“Wonderfully dissatisfied” isn’t a phrase typically associated with the creative mindset, yet keynote speaker Jo Shoesmith, Global Chief Creative Officer at Amazon, encouraged attendees at ThinkLA’s first-ever Creative Summit to embrace it. Inspired by Amazon’s 2016 shareholder letter, Jo highlighted the importance of staying curious and constantly seeking the next big idea.
The summit began with the panel “Creativity in the Age of AI,” moderated by Marcus Wesson, Principle, Creative Director at Digital Domain. Panelists Ronnie Allman (AI Director), Karen Costello (Creative Chair, Deutsch LA), and Saren Sakurai (Fractional Head of Marketing, Wethos AI) dove into AI’s growing impact on creativity. The panelists agreed that while there was initial skepticism, AI is now embraced for speeding up processes and making creatives more versatile. By crafting quality prompts, AI can empower skilled creators rather than replace them.
Even prior to AI’s disruption, creatives have constantly been challenged to break norms. The “Nontraditional Creativity” panel moderated by Tiffany Lam, Creative Director, Riot Games explored how creatives can think outside the box. Speakers Will Campbell (CEO, Quantasy), Adam Katzenback (Head of Creative and Brand Strategy, Snap Inc.), and Ricardo Marquez (Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer, Crispy Chicken Digital) shared that authenticity, passion, and connecting with the audience are key. They stressed that setting the tone with clients is crucial, and that listening and understanding client needs builds trust for bold, nontraditional work.
The final panel, “Freelancers' Toolkit,” featured Bernice Chao (Chief Creative Officer and Founder, TDW+Co and Asians in Advertising), Jim DiPiazza (Founder and CEO, Area of Expertise), and Amy Moorman (SVP Director, Creative Service, RPA) with moderator Don Lupo, Executive Director, ThinkLA. The speakers offered practical advice for freelancers: think of yourself as a brand, build strong relationships, and always keep networking. “Every gig is an opportunity to grow your network,” Jim said.
Our invite-only workshop for members, Collab and Conquer led by Luis Camano, was a powerful session focused on the value of collaboration in our industry. Over the course of 60 minutes, including an engaging Q&A, attendees explored the barriers that often hinder collaboration—such as ego, preconceptions, and insecurities—and learned how to break through them.
ThinkLA’s Creative Summit brought the Los Angeles creative community together for critical conversation and reflection amidst the prominence of AI and increased competition in the space. From mastering AI tools to nurturing bold ideas and offering tactical advice for freelancers to thrive, the panelists set the stage for an inspiring day.
Speakers
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners
Meet Our Committee Members:
ThinkLA events are organized with the help of industry professionals. Many thanks to this committee:
Co-Chair: Marcus Wesson, Chief Creative Officer
Co-Chair: Howard Moggs, Founder, UNCOMMON
- Bernice Chao, Founder, Asians in Advertising
- Karen Costello, Creative Chair, Deutsch
- Danielle Erves, Social Media and Creative Strategy, 180 LA
- Don Lupo, Executive Director, ThinkLA
- Doug Zanger, Founder, Indie Agency News
