Good morning,

We’ve all heard the doomsday predictions that AI is coming for our jobs, but it’s hard to parse reality from hype. While some professionals are embracing the tech because they genuinely believe in its promise, others are adopting it out of fear. Today, Robert Klara explores this complex dynamic among marketers.

I recently had a conversation about AI that left me more optimistic. Directors at Purga Films used AI tools to create cinematic ads without losing their creative soul. They walked me through what they learned in the process.

Meanwhile, WPP released more disappointing earnings, and a new survey finds that many CMOs are struggling to prove that they can move the bottom line.

Plus, we have news from Possible in Miami, including a new agency from Gary Vaynerchuk. If you're on the ground, be sure to stop by ADWEEK House.

But before you dive in, register for our webinar tomorrow, After the Cookie Crumbles: Stop Losing Revenue to Fragmented Data, to learn how to turn fragmented customer signals into a unified, ROI-driven view that makes your marketing work together.

Keep scrolling.

Brittaney Kiefer, creative editor

Must Reads

1. When It Comes To AI Adoption, Fear Is a Big Factor For Marketers

As tech giants spell doomsday for white-collar work, marketers are feeling pressure to equip their employees for an AI-first world. "There's a fear-driven adoption that's happening right now," Domo’s Chris Willis said. "Everyone is feeling a lot of FOMO."

Still others take a more realistic view: as more people start using AI, they’ll realize "it’s helpful, but not magical," said Jason Alan Snyder, co-founder of agency Artists & Robots. Robert explores how marketers are really feeling about AI adoption.

2. The Number of CEOs Who See Marketing as Overhead Has Nearly Doubled This Year

While CEOs are more aligned with their CMOs than ever, that isn’t translating into how the marketing function is perceived by the corner office, according to Boathouse’s annual CEO Survey. In fact, Boathouse CEO John Connors said CMOs are failing to instill confidence in their ability to boost the bottom line. Rebecca Stewart has more.

WPP Revenue Falls 8.9% as CEO Cindy Rose Opts Out of Q1 Earnings Call

It’s not a requirement for U.K. and European companies to do so, but WPP has historically had its CEO chair all of its quarterly earnings calls. Today, however, WPP CEO Cindy Rose wasn't there to field questions from investors and analysts as the company posted an 8.9% net revenue drop for Q1—its ninth quarter of decline. Rose will now only be present for updates during WPP's half-year and full-year results, the company confirmed to ADWEEK.

Rebecca dives into the numbers.

Snapchat Users Will Soon Be Able to Chat Directly with Agentic Ads Served to Them Via DM

Snapchat’s 900 million monthly active users will soon be able to converse directly with branded Snaps that appear in their messages, thanks to a new agentic ad offering.

The development is part of Snap’s broader AI evolution. It also comes less than two weeks after Snap laid off some 1,000 employees, about 16% of its global workforce, citing the need to restructure around AI-driven efficiency and profitability.

3,000 Images, Zero Dialogue: How This Studio Made AI Films Without Sacrificing the Creative Soul

Speaking of AI, a team from Purga Films and Gut Mexico City recently released an AI project that was three months in the making. With their films, they wanted to demonstrate that AI has advanced rapidly to produce visually impressive work, but it still can’t fully replace human craft. They told me what they learned along the way. For any creatives experimenting with AI tools, this is a useful read.

The Round Up

Possible’s opening remarks: Marketing’s age of opinion is ending, (ADWEEK).
5 questions for the CNN team in the control room during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, (ADWEEK).
OpenAI misses key revenue and user targets in high-stakes sprint toward IPO, (WSJ).
At Possible, brands like Nestlé, Haleon, and Molson Coors wrestle with broken measurement, (ADWEEK).
Netflix’s Running Point scores integrated brand partnerships in season 2, (ADWEEK).
Spotify teams up with Peloton to launch global fitness content hub, (CNBC).
Budget airlines ask Trump for millions as fuel costs rise, (NYT).
Full-funnel campaigns are crucial for new product launches, (ADWEEK Branded with Amazon Ads).

Revolving Door

Upfront shocker! TelevisaUnivision switches ad sales chiefs, (ADWEEK).
Gary Vaynerchuk’s VaynerX launches Tamara Group, betting production-led is the new agency model, (ADWEEK).
Dentsu bolsters Americas leadership as it seeks turnaround in key region, (ADWEEK).
Chipotle hires Fernando Machado as chief brand officer, (release).
Sid Lee integrates GDP and appoints Derek Robson as chairman to drive U.S. expansion, (LBB).
Nielsen hires former Netflix executive Julie DeTraglia to lead content and strategic insights, (Media Play News).

1. When It Comes To AI Adoption, Fear Is a Big Factor For Marketers

2. The Number of CEOs Who See Marketing as Overhead Has Nearly Doubled This Year

3. WPP Revenue Falls 8.9% as CEO Cindy Rose Opts Out of Q1 Earnings Call

4. Snapchat Users Will Soon Be Able to Chat Directly with Agentic Ads Served to Them Via DM

5. 3,000 Images, Zero Dialogue: How This Studio Made AI Films Without Sacrificing the Creative Soul