As a creative agency, Garvey said Zulu Alpha Kilo’s human-first strategy is bolstered by in-person work; there’s no better way to mold creative taste and judgment than through the organic “watercooler moments,” which create the right environment to foster “career-defining work.”
Clients also want humans behind the machines, Heilpern said, adding that he has seen an increase in demand in clients to meet all team members assigned to their account.
“I haven’t had a single client call me and say they wish they could talk to a robot instead of a human,” Heilpern said. “So the good news is for all that AI handwringing, they still seem to be wanting humans on the work, so that’s a good thing.”
While independent agencies have the ability to invest more freely than publicly traded holding companies, in an increasingly crowded space where everyone has access to the same tools, Garvey said it’s not enough for an agency to “rest on its [indie] laurels.”
The focus has to be on the culture.
“Based on our size, to be able to bring people in and ensure that they will have an impact—versus being a cog in the machine—has been really helpful at this stage,” Garvey said.
