AI Demands a New Commercial Model Between Brands and Agencies—Not Just New Tools
As generative AI evolves from novelty to necessity, a clear message is emerging from industry leaders: we’re overdue for a commercial model rethink or maybe, back to future. It's more imperative than ever to have models created around deliverables and outcomes. This was attempted with the advent of AdTech 20 years ago (and ended up mostly ad media CPM add ons) and now it’s simply a requirement for success
According to the 4A’s–Forrester 2025 report, 46% of B2C CMOs now rank customer lifetime value as the most important success metric for AI-driven marketing. This shift signals that the endgame isn’t just faster content, automated marketing or low-cost production—it’s meaningful, sustained business impact and customer relationships. Yet, most agencies and brands alike are treating AI solutions as a productivity tools, not performance engine multipliers
The report urges a rethink: “The legacy of this generation of advertising is to reinvent the model for the industry,” says Francisco Cardenas of Lerma Advertising. Forrester’s proposed solution? A “human/technology equivalent” model—where human creativity and AI scale are paired and compensated as one. Without it, CMOs risk missing out on the real returns of intelligent marketing.
Compounding the urgency, Forrester’s CX Index just hit a three-year low. Consumers want personalized, relevant, and differentiated brand experiences—and they expect them at scale. Generative AI can deliver, but not without new agency structures, pricing models, and mindsets.
At GainShare Performance Marketing, we know the focus shouldn’t be on how to charge for AI. As performance marketers, focus on business outcomes and the solutions to drive them—customer acquisition, conversion, lifetime value, and market growth. AI solutions are a multiplier to that end, not the end itself. It’s about integrating powerful technologies into proven performance models and solutions—ensuring every tool we deploy earns its place by delivering results.
More on that in future posts.
References
- The State of Generative AI Inside U.S. Marketing Agencies, 2025. 4A’s and Forrester Research, June 2025.
- Francisco Cardenas quote from: The State of Generative AI Inside U.S. Marketing Agencies, 2025.
- https://www.forrester.com/blogs/solving-the-do-more-with-less-marketing-paradox-human-technology-equivalents/
- https://www.forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-2024-us-customer-experience-index/