Last week, agency leaders from around the country gathered at Mirren Live 2025 to explore the future of client delivery and sustainable growth. Walker Sands’ own Hannah Diaz, SVP of Growth, and Rachel Cullitan, VP of Marketing, were in the room and came back with insights worth sharing.
I sat down with them to unpack their biggest takeaways — from giving AI a seat at the strategy table to strengthening client relationships through deeper empathy and trust.
Rachel, what conversations at Mirren Live got your wheels spinning?
A resounding theme at the conference was around how the role of AI in client delivery has matured so fast. I loved hearing about the ways that agencies are going beyond task automation — they’re building AI agents that serve as brand guardians, act as synthetic personas, augment capabilities and contribute meaningfully to creative work.
AI is evolving from a backstage assistant to a true strategic partner, earning a seat at the table and playing a role in every step of the campaign planning and delivery process.
So, what’s the ultimate upside of AI shifting from a tactical to a strategic partner?
It unlocks human creativity. When AI is the workhorse for surfacing insights or drafting against past brand context, it frees our teams to focus on what really moves the needle: iterating, experimenting and perfecting the work. The payoff? Better thinking, faster.
What about measurement? How are agencies using AI to improve reporting and optimization?
The general consensus is that this is a place where agencies still have a lot of room to grow. But done right, reporting and optimization use cases have the potential to be game-changing.
Leading AI-enabled agencies are building proprietary tools to analyze media performance at scale, test thousands of creative variables and identify what’s working — and why — in real time.
Long term, that kind of closed-loop insight won’t just help agencies gain efficiencies, it will be essential for building smarter, more responsive, more competitive campaigns.
What about you, Hannah? What was your biggest takeaway from the show?
For me, the conference was a welcome reminder that we need to spend more time inside our clients’ heads. Growth doesn’t come from being reactive — it comes from proactively identifying where we can deliver more value and keeping pace with our clients’ evolving needs.
The agencies that are achieving the most organic growth are the ones who make space for that kind of reflection.
What are you hearing about what clients are really looking for in agency partners these days?
Bravery. Collaboration. Conviction. Clients are looking for agencies who challenge them and are invested in their success beyond execution.
Also, the pitch isn’t just won on paper. Chemistry still matters and human connection is often the differentiator.
Agencies that win consistently build personal relationships with everyone at the table. That means being intentional about how your team shows up, aligning each person with a stakeholder and creating space for real dialogue. The best presentations feel more like partnerships than performances.
Rapid Fire: What was your favorite hot take from Mirren Live?
Rachel: Jo McKinney, CGO of Board of Innovation said, “Human taste is the differentiator. AI can generate endlessly. But knowing what not to use still takes taste.” This is such an important reminder that expertise and talent can never be replaced.
Hannah: Dave Currie, CEO of Winmo advised brands who are seeking a strategy agency partner to track a Spark Score. Chemistry is a KPI. I agree with this to my core. Vibes can make or break a partnership.
Final Takeaway
Thank you both for sharing your experiences. It’s such a great reminder that the agencies that will lead the next chapter aren’t choosing between tech and humanity — they’re investing in both. At the intersection of innovation and empathy is where the most impactful work gets made.
At Walker Sands, we love talking about what’s next for our industry. If you’re wrestling with questions about the role of AI or what to look for in a strategic agency partner, we’d love to brainstorm with you. Reach out and let’s start the conversation.
