Fireside Chat with CEO Amir Sahba
Amir Sahba is the chief executive officer and founder of Thinkingbox, a creative collective studio built for curious people. Amir founded the studio when he was 24 years old and has led the shop to its current global footprint.
Alongside Thinkingbox, Amir has spent more than a decade as a technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He also has a seat on the jury panel for the FWA awards and on multiple tech company boards.
Q> Can you share your journey into advertising and what inspired you to pursue this career path?
Amir> My journey into advertising began over 15 years ago, when I took my first job at an agency fresh out of college. I found myself quickly immersed in a world of creativity and strategy. While I gained invaluable experience, I noticed an overemphasis on discussions compared to actual execution.
Driven by a passion for the craft and a desire to make a tangible impact, I envisioned an agency focused on delivery and results. I wanted to create a space where creativity meets efficiency, where clients would be consistently wowed by our work and the speed at which we moved. This vision led to the founding of Thinkingbox.
From day one, we have prioritized delivering the highest level of craft, ensuring timely delivery, and achieving outstanding results. Even back then, 15 years ago, my goal was to exceed client expectations and deliver swiftly. This philosophy remains the cornerstone of our agency today. We push the boundaries of what’s possible, continuously challenging ourselves to create exceptional experiences that solve complex challenges. Plus, we have fun doing it.
Q> What were some of the key challenges you faced in the early stages of your career, and how did you overcome them?
Amir> I started Thinkingbox right out of college after a brief stint as a designer at an agency, which served as both a challenge and an asset. Despite having to work harder to make certain inroads, I had the unique position of seeing the industry through a newcomer’s eyes. I saw how technology and digital innovation have the power to enhance creativity. Now, that sort of observation seems like table stakes. But, 15 years ago, our industry was just beginning to draw those connections. That understanding served as the conceptual basis for Thinkingbox.
Q> How do you see the advertising industry evolving in the next five years, particularly in terms of digital transformation and technological advancements?
Amir> Like most, I believe the next five years will see a seamless integration of AI, machine learning, and data analytics into the creative process and digital transformation for the better - not just for our clients, but for us on the agency side as well. These technologies, ultimately, will give us the gift of time. As our ideation processes become streamlined through the support of AI and machine learning, we as creatives will get to our initial ideas more quickly – and have more time to finetune them with our colleagues and client partners.
Q> How do you leverage emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and data analytics to enhance your agency's creative output and campaign effectiveness?
Amir> At Thinkingbox, we value a deep understanding of human behaviour to inform our creative process. AI and machine learning has helped us achieve higher fidelity and depth in research and insights, shaping our strategic and creative directions alongside our continued focus on insights from data analytics. Our in-house team of technologists collaborates closely with designers, social, media, and strategy teams to ensure that every campaign blends creative thinking with technical expertise. We make sure that technology enhances, rather than hinders, our creative output. Our number one goal is always to understand and impact the human behind the numbers, not just react to the numbers alone.
Q> You’ve emphasised the importance of creative quality in advertising. Can you share some examples of campaigns where this principle made a significant difference?
Amir> It is all about the craft and all about the work. We've seen some great award-winning work so far this year, one that comes to mind is Driving While Black by Critical Mass that uses digital craft to create powerful messaging.
Q> How important is diversity and inclusion in your agency, and what steps are you taking to ensure these values are integrated into your company culture and work?
Amir> Minority-owned and founded, we prioritise DE&I across all aspects of the business.
Internally speaking, our hiring practices are intentionally inclusive, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates through our standardized hiring process. We actively seek to cultivate a diverse team, embracing individuals from varied backgrounds. As a result, 53% of our employees identify as female and 30% identify as BIPOC or AAPI.
Externally, we place an emphasis on DE&I through the work we do. One of the best examples is how we take action by creating award winning work like Ba: An Immigration Story. This film captures a first-person account of Han Dinh’s journey as he remembers the pain of feeling Vietnam and the sacrifices he has made along the way to build a life in Canada for his wife and two daughters. Watch the full video here.
Q> What do you believe will be the next big trend in advertising, and how is your agency preparing to capitalise on it?
Amir> I don't believe in trends; I believe in opportunities; we look at what aspects of new innovations can provide opportunities to better our business and, by extension, our clients.
Q> What advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to enter the advertising industry, particularly those interested in the intersection of marketing, technology, and digital innovation?
Amir> Look at where action meets execution and identify more moments to lean into that nexus. That interdisciplinary approach has the power to drive both quality and efficiency, leading to results and long-lasting client relationships.
