EACA Reaffirms Value of Advertising Agencies in Response to Meta’s AI Ambitions

The debate created by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent comments that AI will enable businesses to generate ads with minimal human input is still rumbling on. The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) - representing over 2,500 agencies across 30+ European countries, including the six major global agency holding groups - reaffirms that agencies are vital to create long term brand equity that rely both on brilliant human creativity and holistic connection strategies beyond the platforms.

Charley Stoney, CEO of EACA, commented, “I debated whether I should even respond to this, but regardless of whether statements were taken out of context or not, the fact is that the sustainability of the agency model was being called into question by the ensuing debate so, I’d be failing if I didn’t defend the incredible ecosystem that is the agency model. We are a completely different breed: creative, innovative, human. We remain independent of brands and platforms so we can create work that cuts through the noise and builds long-term reputation. You can’t automate insight”.

Mark’s vision may suit some small businesses, but the reality for most global brands is quite different. These companies rely on agencies to develop holistic, multi-channel strategies that incorporate media, creativity, reputation, compliance, cultural relevance, and long-term brand equity.

Alex Schultz, VP analytics and CMO, Meta supported this on a Linked post a week ago, “The role of creativity is more important than ever. At Meta, we like to say that creative is the new targeting. So many marketers I hear from spend much of their day on non-core tasks that take away from creativity. We believe AI will enable agencies and advertisers to focus precious time and resources on the creativity that matters. And we’re seeing agencies using AI in a way that is aligned with this vision already.”

Christian de la Villehuchet, EACA president and global chief integration and client officer at Havas, added, “We provide the creative power and the media insights needed to both touch and reach the consumer through effective campaigns that resonate with audiences on a personal level. Creativity is about creating something that has never been done which AI simply cannot as it is meant to replicate the existing.”

While EACA recognises AI is becoming central in enhancing performance and efficiency, and is transforming the way agencies can deliver the ‘long tail’ of creative assets, it warns against oversimplifying advertising into a transactional, upload-and-go process. Platforms like Meta do not exist in a vacuum. Their success is rooted in an ecosystem built by agencies and brands over decades. As AI evolves, so too must agency responsibility. They are trusted partners who understand how communication operates across legal, cultural and societal contexts, and their role is essential in ensuring AI is used in ways that respect consumers, align with regulation, and build lasting brand value.

Read more from the European Association of Communications Agencies here.