How Waymark’s AI Is Transforming Creative Production for Brands and Agencies

Waymark’s Alex Persky-Stern on the Future of Creative Production

At the ANA Masters of B2B Marketing conference in Naples, Florida, an AI-powered video campaign was created live in just 72 hours. This rapid turnaround involved business giants EY and Plante Moran, with Detroit-based AI video company Waymark, led by CEO Alex Persky-Stern, playing a key role.

Who is Alex Persky-Stern?

Waymark specializes in transforming brand assets into complete video ads using AI. Their focus is on TV and streaming platforms, including Connected TV (CTV) campaigns. Persky-Stern explained, “We take brand assets and use AI to turn those into stories, voice, visuals, and ads ready to run on air.”

Waymark was invited to participate in the conference’s AI Lab, where B2B brands and creative tech companies collaborated to build a live B2B ad from scratch in just two days. “The mission was to go from nothing to a live B2B ad in really, two days – from Monday to Wednesday morning,” said Persky-Stern.

AI Running the Entire Creative Process

This campaign was unique because AI handled every step: research, strategy, insights, concepting, and production. According to Persky-Stern, this might be the first time AI was used across all these stages in a single project.

Waymark’s role began once the brief was ready. Their system integrates existing brand information and assets, then uses AI to generate several complete ads quickly. Clients receive multiple versions to review, enabling them to mix and match scripts and designs before finalizing.

Speed doesn’t come at the cost of control. Users can make precise edits, such as tweaking specific sentences or selecting preferred logo versions. This flexibility sets Waymark apart from typical AI tools constrained by prompt limitations.

From GPT-3 to Major Media Campaigns

Waymark’s journey with AI began in 2018. After gaining early access to GPT-3, the company paused to rebuild its platform fully around AI, relaunching in January 2023. Since then, it has worked with some of the largest media companies, including Spectrum Reach, Comcast, Paramount, Fox, and CBS.

These clients run extensive campaigns powered by Waymark’s AI-generated creative, handling hundreds of millions of dollars in ad spend.

Where AI Video Production is Headed

According to Persky-Stern, AI will soon influence every part of video production. The goal is full automation and optimization of creative content, especially ads.

He notes that companies like Meta and Google are developing their own AI creative tools, with Waymark aiming to provide similar capabilities for a broader range of clients. TikTok has led early creative automation with tools like CapCut, but the industry is evolving towards deeper automation.

Waymark's upcoming release focuses on cinematic video, leveraging new technologies to push creative boundaries further.

A Creative Company at Heart

Despite its AI foundation, Waymark identifies primarily as a creative company. Persky-Stern points out that some tech companies attempt to make creative work solely through technology, but Waymark values creativity itself.

The founding team combined technical and creative leadership, which shapes the company’s approach. Persky-Stern emphasizes that without true creative insight, AI-generated content risks being derivative and lacking impact.

For creatives wary of AI, his advice is clear: embrace the tools. They enable the creation of remarkable work when used thoughtfully.

For those interested in expanding their skills with AI in creative work, exploring courses on AI video production can offer practical knowledge and techniques to integrate AI effectively in creative workflows.