on India, SA (especially Brazil, Mexico and Colombia), and SE Asia (including Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia).
“Europe is flat. The future is south and east.”