Burn Out Machines, Not People

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek sits down with Pete Sena, multi-hyphenate founder, brand experience visionary, and creative provocateur, to tackle one of the most urgent questions facing agencies today: How do you keep innovating when AI is rewriting the rules of marketing in real time?

If you've ever wondered how AI is reshaping not just how your agency works, but how your clients' customers feel, connect, and build trust with brands, this episode is a must-listen.

Pete introduces his groundbreaking "VIBE Marketing" framework, a call to arms for agency leaders ready to blend technology with humanity. He'll challenge how you think about creativity, empathy, and ethics in the age of AI, and share practical strategies to help your team build resonance instead of resistance.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why traditional consumer research methods are becoming obsolete

• What agencies must do to truly connect with buyers in the age of AI

• Pete's "VIBE Marketing" framework, and how it helps agencies create faster, more emotional, boundaryless connections between brands and consumers

• Why the real risk isn't AI replacing jobs, but agencies that refuse to adapt getting left behind

• The ethical considerations agencies must navigate when AI amplifies their capacity to influence buyers' emotions

• How agencies can shift from commodity providers to strategic partners by institutionalizing and packaging their expertise

• Practical strategies for using AI to accelerate agency workflow, improve client retention, and optimize creative output without burning out your team

Bio

Pete Sena is a creative entrepreneur and forward-obsessed business builder. He partners with founders and business leaders to 10x their growth through marketing innovation, branding, and digital-experience design. As Founder of Digital Surgeons, a forward-obsessed brand experience consultancy, Pete designs results-driving strategies that unlock new possibilities and growth for ambitious brands and businesses. For nearly 20 years, he has built and led cross-functional teams that have delivered innovative, bottom-line boosting activations and multi-channel programs, ranging in scale from venture-backed startups to Fortune 500 organizations. As a human-centered problem solver, Pete focuses on the behaviors and systems that drive people, products, and experiences.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.theresonance.studio/

• Website: https://www.digitalsurgeons.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersena/

• Sena Vibe Marketing Playbook: AI Battlefield: 2025 Trends and Predictions from Pete Sena

• Sena Newsletter: Subscribe