Jon Stojan
Credit: Scott Leonard
Following more than three decades in the marketing and advertising industry, semi-retired executive, Scott Leonard has witnessed countless changes in the field. Starting with the introduction of desktop computers and tools like Photoshop to the ultimate rise of social media marketing, his career has been specifically accentuated by his distinct ability to adapt to new technologies and trends. However, Leonard now views the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as the start of the most significant technological advancement ready to reform the industry entirely.
Leonard’s career started out with an intense interest in marketing from the get-go, which rapidly grew into an incredibly deep expertise in multiple facets of the industry. As founder and former CEO of A.D.D Marketing, he worked to effectively lead the agency through genuinely avant-garde campaigns for major high-end brands and products, such as the Sony PlayStation, the Razor Scooter, and the Nokia N-Gage. His agency was one of the first to jump on board to market a website for WIRED Magazine and also worked on the theatrical release of “The Blair Witch Project.”
Nevertheless, despite this celebrated history, Leonard believes that AI represents an essential shift in the way that marketing and advertising will operate in the future. According to him, AI has the potential to be as transformative for the field as the advent of digital tools and platforms were in previous decades. Ultimately, he compares the impact of AI to the vast capabilities of self-driving cars, which can remarkably process an enormous array of inputs like weather conditions, traffic patterns, and other variables — all in real time. Just as these vehicles effectively exceed human drivers and their ability to manage even the most difficult driving scenarios, AI’s ability to analyze and utilize enormous data sets surpasses human capabilities by a mile. For marketers, in particular, this means that AI can develop creative strategies and media plans with extraordinary precision and unmatched effectiveness.
AI can sift through massive amounts of information to generate insights and craft marketing messages that are far more resonant with target audiences. Furthermore, this tech also retains the ability to adjust media plans almost instantly, which works to optimize campaigns in ways that used to be impossible. Nevertheless, Scott Leonard recognizes that the incredible advancements come with substantial implications for the workforce. The efficiency and speed of AI might quickly reduce the number of roles required in marketing departments, effectively making some positions obsolete in the long run. Although this change could reduce costs for brands, it could also mean that new entrants will need to embrace AI rather than resist its integration.
Throughout his career, Leonard has been heavily involved in a variety of roles, spreading his time between leading successful ad campaigns to serving on boards, as well as teaching marketing at both the undergraduate and MBA levels. His insights are informed by his work with high-profile clients such as Nike, Microsoft, and Toyota, along with his experience in founding and managing companies. While Leonard is realistic about the changes AI will bring, he also expresses a serious sense of longing and nostalgia for the marketing industry as he once knew it. Overall, his stellar career has been marked by hands-on problem-solving and a deep understanding of customer behavior. For more insights, follow Scott Leonard on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.