Spark Intelligence #22: These agencies took AI seriously - here’s what happened

👋 Greetings earthlings,

Welcome to the June edition of Spark Intelligence. Emma here, guiding you through what actually matters in AI for agencies and creative leaders.

So, Claude now wants to plan your Asana tasks. Artisan want people to stop hiring humans. And Amazon’s pushing mood-matching ads into your living room. But while the tools and headlines race on, we all just want to know what actually changes when creative leaders stop experimenting with AI and start building it into their business.

Why you should read:

• 1. Why your positioning is your AI secret weapon

• 2. New AI courses for agencies <10 people

• 3. How two agency leaders are leading in AI

• 4. Penguins and SXSW

• 5. AI headlines not to miss

• 6. Going to Cannes?

New here? I send Spark Intelligence every two weeks. At Spark AI, we help creative and marketing leaders navigate AI with confidence—and turn change into competitive advantage.

1. Why protecting your agency’s distinctiveness is your most powerful AI move

Last week I brought together two pioneering agency leaders: Kate Ross (eight&four, a social agency that leads social strategy and content for global brands such as Sandals, Hyundai and HSBC) and Luke Taylor (United Us, an intentionally recognised brand agency working with clients like LEGO and Google) to discuss why maintaining your distinctiveness is so essential in the AI era, and importantly, how they went about doing just that.

Kate and Luke have taken distinct but equally intentional paths with AI.

Kate Ross: Building in-house IP

Kate’s team went bold, rapidly developing custom AI tools for image generation for copy, then wrapping them in Platform 12, a proprietary client interface. Their approach:

• Leverages AI for competitive edge: cutting software subscription costs by building their own at the same time as expanding capabilities.

• Supports clients with tailored tools: e.g., localised assets or automated social reporting.

• Anchors in human creativity: “Led by talent, fuelled by technology.”

• Cautions against AI hype: highlighting VC-driven AI narratives and the danger of “technology homogyny.”

Luke Taylor: Enhancing creativity and commercial impact

Luke’s agency is quieter about AI on the surface but equally strategic. AI is used:

• Improve internal efficiency and workflows: e.g. smoother operations, faster design mockups.

• Help clients maintain brand consistency: especially across global teams and non-design roles (think: polished decks, emails, internal comms).

• Support education and enablement: AI is used to amplify good branding and support brand adoption, not generate creative ideas wholesale.

• Guide clients responsibly: they advise clients on what AI can and can’t do, while staying rooted in their core creative and strategic services.

Both agencies:

• Use AI to reinforce and not replace what makes their agency great.

• Emphasise the importance of clarity, caution, and creativity in a market flooded with tools and noise.

• Agree that success comes from rooting AI in your distinct agency positioning.

👉 This is exactly the kind of work we unpack in the AI for Leaders programme — positioning, planning, governance. Not to teach you someone else’s playbook, but to help you write your own.

2. New AI courses built just for small agencies – launching this September

Did you know that 90% of UK creative businesses are micro-agencies with fewer than 10 people? It’s a stat we keep coming back to—because it explains why so many of the most original, high-impact agencies are also the ones with the least time, budget, or headspace to figure out AI on their own.

That’s exactly why we’ve created something new.

This September, we’re launching live online cohort-based versions of our signature programmes—AI Fundamentals and AI Accelerator—designed exclusively for small creative teams.

These new editions are:

👥 Built for teams under 10
💡 Focused on real-world action, not theory
🤝 Delivered in small, high-trust groups
💸 Accessibly priced for micro-businesses

Whether you're just getting started with AI or ready to go deeper, these programmes are made to meet you where you are—and move you forward fast.

3. How two leaders are using AI to sharpen strategy and streamline operations

🗓 Tuesday 10 June (tomorrow!)
🕚 11:00–12:00 BST
📅 Register for free

Join us for a live, behind-the-scenes conversation with two Spark AI Accelerator clients Oli Lee, MD at Analogue and Ali Williams, CEO at mark-making*.

They’ll share:

• What felt most overwhelming at the start

• The moment AI clicked for their teams

• How they brought sceptics along

• What’s actually changed and what’s still evolving

• Where they’re seeing ROI already

🎟️ It’s free. Sign up here to join live or get the replay.

4. Talk of penguins at SXSW London

Last week I joined a panel at BIMA House during SXSW London, hosted by aer studios, to explore the environmental impact of AI and how creative teams can stay distinct while experimenting safely. In case you missed it, a couple of weeks ago we released a report on the Environmental Impact of AI. Download it here.

People have been finding it seriously useful, I’m so chuffed. Despite (of course) using Deep Research to help, a literature review like this takes quite some graft. Great job team Spark!

5. AI headlines you shouldn’t miss

🤖 VC backed AI agent firm horrifies London during SXSW week

Creatives and fellow humans alike were outraged by this campaign—is it horrendous or marketing genius? My personal opinion? When messaging toys with existential fear and mental health for attention, it’s cynical rather than clever. In a world already anxious about AI, stoking fear isn’t bold, it feels lazy and it makes me pretty sad. In fact I hesitated even putting this in the newsletter. Read the backstory here.

📌 UK’s AI Regulation Bill is back (but still shaky)

Lord Holmes has re-introduced the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL]—a Private Members’ Bill that would create an AI Authority, require firms to appoint AI responsible officers, and open their systems to independent audits. I know from my time working in Parliament that Private Members’ Bills almost never progress without explicit government backing, so the measure is more signal than certainty.
Read the Bill

✍️ Claude is now planning your Asana tasks

Anthropic’s latest Claude update lets it generate tasks and push them directly into your workflow (pretty cool!). I’ve use a custom GPT and Make automation to converts meeting transcripts into Monday.com tasks - I’m looking forward to seeing who Monday will natively integrate with.
Watch Claude / Asana in action - go to 2:48 but the whole video is interesting!

🧑‍🎨 OpenAI buys Jony Ive’s company

The ex-Apple designer is now shaping OpenAI’s future. Beautifully minimalist AI-native hardware soon…
Official announcement

📉 SEO hit from Google’s AI Overviews

MailOnline reports a 38% drop in traffic after Google started replacing links with AI summaries. A big shift for publishers—and a watch-out for anyone relying on organic search.
Press Gazette story

📞 Klarna re-hires customer service staff

After a much-hyped chatbot rollout, Klarna is bringing back human agents—citing trust and customer quality. Kudos to Klarna for being so open about this, lets hope it tempers fear stoked by Artisan’s ‘stop hiring humans’ messaging and we find a nice balance.
Read more

📺 Amazon wants ads that match the mood of your show

Introducing ‘Pause Ads’. Sad scene? Show tissues. Chase scene? Show car ads. Is this a bold step in personalised media—or just creepy?
Read Variety’s breakdown

🕵️ BBC uses AI to resurrect Agatha Christie

Yes, really. BBC Maestro is using AI to teach storytelling via a virtual Christie. Intriguing? Morally ambiguous? Probably both.
Explore it

3. 🇫🇷 Cannes-bound? Book an AI clarity chat

Heading to Cannes? Jules and I. Book a 15-minute Spark Clarity Chat with us over coffee—we’ll help you identify and answer the questions that matter. 

That’s all for the newsletter week. On Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be at The AI Summit London where Jules and I are are running a masterclass and I’m moderating a panel. Let me know if you’ll be there too and lets catch up.

After that on to Cannes. The June conference madness rolls on! Find me laying on the floor on a dark room in July 😜

See you next time!

Emma

Co-founder of Spark AI

About Spark AI

We help creative and marketing leaders turn AI curiosity into confidence—through hands-on training, strategic support and tailored roadmaps for your team.

Whether you're just getting started or scaling fast, Spark helps you lead with AI on your terms.

👉 Explore AI for Agencies | Explore AI for Marketers

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