Business
Structuring and Scaling an Agency in the AI Era
Seiji Morita analyzes AI in operations, the power of client relationships, and industry challenges.
Seiji Morita explains how marketing agencies leverage AI to structure workflows and save time without delegating final creative decisions. The discussion covers operational productivity, omnichannel client service, and rising media costs.
Seiji Morita, CEO of Agência Omamori, joined Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast to discuss how communications agencies structure, manage, and sustain their operations amid the rise of artificial intelligence and climbing customer acquisition costs.
In the video above, the full conversation provides practical examples of internal workflows, client service dynamics, and competitive insights between boutique shops and large-scale operations.
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Seiji Morita's Background and Career
Morita began his professional journey outside marketing, transitioning from engineering after working in smaller setups and handling support and performance routines. In addition to leading his agency, he helps expand a cosmetics brand and maintains close ties to the Japanese community and softball. "I ended up leaving engineering and going into marketing. I joined a smaller agency, we started growing fast, and a few years later I founded Omamori," Morita says, reflecting on his career transition at age 27.
The Role of AI in Building and Running Modern Agencies
Building contemporary agency models requires integrating technological tools from day one. For Morita, artificial intelligence should not be the final creative decision-maker, but rather serve as a foundation for data analysis, research, and brief organization. "Many people don't realize that AI doesn't need to be the definitive end product," notes Morita, emphasizing that strategic direction still requires human judgment.
Industry Criticisms: AI Stigma and Ego Clashes
The discussion touches on longstanding biases in traditional advertising, particularly the pushback against accessible tools used by small business owners, such as AI image generators and simplified design platforms. Morita argues that business efficiency outranks technical purism when generating cash flow is at stake. "If it solves the business owner's pain point, there's no reason for an agency to get stuck in that kind of debate," says Morita.
Productivity, Lean Processes, and Cutting Rework
Heavy administrative workloads and overly long funnels often drain creative teams' productivity. Morita advocates for agile workflows where team members spend as little time as possible inside management software and more time focused on actual deliverables. "The less time my creative team spends managing tasks, the more effective we are at delivering what the client needs," Morita explains.
Omnichannel Support and Relationship-Driven Sales
Unifying customer touchpoints and investing in soft skills are key to contract retention and winning high-ticket accounts. For Morita, client service goes beyond task checklists to build mutual trust and clear communication around technical boundaries. "Client service doesn't need to follow a rigid script, but the person handling it must know how to connect with people," Morita emphasizes.
The Future of Agencies, Rising Ad Costs, and AI Adoption
As paid media costs climb and automated algorithms advance, agencies that rely solely on media buying risk losing relevance. Morita believes the true competitive edge lies in analytical capability and AI-powered brand strategy. "I don't see much of a future for agencies that only buy traffic," concludes Morita, discussing how performance marketers must adapt.
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