LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

“God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.” -The Serenity Prayer

I find myself referencing the Serenity Prayer daily. And it’s not in the context of religion, or even of support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous that famously use it.

I keep referencing the prayer in discussions about AI.

It seems like every day there’s a new missive about the disruption ahead that will be caused by AI, especially with the escalating skills demonstrated by agents that can run increasingly sophisticated tasks autonomously. So what’s a marketer to do? What is anyone to do?

People I know who are trying to prepare themselves and their kids for what’s here and what’s coming tend to give advice like:

Learn new skills to be able to create and manage agents.
Make as much money as possible and hoard cash.
Be entrepreneurial and launch new projects that could become businesses.
Develop leadership skills, assuming there’s anyone to lead in the future.
Strengthen social ties by participating in communities, from professional organizations to religious groups and everything in between.
Learn an analog, pliable trade focused on service or creating durable goods.

With the exception of the last one, most of the advice and plans sound helpful regardless of what the future brings. How many of us are not making the most money we can be making right now?

It reminds me of a lesson a life coach shared with me recently that she learned in her training: At any given point, we are doing the best that we can. If it seems like we aren’t, it’s because we can’t in that moment.

So, if we can allow ourselves some self-compassion and accept that most of us are doing the best we can, what can we actually do?

Some of the advice from the list above doesn’t have to be platitudes.

For decades, we’ve been going down this path where it’s never been easier to start a business. That is truer now than ever.

The accessibility of the tools to plan, iterate, and launch a new venture make it way more possible now, even compared to a year ago. You don’t have to apply these tools to your day job or core revenue stream. One of my favorite projects I’m building with ChatGPT Codex is a philosophical and theological experiment that is utterly unmonetizable. But I’m learning a ton building it.

Take a portfolio approach. With AI, you can even use a version of the 70-20-10 “now, new, next” framework that I first learned when working on the Coke account while at the agency 360i:

Apply 70% of your AI dabbling to your main work endeavors. Put 20% of the time and effort into something new that could bear fruit. And 10% can go to passion projects and crazy ideas.

Granted, if you can’t apply much of what you learn to your day job, flip the framework.

The fundamentals of how to try to give ourselves agency over our lives haven’t changed. And humans will always have the need for such agency. Learn as much as possible, and put it into practice as quickly as possible to bring that learning to life.

As the Seinfeld mantra goes, “serenity now” can bring “insanity later.” But there isn’t any shortcut for serenity, and insanity is already here. The insanity will get worse. However sympathetic you may be to the Luddites, smashing the AI data centers won’t bring anyone any closer to serenity now. There are things we cannot change.

Strengthening your knowledge, skills, and community is fully in your power though. And it gives you a slightly better shot at handling the insanity to come. That’s as close as we can get to serenity now.

— David Berkowitz, Chief Community Officer, Marketecture Media

EVENTS

Marketecture Live III - Consumers in Control

Where the Industry Gets Honest About What’s Next

Join us March 10–11 at The Glasshouse in NYC for a limited-seat event built for leaders looking for what’s next in advertising.

Register here using the code DAVID40 for 40% off your General Admission ticket. This code is only valid through Friday, February 27.
Brand and marketing leaders looking to stay ahead of consumer shifts and growth channels in 2026 can apply for a complimentary pass.
Agency executives and strategy and media teams exploring what’s next in planning and creative effectiveness can apply for a complimentary pass.
Publishers and groups of 3 or more navigating AI disruption and retail media realities receive special rates.

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1

What’s Behind That New Endcap? Yup, AI.

Who: Retail CMOs, Supply Chain Managers, Market Researchers, Analysts

What: New data shows that 40% of retailers now have paid AI subscriptions, but the focus has shifted from flashy consumer bots to internal operations like supply chain optimization and social listening. Experts note that while consumer-facing AI carries reputation risks (the AI slop factor), internal tools are delivering faster ROI by catching trends weeks before they hit search data.

Why it matters: The biggest AI wins right now aren't in the ads people see, but in the data-crunching that tells you what products to put on the shelves in the first place. Also, how do most retailers not have some kind of AI subscription?

(Retail Brew)

2

That AI Doesn’t Seem So Gucci

Who: Creative Leaders, Brand Strategists, Luxury Marketers

What: Gucci rolled out a new AI-generated campaign ahead of Milan Fashion Week that drew online criticism for feeling “cheap” and impersonal, with many fans and commentators saying the work clashed with the brand’s heritage and craftsmanship.

Why it matters: Iconic brands are experimenting with generative creative, but authenticity risks can erode brand equity fast.

(Business Insider)

3

Adobe Firefly Keeps Lighting up WPP

Who: Agencies, Enterprise Brand Teams, Tech Platforms

What: WPP and Adobe are doubling down on integrated AI workflows, combining Adobe’s Firefly and Experience Cloud with WPP’s marketing services to streamline creative production and personalized content at scale.

Why it matters: Agency-platform partnerships like this signal how scalable, branded AI workflows will become a baseline capability, not just a buzzword.

(Economic Times)