BCG’s David Verklin Discusses Leadership, Creativity, and the Future of Advertising (VIDEO)

David Verklinamp8217s Career Across Four Major BusinessesDavidamp8217s career spans over four decades during which he played a pivotal role in four distinct industries advertising general management at Hal Riney ampamp Partners media at Carat technology at Canoe Ventures as Operating Partner at Calera Capital and consulting at Boston Consulting Group BCG As David noted amp8220Iamp8217ve been lucky to play a role in four industries and learn from them advertising and marketing services cable television private equity and management consultingamp8221At Hal Riney ampamp Partners David ascended to general manager a rare feat for a media executive in a highly creative agency underscoring his ability to bridge the divide between media planning and creative execution Hal Riney the legendary adman known for his storytelling and brilliant campaigns had a profound influence on Davidamp8217s philosophy particularly in terms of blending creativity with strategic media planningIn his next role David led Carat part of Aegis Group into the forefront of modern media services pioneering the integration of data and research to optimize media buying As he recalled amp8220When we launched Carat in the US we couldnamp8217t compete on price alone Instead we focused on research and strategy understanding that buying the right media was more important than buying the cheapestamp8221Davidamp8217s career then transitioned into the world of technology as the CEO and founder of Canoe Ventures where he spearheaded innovations in interactive TV Finally David became a senior advisor at BCG where he continues to consult on technology and media particularly the impact of AI on the advertising industry amp8220Much of our work at BCG is about AI and its influence on the marketing services and communications industryamp8221 he said noting that the intersection of AI creativity and leadership is central to the future of the industryCreativity Data and Leadership in the AI EraOne of the core themes of my discussion with David was the harmony between creativity and data especially as the advertising industry enters the AI era David coined the phrase amp8220data is the new creativeamp8221 a concept that continues to resonate today As he explained amp8220Data is a critical part of leadership Leadership is a search for the truth and it has to be factbased You have to accept the factsamp8221David emphasized that AI can be a powerful tool in the early stages of the creative process offering headline creation and concept generation as areas where AI shows promise However he remained adamant that AI would never replace human ingenuity amp8220You need creativity at the forefront AI might spark ideas but itamp8217s the human touch that connects with the customeramp8221 he stressedWe also discussed the shifting media landscape where data and programmatic buying dominate David remarked that today amp8220Programmatic is nearly 80 of overall media and itamp8217s heading toward 100amp8221 Despite this datadriven focus David argued that creativity remains as important as ever particularly in newer platforms like TikTok where consumers can instantly purchase products after viewing adsShoutOuts and Verklinamp8217s amp8220Mount Rushmoreamp8221 of Media InnovatorsThroughout the interview David acknowledged the mentors and colleagues who influenced his career He gave particular praise to Hal Riney describing him as a visionary who taught him the importance of creative leadership David also highlighted Paul Singer a longtime collaborator as someone who frequently challenged his thinking and helped shape his leadership styleWhen asked to name his amp8220Mount Rushmoreamp8221 of media innovators David selected four influential figures First on his list was Mike Moore who David credited with the vision for the unbundled media industry Dennis Holt another media pioneer was recognized for creating the media buying service model David also mentioned Gilbert Gross founder of Carat and Renetta McCann a leader who made a significant impact on the media services industry and inspired many especially womenDavidamp8217s reflections on these leaders underscored his deep respect for those who helped shape modern media services and his acknowledgment of their lasting contributions added an insightful dimension to the interviewLooking Ahead The Future of Media and AdvertisingAs the interview concluded I asked David about the future of the media industry and the qualities leaders will need to succeed in the AI era David reiterated the importance of creativity human connection and adaptability He spoke of the need for leaders to mentor the next generation a role he has taken seriously throughout his careeramp8220Iamp8217ve always tried to be a mentor and help others because I didnamp8217t have anyone to help me when I started Thatamp8217s my legacy helping others particularly young peopleamp8221 David said He also emphasized the value of staying grounded in humanistic principles even as technology rapidly evolves amp8220I donamp8217t see how AI will win the next big new business pitch itamp8217s the human side that will continue to drive successamp8221The interview closed on a note of optimism for the future with David expressing excitement about the amp8220green shootsamp8221 of innovation emerging in the industry For those seeking a deeper dive into his insights and reflections the full interview is available at wwwlegendsleadersorgDavidamp8217s journey through multiple sectors of the media industry coupled with his focus on creativity and leadership offers invaluable lessons for the next generation of leaders navigating the rapidly evolving advertising and media landscape

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BCG’s David Verklin Discusses Leadership, Creativity, and the Future of Advertising (VIDEO)

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