Brook Shepard is the Founder, CEO, of Mason Interactive and a seasoned performance marketing expert with 16 years of industry experience, leading a firm that manages billions in client assets. We spoke about the evolution of digital advertising, the rising dominance of creative strategy, and how AI is reshaping media buying without replacing human ingenuity.

Brook shares key insights from his journey—starting in the early days of search advertising when gaming platforms was the norm, to today’s landscape where Meta and Google dominate. He reveals how creative has transformed from a secondary consideration to a primary driver of success:

"Creative actually wasn’t as important in a client’s campaigns 10 years ago or even 5 years ago before iOS 14… But now, creative is more important than ever and needs to be informed by data."

We explore how AI enhances, rather than replaces, creative work. By analyzing thousands of ad variations across years of data, Brook’s team uncovers the patterns behind high-performing campaigns:

"AI helps us analyze data over vast data sets. It does not replace the human intent of the idea and the story that we're telling."

Through real-world examples, Brook breaks down how businesses can optimize their ad spend. Whether it’s a coffee brand achieving a 4x increase in click-through rates through systematic testing, or a jewelry company using organic content to fuel paid campaigns, the lesson is clear—data, design, and strategy must work together.

"If you don’t know why an ad was successful, you can’t double down on it. And if you can’t double down, you can’t scale."

Brook also shares personal reflections on leadership, growth, and the importance of continuous learning:

"Each day, I ask: What haven’t I done today that I want to do better tomorrow? How can I put more weight on my marketing bar?"

Key Takeaways:

• AI is a tool, not a replacement – It accelerates analysis but doesn’t replace creative storytelling.
• Creative strategy now defines success – The right visual, message, and call-to-action can multiply ad performance.
• Testing is everything – Isolating variables and refining continuously can drive massive results.
• The right agency is like a well-engineered machine – Big enough to deliver global impact, small enough to keep leadership hands-on.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on data-driven creativity and the future of advertising.