WPP/Hogarth: AI-enabled content transformation, from months to days
The Situation
Global content production needed to respond faster to demand while maintaining brand consistency. WPP/Hogarth was exploring how generative AI could shorten production cycles and become a practical part of creative delivery.
The Task
Lead AI adoption and delivery work, translating emerging technology into practical content production workflows. Connect the technology with the people, processes and operational changes needed for adoption across global teams.
The Action / Approach
I worked across creative, production and technology teams to embed AI into content workflows. This included work on training large language models around brand requirements and connecting their use to practical production needs.
Alongside the technology, I led the operational change needed to support adoption, helping teams understand how AI would affect their work and how to incorporate it into delivery.
The Result
For the content workflows involved, production times reduced from months to days, shortening the time needed to create content and respond to business requirements.
The work also established practical experience of AI-enabled delivery across global teams, supporting the transition from experimentation to operational use.
Focus In On: Responsible for Digital Business Transformation
New Areas of Value:
Gain access to additional budget through success
Increased credibility, confidence and influence across the business
Creating a culture of involvement, empowerment and connection to the business
Improved business agility and ability to rapidly respond to change and opportunity
Digital transformation that drives, moves and resets the organisation’s vision
Enabling collaboration beyond the boundaries of an enterprise
Effective delivery against financial targets
Direct positive impact on internal and external customer satisfaction
More consistent and sustainable profitability and business growth
Driving a culture of innovation for easier and faster adoption of future digital trends
Increased customer acquisition, advocacy and lifetime value
More satisfied and engaged employees with increased retention and productivity
Successful, timely delivery of evidence-based digital transformational outcomes; beyond digitisation
Better employer brand recognition from improved reputation and or culture
Improvements around:
Budget availability affected by external change drivers and uncertain resource estimates
Lack of availability of the right people at the right time across both business and technology areas
Lack of agreement of transformation governance and stakeholder understanding leading to a fragmented approach
Lack of process and technical integration strategy making the overall solution less efficient
Poor data strategy resulting in siloed, incomplete and poor quality data
Lack of transformation, change and agility mindset in leadership
Unclear and siloed business strategy leading to misaligned goals across the organisation that conflict with transformation
Lack of exec sponsorship and ownership
Leaders mandating a change management and implementation approach that’s not appropriate to the organisation
Lack of clarity around existing operating model, internal business ecosystem or cross-functional teams
Lack of sufficient customer and market insight to inform digital transformation
Conflict between perception and reality of digital skills, tools, methods and talent required and available
The IT function is not aligned to the digital business strategy and vision
Cynicism, lack of buy-in and resistance to change
Cybersecurity and data protection policies and procedures stifle transformation
