The first Creative Connect of 2025 is officially behind us, kicking off a year of bold conversations and fresh insights into the future of digital advertising. On March 5th, we gathered at Celtra’s New York offices for Smarter Tech, Better Ads, a thought-provoking panel exploring how technology and creativity can work together to drive performance.

The energy in the room was undeniable. Industry leaders from top brands, agencies, and tech companies gathered to exchange ideas and dive into how automation, AI, and smarter workflows are reshaping the industry.

“It’s been a great session with a ton of different attendees,” said Ryan Cook, SVP of Sales at Celtra. “We had clients from the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, LoopMe, and agencies like ICP and Aki Technologies. Tons of great conversations, and we’re already looking forward to the next one.” 

Drinks were poured, ideas were sparked, and one thing became crystal clear: brands can’t afford to sleep on creative automation and AI if they want to keep up. 

Missed the event? Watch the full panel discussion on-demand and hear the insights straight from the experts.

The future of creativity is powered by tech

One of the biggest themes of the night? The balance between automation and creativity. Brands are under pressure to scale creative production faster than ever, but without the right strategy, it’s easy to lose the creative spark that makes an ad work.

Jeremy Wintroub, EVP Global Head of Production Strategy at ICP, underscored the economic pressures forcing brands to rethink how they scale. “Big brands that want to compete today cannot scale without technology, especially in this economic environment,” he explained. “The option to bring in scads of people or pay agencies FTE rates – those days are largely behind us. Technology is here, and for creatives, there’s no option but to embrace it.”

But as Tommy Hoffman, Director of Creative Strategy & Technology at Inmar Media (previously Aki Technologies), pointed out, not all automation is good automation. “We started personalizing just to personalize—and there’s a point of diminishing returns,” he said. “Everyone wants to automate, but I always say: pump the brakes and actually think about who we’re talking to.”

That personalization-for-the-sake-of-personalization trap is one of the biggest challenges in modern advertising. The promise of AI and automation is limitless scale, but does more always mean better?

Thaddeus Kromelis, Head of Go-to-Market at The Muse, doesn’t think so. “Something I learned in publishing is, ‘Write it once, sell it five times.’” His point? Great creative doesn’t need to be constantly reinvented—it just needs to be leveraged smartly across different channels.

AI won’t steal your job, but it will change it

AI is already transforming the creative process, but where is it actually helping brands move faster, and where does it still require a human touch? For Andrew DeCaro, Director of Marketing at Grayscale Investments, AI is more than just a copywriting tool—it’s a creative production powerhouse.

“AI isn’t just about copy or text – we use it for image generation, video editing, and even audio,” he shared. “My advice? Play around with it. Figure out which tools and prompts actually get you the results you want.”

The key takeaway? AI isn’t a magic button—it’s a tool that, when used strategically, helps brands scale faster, work smarter, and push creative boundaries. But even with AI, human oversight is critical—because, as Tommy Hoffman put it, “There’s still a soul in this creative work. It requires creative people.”

What’s next for Creative Connect?

Creative Connect NYC set the stage for a year of big conversations and even bigger ideas. If one thing was clear, it’s that the best ads don’t just scale, they perform. But performance doesn’t happen by accident – it takes the right mix of technology, strategy, and creativity.

Next stop: London, March 26th. This time, we’re tackling a question every marketer is asking: how do you turn views into value? We’ll break down the strategies behind ads that don’t just get seen but actually drive revenue in our next panel, Converting Clicks into Customers. 

Want a seat at the table? Sign up and we’ll reach out
if there’s a fit for you at our next gathering.