Business
Why Execution Lost Value for Ad Agencies in the AI Era
Renato Abdo argues that intellectual depth and creative breadth have replaced technical execution as a competitive edge.
With no-code platforms and artificial intelligence driving down the cost of technical production, marketing agencies must pivot toward human strategy and critical thinking. Renato Abdo breaks down why pure execution has lost its premium in advertising.
Renato Abdo, creator of agia and founder of Dialeto, analyzed the seismic shifts driven by artificial intelligence in advertising agency workflows and business models during a conversation with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast. The exchange, part of a broader discussion on communication and technology, examines how the automation of routine deliverables demands a more strategic, consultative posture from industry professionals.
In the video above, Abdo and Gimenes explore the stark contrast between how effortless it has become to produce assets using digital tools and the rigorous analytical effort still required to ensure those deliverables genuinely solve real business challenges for brands.
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Standardization Driven by Platforms
With modern creation suites and no-code or low-code development tools, complex projects that once required months and hundreds of thousands of dollars can now be built in mere days at a fraction of the cost. Given this reality, Abdo stresses that pure execution is no longer the primary value driver in marketing: "We need people thinking, because execution—execution is no longer the point, it is no longer where the value lies."
According to Abdo, when professionals lack a firm grasp of core design principles in areas like UX and UI, they tend to passively accept whatever an automated system spits out. Because AI models operate on standardized datasets, similar prompts inevitably generate near-identical results across competing brands. "If I use Lovable to build something, you use Lovable to build something, and we both use similar prompts, we're going to end up with very similar websites," Abdo notes.
The Piloting Metaphor and Constant Vigilance
Abdo compares today's advertising landscape to a high-risk environment where strategic oversight cannot afford a single lapse. In his view, traditional media operated much like flying an airplane—heavy effort during takeoff followed by cruising on autopilot. In today's hyper-competitive digital ecosystem, success demands active, unrelenting presence.
"Digital marketing is like riding a motorcycle in the rain on Rebouças Avenue," Abdo compares. "If you take your hands off the handlebars, you crash, you're done." The consultant's role, he argues, centers on diagnosing operational bottlenecks when a digital footprint exists and runs smoothly on paper, yet fails to generate tangible sales or customer retention.
Intellectual Depth Over Ready-Made Prompts
As AI interfaces continue to evolve, agency recruitment must prioritize cultural repertoire and analytical acumen over mechanical skills. Abdo contends that the industry should look beyond candidates who merely know how to operate software, focusing instead on those with the critical judgment to guide the technology effectively.
"You aren't going to hire someone just because they know how to execute. You're going to hire them for their intellectual breadth," Abdo emphasizes. He views the market's obsession with teaching rigid prompt formulas as a dead end: real expertise lies in strategic thinking capable of steering these tools toward meaningful business outcomes.
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