With the increasing use of AI and automation, Harradine acknowledged the need to rethink the way agencies are compensated.
In a recent interview with India’s Storyboard 18, Tony Harradine offered insights a wide range of topics including:
India as Priority Market for OMG
“India has moved from being a challenger market to becoming a central pillar of our regional strategy. It’s not just about volume anymore. India is already a global centre of excellence for us.”
A Shift in Indian Marketers Advertising Approach
“For the longest time, Indian marketers were laser-focused on lower funnel metrics and performance KPIs. But now, there’s a clear gravitation towards communications planning and upper-funnel branding.”
The Impact of AI
“AI allows us to move beyond process-heavy work and focus more on insights, strategy, and brand value. Tasks that previously took weeks — such as market research and insights generation — can now be completed in minutes. Tools like Culture Q, an internal cultural intelligence platform, are being leveraged to understand consumer behaviors in nuanced markets like India.
But AI will not replace human creativity. It’s an evolution, not a revolution. AI is here to enhance what humans do — not replace it.”
The Future of Compensation
“We can’t continue to charge based on hours or commissions when AI makes processes faster. The future lies in outcome-based compensation, allowing media to be evaluated not just on deliverables, but on the measurable business impact they create for clients.”