AKQA’s Tim Devine On The Future Of Business, Advertising & AI: “Who Gets To Decide?”
The advertising and marketing industries premise and justify themselves around their ability to affect change — change in consumers’ behaviour, change in business outlooks and change in society. However, Tim Devine, AKQA’s executive innovation director, doesn’t work in advertising.
“We want to know where the substance is and why it is something that AKQA can do. We want to partner with our clients on these things and we’ve had some great relationships with some partners that were genuine collaborations. It’s what we want to do, build the best partnerships,” he explained to B&T.
We’re talking to Devine outside the cafe of the Powerhouse Museum during SXSW Sydney. He’s tall, with a long mess of hair tied up very loosely with a hair tie. Earlier that day, he was speaking at WPP House about AKQA’s “Action Audio” work with the NBA, offering blind and visually impaired basketball fans the chance at an immersive sporting experience. The tech was originally developed in collaboration with Tennis Australia.
You’ll have doubtless heard the word “purpose” chucked around a lot during SXSW Sydney. However, with Devine, you get a sense that he, and the team he leads, are truly purpose-driven.
“As a company, we’ve got so much potential to influence our clients, who influence the world. We have a lot of responsibility,” he said, carefully selecting every word.
There was barely a panel or a keynote that went by at SXSW Sydney without AI getting at least one mention. Sometimes, the chats were instructive and useful. Other times, presenters bandied around the term and discussed the technology without knowing a great deal about it.
“The accelerationism, which is the idea of ‘Faster and faster and faster and faster’ is out of control,” he said.
“I think we get a choice. One of the big outcomes from RGBlack was that we shouldn’t just say ‘We have to use this technology’. There is no one telling us we have to use it”.
RGBlack was a platform developed by AKQA to create new calibration cards designed for diverse skin types plus information on the principles of lighting, beauty, colourimetry and more. Shirley cards are used by photo lab technicians to balance exposure, colours, and hues. They were named for a white Kodak employee. Now, with AI entering the photo editing realm, there was a chance to undo these biases or entrench them.
Devine held a keynote discussing RGBlack and Action Audio at Cannes in Cairns earlier this year.
Find out more: AKQA’s Brian Vella & Tim Devine On Being Industry Leading Innovative Thinkers
“If we talk about AI specifically, there are certain things about it that make it more accessible than any other sort of technology. Maybe the internet. My parents, friends and family can use the tools that I might use to do things. Maybe they can’t do it at the scale that I might be able to but they can have access to it, they can have a point of view and they can have some wonder. But there has got to be a balance to the hype around it — we’ve had this for years,” Devine said.
“If I did want to give something to the advertising industry, I would say there has got to be a counterpoint. Black Mirror has been a really good counterpoint to the shiny things that tech companies create… There’s an allure of ‘We can do this now, we should do it”.
At AKQA, Devine explained that the team focuses a lot on education around new technologies to help industries and brands understand the technology that is at their disposal. Education about the technology — its potential benefits as well as shortcomings — is essential with AI.
“The problem with AI is its ability to scale. A small bug or small marginalisation amplifies and it starts to reinforce and further divide and push people. To average Joe Blow, it’s definitely [going to matter]. Whether they’re aware of it or not…” said Devine.
“There are still papers coming out saying ‘Hey, the data sets are fucked! Or riddled with bias in this way or that way’. It thinks it understands these concepts but it doesn’t. When we take these things and apply them at scale they will impact and further marginalise people.
“The question is, who, of all people in our industry and in the tech industry, who gets to decide something is fair? Who gets to decide that? And why do they get to decide? And who gets to say they’re alright to decide? Is it the money they have? Is it the privilege they have? Is that OK?”
The remedy for this power imbalance malady, at least in AKQA’s work, is to surround itself with as many people as possible who might be affected by and benefit from the work they are producing. With Action Audio, Devine and the team held week-long sessions with people who were blind or with low vision, for example.
So what’s next? AKQA is working on a project called Open Methane with Superpower Institute to bring the ideas and knowledge of atmospheric scientist Peter Reyna and economists can make it into the mainstream and can be visualised.
“That’s a no-brainer,” said Devine.
Devine is a stubborn optimist and, if the firm’s previous work is anything to go by, there is plenty of good still to be done in the world.
Please login with linkedin to comment
AKQA.Latest News
Samsung Launches ‘Clash of Commuters’ with CHEP Network and Livewire
Samsung Electronics Australia, in partnership with CHEP Network and Livewire has launched clash of commuters, an innovative gaming marketing campaign that merges the virtual world of gaming with the everyday experiences of Australian commuters on ‘Fortnite Creative’. This integrated experience is designed to celebrate the rise of on-the-go gaming and showcase the capabilities of the […]
Fintech Disruptor Revolut Launches New Above-The-Line Campaign In Australia To Challenge Traditional Banking Conventions
The creative ads which will air across digital channels for 8 weeks from mid-May until the end of July 2024 were directed by Tim Godsal of Anonymous Content and produced by the creative minds at Anomaly. This campaign marks Revolut’s second above-the-line advertising initiative within the past 12 months, underscoring the company’s accelerated growth in […]
Chris Freel: The Uncomplicated Complexity In OOH
As he approaches his first 100 days working in the out-of-home market, former UnLtd CEO and now group sales director at oOh!media, Chris Freel, shares why this so-called traditional media is anything but. When I made the jump from UnLtd, the media, marketing and ad industry’s charity foundation, to the world of out-of-home, many people […]
Cairns Crocodiles The Work: B2B Campaigns Sponsored By LinkedIn
Our judges are working overtime, and our events team hasn’t slept in weeks putting the finishing touches before we head up to sunny Far North Queensland for Cannes In Cairns and the inaugural Cairns Crocodiles Awards presented by Pinterest in just over three weeks. Today, we are celebrating the shortlisted entries in the B2B category, […]
Expedia Launches Travel Shops Giving Influencers Tools To Shopify The Travel Content Experience
This morning, at the EXPLORE conference at the ARIA Resort in Las Vegas, Expedia announced the launch of Travel Shops, a new storefront on the Expedia app that centralises content creators’ travel recommendations. Lead image: Oneika Raymond This innovative feature saves travellers from the tedious task of scrolling through social media to find past recommendations […]
‘The Penny Has Dropped…So We’ve Supercharged How Brands Plan, Book And Measure In One Place’ – News Corp’s Lou Barrett On D_Coded
As a cookie depreciation tsunami slowly approaches, News Corp is sharpening its audience intelligence platform, Intent Connect, with AI tech that enables advanced data collaboration capabilities through planning, booking and measurement. Managing director of client partnerships Lou Barrett tells B&T it’s about future-proofing clients’s digital marketing plans. At last year’s annual D_Coded event, News Corp […]
Advertisers Wasting 42% Of Digital Ad Spend – Next&Co report
With the cost of living crisis biting I think we can all agree that waste is rarely a positive thing...
Introducing New Podcast ‘MID’: Holly Wainwright Rebrands The Mid-Life Experience For Australian Women
The joys of midlife are celebrated in this new podcast. And play it loud if the old eardrums are starting to creak.
TV Ratings (13/05/2024): The Summit Brings In The Eyeballs For Nine
The Summit does the business on its return for Nine. Meanwhile, press photo confirms the importance of headwear.
Snap’s ANZ Agency Lead Ellie Rogers Steps Down Amid Restructure
Ellie Rogers says family was a big part in her next career move. Not so B&T, who only comes to work to avoid ours.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Awareness Drive ‘The Signs Are Everywhere’ Is B&T’s Campaign Of The Month for April 2024
B&T's ad of the month is both a worthy cause & worthy winner. Even if KFC's Zinger box can feel slightly hard done by.
iSelect Launches New Brand Campaign ‘Save More’ Via Howatson+Company
If there's an agency that's "so hot right now" it's Howatson+Co. And, yes, B&T's unnecessarily bigged-up this new work.
In The Making Expands Into Melbourne
Brisbane PR agency unveils its Melbourne plans. Still adjusting from the pineapple print to the mandatory all black.
It’s Off The Crisper Sale! Introducing KFC’s New Original Crispy Burger Series
This article contains the location to obtain free KFC burgers. Why not send the workie for real world office experience.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Rugby Australia Sign First Dedicated Female Retailer
Don't know your Storms from your Wallaroos? At least you'll be sports sponsor aware with B&T's ongoing series.
Mars Agency Rebrands As Mars United Commerce
Tired of fielding prank calls about nougat & caramel, Mars Agency rebrands to the more long-winded Mars United Commerce.
Azerion Expands Platform With Interactive Video Products
Did your last inter-team marketing brainstorm see 'interactive video' come up more often than not? Read on quickly here.
Inside NGEN: Seven’s Rachael Everett On What We Can Learn From Sport
Were you the wheezy kid that always wagged PE at school? Even more reason not to avoid this lessons-in-sport piece.
Cairns Crocodiles The Work: Changing the World Campaign Presented By Pinterest
Casual dress & motley beards aside, did you join adland to try and change the world? Get tips from those who did here.
Nine And Magnite Strengthen Partnership To Boost 9Now
Nine calls in Magnite to sort out its BVOD programmatic ads. Not before having to switch the plugs from a Type C to a I.
Cricket Australia Appoints Special As Creative Agency For Men & Women’s International Series
Special wins Cricket Australia's creative. Here's hoping they don't get Thomas Keneally to do a poem of 'C'mon Aussie'.
‘Do I want Kids?’ – Laura Henshaw Asks Just That In Latest Podcast
Whether you have kids or not, just know that if you do, it's no lie that they poo, vomit & keep you awake all night.
R/GA Australia Appoints Marie Conley As Executive Strategy Director
Marie Conley returns from the UK after 12 years to take up new role at R/GA. Immediately flabbergasted by house prices.
Zenith Australia Hires Penny Shell As Strategy And Product Lead
Unfortunately B&T refrained from using "the Penny has dropped at Zenith" in this headline. We apologise in advance.
‘It Takes a Village’: New Industry Support Group For Working Parents Launches
Here's a top industry initiative to help adland families. Sadly, no tips on mummy using the F-word after losing a pitch.
Belinda Rowe Unpacks The Forces Of Discrimination That Lead To A Lack Of Diversity In Leadership Roles
With an enviable resume in tow, Belinda Rowe reveals why our boardrooms aren't as eclectic as they really should be.
Marketing From The Cockpit: How Creativity Transformed AB InBev From A Brand Buyer Into A Brand-Building Powerhouse
Do you find American beers watery, insipid & bland? This conference would have been the perfect platform to heckle at.
Cebu Pacific Launches Campaign To Showcase The Philippines As Major Destination For Aussies
In case you needed another reason to visit the Philippines.
Elon Musk’s X Corp Defeats eSafety In Federal Court
Is it just B&T or is Elon Musk slowly morphing into Darth Vader minus the chokehold?
TV Ratings (12/05/2024): Framer Brings Home The Bacon
Lovelorn famers continuing to do good TV numbers. As desperate roof tilers & abattoir employees say "what about us?"
Starcom Pips PHD & Kaimera To Win Gold At Nine’s Agency Games – Check Out All Of The Photos And Coverage Of The Event
Starcom proves the top agency at Nine's Agency Games. Thankfully, no one has asked for urine testing either.
Zitcha Solves In-store Retail Media Measurement With Game Changing Venvee Partnership
Does your in-store retail media measurement resemble a kitchen draw with the screwdrivers & plastic bags? Help is here.
Menulog Delivers More Beef Than Drake and Kendrick Combined, Via Thinkerbell
This "more beef" ad could have also used William & Harry, Oasis, and Bruce Lehrmann & just about everybody.
Komo Tech Announces Landmark Partnership With Fanatics Events To Revolutionise Live Event Experiences
This partnership promises to "revolutionise live event experiences". Hopefully it doesn't alert any sniffer dogs too.
SCA “Disappointed” After ARN and Anchorage Capital Withdraw Takeover Bid
ARN's bid for SCA trips up at the final hurdle. It's also unclear if other states will have to suffer Kyle Sandilands.
About Bloody Time – News.com.au Campaign Secures Win For Endometriosis Sufferers
News.com.au puts aside its passion for 'China set to invade' & overcharging Sydney cafe articles to do some real good.