The agency model isn’t just unraveling — it’s turning into a navy full of pirates.

As holding companies consolidate century-old brands, AI accelerates production, and CMOs prioritize short-term numbers over long-term brand building, the industry is entering its most radical reinvention yet. The ships are getting bigger… but the real action is happening on the pirate boats circling them.

To unpack what this means for creativity, talent, and the future of agencies, we’re joined by David Mayo — veteran strategist, former WPP leader, founder of ADNA/NADA, and long-time provocateur behind some of the industry’s most iconic brand transformations. David’s mantra, “Think like the Navy, act like the pirates,” becomes a lens for everything we discuss.

This conversation cuts past nostalgia and into what’s actually changing — how consolidation alters creativity, why small senior “pirate crews” may beat giant fleets, where AI elevates (and flattens) taste, and why brave clients still make the bravest work.

This isn’t about mourning the old model — it’s a blueprint for how pirates and navies will coexist in what comes next.
1. Where did this mantra come from, and what does it really mean for how agencies should operate?
2. Has efficiency quietly become the enemy of originality?
3. In consolidation, what are CMOs really buying — governance, speed, convenience, or safety?
4. What gets lost when rosters shrink and risk disappears?
5. Are century-old creative agencies closing because of economics, structure, or culture?
6. Are today’s brands less emotional and more functional — and is that a permanent consumer shift?
7. In markets like China, where consumers hop between thousands of product options, does traditional brand building still matter?
8. How do challenger products (like black toothpaste with gold) disrupt giants such as Colgate — and why do big brands often miss these trends?
9. Will creative differentiation increasingly come from influencers rather than brands themselves?
10. Are small, senior “boutique crews” better positioned than holding companies to deliver breakthrough work?
11. What type of senior leaders are thriving right now — and what skill sets are actually evolving?
12. How will in-house studios, AI tools, and brand-side agency veterans reshape the future creative ecosystem?
13. Are we moving toward generalists powered by AI, or specialists supported by AI?
14. Is the “Uberization” of agencies — on-demand teams assembled per brief — a viable future model?
15. How should marketers think about risk, creativity, and the narrowing “corridors of freedom”?
16. Why do brave marketers still create the best work — and how can today’s CMOs champion creativity amid shrinking timelines and rising pressure?

David Mayo on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mayo-frgs-3b0232/
Buy David's Book, "Raw: Persuasive Creativity in Asia": https://a.co/d/dRfgbmN

Donate to Shanghaizhan:  https://www.patreon.com/8001836/join

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Research from NYU Stern professor Suzy Welch shows that only 2% of Generation Z possess the core values that hiring managers value most: achievement, learning, and an "unbridled desire to work." Instead, Gen Z emphasizes self-care, authentic self-expression, and helping others—a values mismatch that Welch suggests could "reshape the future of work." However, this clash of generational values occurs at a critical moment for advertising: AI tools are replacing the entry-level roles that once served as the industry's training ground, while agencies claim they desperately need young talent for cultural insights and fresh perspectives.

To help us understand this paradox, we're joined by Shane McEwen, Global Talent Acquisition Director at Stagwell—one of the challenger holding companies actively reimagining what a modern agency network looks like. With over 15 years of experience building teams across technology, media, and advertising sectors, Shane is at the center of this generational showdown. At Stagwell, he's responsible for attracting and developing talent across their portfolio of modern marketing agencies, from Assembly to 72andSunny. 

1. How has your China experience impact your career now in New York?
2. Are we misunderstanding Gen Z or are they misunderstanding us?
3.  How do you establish a corporate culture when everyone is remote working?
4.  What about going to clients? How do you establish connections with clients?
5.  How do you get feedback from different teams and agencies?
6.  How do you keep that junior/senior mentorship that's fundamental to agency culture?
7.  Which of the interns will you end up hiring for full-time gigs?
8. How do you maintain the passion after the first 2-year "honeymoon period"?
9.  What do you see the skills changing now that the AI is in play?
10.  What about displaced senior talent? How can they stay in the industry?
11. Are ad agencies confining themselves to a small part of the marketing mix?
12. Any advice for educators?

Shane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanemcewen/
About Stagwell: https://www.stagwellglobal.com/

Donate to Shanghaizhan: https://patreon.com/shanghaizhan?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=join_link 

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

The advertising industry's talent crisis isn't coming—it's here.

As AI automates junior roles, consolidation eliminates mid-level positions, and holding companies restructure at unprecedented speed, professionals at every level are asking: what's next? We're joined by Jean-Michel Wu, a two-decade talent expert who has held leadership roles at creative and media agencies, including WPP, IPG, and beyond. Now the founder of Tripitakka Consulting, he coaches individuals and organizations navigating this transformation. This conversation isn't about doom-scrolling the industry's decline—it's about the practical shifts happening right now and how to position yourself for what comes next.

1. What shift in the talent market are agencies not seeing yet—and why do talent people see trends before the headlines?
2. Publicis restructured dramatically a decade ago. Were they right to move fast, and what can we learn from that now?
3. What type of senior leaders are successfully evolving their skill sets, and what are they doing differently?
4. From entry-level to executive—what's the one skill that matters most in this new landscape?
5. Are we moving toward generalist roles powered by AI, or specialist experts with AI support?
6. How does the consulting model compare to agencies when it comes to talent structure and compensation?
7. What's the fundamental role of talent management in 2025—and how must it change?
8. Why is psychological safety suddenly a talent function priority?
9. If clients change how they pay agencies, will that finally force the "one P&L" issue?
10. You coach people who've been laid off. What limiting beliefs do you encounter, and how do they break through?
11. The fractional/consulting life—is it actually viable, or just a nice story we tell ourselves?
12. What advice do you have for entry-level professionals when agencies don't know what to do with them anymore?

About Tripitakka: https://www.tripitakka.com/
Jean-Michel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanmichelwu/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

What would a new model agency look like today if we were going to build it from the ground up? 

There's been a lot of news about the decline of the agency network model. In a landscape defined by AI disruption, platform dominance and the collapse of legacy holding structures, agencies are being forced to reinvent themselves - fast.

We are honored to have our good friend, Jacco ter Schegget, now a board-level advisor and consultant.  He was a former CEO of Publicis Groupe Benelux, JWT Asia, and was our colleague in China as President of OgilvyOne from 2014-2017.  This episode is not about nostalgia, but provides practical ideas on how to move forward.
1. Besides AI, what do you believe are the biggest forces shaping the future of marketing agencies today?
2. Are the changes all about technology, or do traditional organizational structures impact it?
3. Does a single P&L mean that senior heads will roll, or can you manage this more effectively?
4. What made agencies so big in the first place?
5. Is there a correlation between the decline of the agency and the loss of its strategic value?
6. If you were building a marketing services platform from scratch today—with your own money—what would it look like?
7.  Do we see the services stripped down, given the simplicity of the new OEM manufacturing model?
8. Where do you see the strategist's role in the new agency model?
9. What's the role of the creative leader?
10. What will happen to entry-level executional staff if AI replaces them?  Will new agencies just consist of senior-level people?
11. What should we be teaching young people who want to get into the new agency?
12. What would you keep and kill from the previous model for the new one?

Jacco on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaccoterschegget/
About Jacco: https://hanare.nl/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

In the influencer economy, it has become increasingly common for influencers to go beyond promoting other brands and create their own. There are several challenges. Product quality could backfire; the product itself may not be the right fit. Given the risks of product sales and influencer reputation, are influencer brands worth the investment?

We are joined by Dr. Majid Bahi, Global CEO of Socially Powerful, a global, award-winning, social-first marketing agency powered by technology and creativity. Founded in 2017, the agency operates across the UK, US, Europe, UAE, and China.  Majid has a PhD in Bioelectronics.

1. Majid's journey & Harry Styles' Sex Toy Brand
2. How do influencers handle sensitive topics? Is it essential to find someone who's squeaky clean to represent your brand?
3.  Where do you still see brands/agencies failing at creating effective influencer marketing?
4.  How do we measure expectations with established influencers who still may not understand the power of influencer marketing?
5.  When is the time when influencers decide to launch their own brand?
6. What's the insight process that helps influencers decide to go into the branding business?
7.  Can small, niche brands actually compete with big companies that have massive R&D departments?
8. What's your POV on synthetic or virtual influencers?  Does it conflict with authenticity?
9. Do you think China is still important in terms of seeing global trends?
10. What recommendation do you give to those who want to be influencers?

About Majid:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahadjimajidbahi/
About Socially Powerful: https://sociallypowerful.com/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Special treat this week!  We're sharing an interview Bryce made with Wenchi Yu on Perspectives.

Subscribe to Perspectives:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perspectives-with-wenchi-yu/id1793854395
Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Wenchi Yu on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wenchi-yu-5099b04/

"Selling to China" Book:  https://a.co/d/g9SJEOk

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Bryce Whitwam, a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in Asia, including 17 years in China, where he led major advertising agencies and founded his own. Bryce highlights the "seismic shift" in marketing and consumer behavior brought about by the rise of multifunctional digital platforms such as WeChat, Taobao, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu (also known as Red Note). The conversation also covers the rise of Chinese domestic brands, a phenomenon known as "Guo Chao 国潮," like Luckin Coffee, which have challenged foreign brands such as Starbucks. 

Whitwam argues that while consumers may sometimes boycott foreign brands like H&M for nationalistic reasons, they generally base their purchasing decisions on product quality and trust. Despite tariffs and the closure of the "de minimis" loophole, Whitwam predicts an increase in direct-to-consumer sales from Chinese manufacturers to the U.S.. He views these tariffs as a "failed policy" that will lead to higher prices for consumers. 

Bryce Whitwam contributed a chapter, MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA: Staying Ahead of the Most Dynamic Market on Earth, for Ker Gibbs' Selling to China: Stories of Success, Failure, and Constant Change.

Bryce Whitwam is also a co-host of ShanghaiZhan, a podcast about all things China marketing, advertising, tech and platforms.  

00:00 The Digital Revolution in China

02:46 Bryce's Journey in Marketing and Advertising

05:40 E-commerce and Social Commerce Transformation

08:38 The Shift in Advertising Strategies

11:40 The Rise of Short-Form Video and Influencer Marketing

14:32 Understanding Chinese Social Media Platforms

17:42 The Impact of Domestic Brands and Guo Chao

20:08 Navigating Geopolitical Tensions and Consumer Preferences

23:12 The Future of US-China Business Relations

25:43 Conclusion: The Competitive Landscape Ahead

Host Wenchi Yu speaks with Bryce Whitwam, a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in Asia, including 17 years in China, where he led major advertising agencies and founded his own. Bryce highlights the "seismic shift" in marketing and consumer behavior brought about by the rise of multifunctional digital platforms such as WeChat, Taobao, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu (also known as Red Note). The conversation also covers the rise of Chinese domestic brands, a phenomenon known as "Guo Chao 国潮," like Luckin Coffee, which have challenged foreign brands such as Starbucks. 

Whitwam argues that while consumers may sometimes boycott foreign brands like H&M for nationalistic reasons, they generally base their purchasing decisions on product quality and trust. Despite tariffs and the closure of the "de minimis" loophole, Whitwam predicts an increase in direct-to-consumer sales from Chinese manufacturers to the U.S.. He views these tariffs as a "failed policy" that will lead to higher prices for consumers. 

Bryce Whitwam contributed a chapter, MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA: Staying Ahead of the Most Dynamic Market on Earth, for Ker Gibbs' Selling to China: Stories of Success, Failure, and Constant Change.

Bryce Whitwam is also a co-host of ShanghaiZhan, a podcast about all things China marketing, advertising, tech and platforms.  

00:00 The Digital Revolution in China

02:46 Bryce's Journey in Marketing and Advertising

05:40 E-commerce and Social Commerce Transformation

08:38 The Shift in Advertising Strategies

11:40 The Rise of Short-Form Video and Influencer Marketing

14:32 Understanding Chinese Social Media Platforms

17:42 The Impact of Domestic Brands and Guo Chao

20:08 Navigating Geopolitical Tensions and Consumer Preferences

23:12 The Future of US-China Business Relations

25:43 Conclusion: The Competitive Landscape Ahead

We bring back ShanghaiMailbox!   Thanks for your questions. Here are the questions you submitted that Ali and I answered on today's podcast. Enjoy!

1.  If you had your own money, what’s one Chinese startup or trend you’d invest in right now that most foreigners have never heard of?

2. Learning Mandarin used to be the rage, but now it’s less popular. With all the powerful apps and AI is it still worth learning a second language?

3. How do you think of online dating in China? That is, the online “Relationship-shopping” culture.

4. What differentiates agencies if everyone is using the same AI tools or platform? 

5. What lessons have been learned from the latest and successful Coca-Cola + Pop Mart Labubu collaboration? 

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

Got a Question? Access Our Mailbox:  https://syracuseuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6StjsljIEPkXt3M

ShanghaiZhan Theme Music:  by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Has agency consolidation begun to backfire?  The media agency is undergoing a massive transformation as holding companies consolidate their operations & rebrand around unified entities. What does this seismic shift mean for the future of the industry? Will the industry's current path lead to better outcomes or just more cost-cutting? Is this the independent agency's big moment?

Joining us is Mark Heap, Founder of Mark Heap Consulting. Mark advises businesses on growth strategy, organization transformation & leadership development. He's the former CEO of Mindshare in EMEA and Mediacom in APAC.  He spent 10 years in China from 2003 to 2013 serving roles at PHD and Mindshare.

1. What's driving all the consolidation, and where will it lead?
2. Are the agencies losing client leaders, or should it be up to the local office?
3. Does this all have to do with AI implementation?
4. Has all this consolidation resulted in the loss of critical thinking and discourse?
5. Does this open the field up to independent agencies to shine?
6.  Who is doing it right? Is there a good model?
7.  Are we moving to a world where everything is small, nimble, and independent?
8.  How do you reflect on your China experience? Has it helped you throughout your career?

About Mark Heap Consulting: https://www.markheapconsulting.com/
Mark Heap on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheap/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

China's business landscape in 2025 is unforgiving—consumer spending is down, competition is fiercer than ever, and companies face a brutal reality: adapt or die. The old playbooks aren't working, traditional marketing approaches are falling flat, and while everyone knows they need to change, most don't know what to do or how to do it. In this environment, the difference between companies that thrive and those that merely survive comes down to one thing: innovative leadership that can actually navigate the messy, uncomfortable process of transformation in real-time. Today, we're diving deep into what it takes to transition into your innovative superpowers with Nishtha Mehta, a sought-after international change facilitator and ICF PCC innovation coach who has been helping Fortune 500 companies and startups do exactly that for the past two decades from her base in Shanghai.

1.  What have you observed about different cultural approaches to innovation?
2.  What makes a successful transition from leader to innovative leader?
3.  What triggers innovation?
4.  How do you introduce innovation thinking to companies?
5.  Introducing innovative change through melting, mounting, and mating
6. How much do you change or morph into someone else?
7. What goes about creating collaborations to impact innovation?
8. How can leaders effectively shed their existing responsibilities to avail themselves to innovation?
9. How resourceful do you need to be to embrace someone else's innovation?
10. How does the model work for a start-up? Start by envisioning failure.
11.  Will fear of failure result in inaction?
12. Your phrase, "committing to uncomfortable" - Any advice for new jobbers?
13. Who inspires you?

Nistha Mehta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishthamehta/

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/

Today's episode delves into a facet of the China media business that everyone is aware of, but few are willing to discuss. Media corruption was so prevalent in the early days of the digital industry in 2010 that it became a competitive advantage for some companies. We all knew that it was big, but how big?  We discovered this later, following the news about the GroupM scandal in 2023. Today's guest goes by the pseudonym "F. B." and is the author of the memoir, "Confessions of a Chinese American Swindler: My Rise, Fall, and Exile from the Cutthroat World of Chinese Advertising." The book takes the readers deep into the heart of China's media underworld, where ambition, opportunity, and moral compromise collide.

1.  Please outline a typical media deal with rebates. What's the role of the broker, and why do rebates exist?
2.  What's the business advantage of going through the brokers? Why not go through the agency?
3.  Did it ever become counter-productive to growing the business?
4.  Are there any cultural implications, or is it just inherent conflicts between global and local teams?
5.  What's the relationship between the media buyer and the corruption circles?
6.  Has the industry transformed? Is it easier now that you can book directly on the platform?
7.  Does media validation and data transparency impact the ability for corruption to exist?
8. What would take to get this to stop? It's about financial auditing.
9. What if you booked the media directly on the platform?
10. Did you ever think you were over your head and might face jail time?
11. Have the agency networks tightened their processes and improved their operations?
12. Why did you write the book?
13.  How did you reconcile your ethical limitations?

The Book:  https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Chinese-American-Swindler-Advertising-ebook/dp/B0DVXC2PWL

For everything ShanghaiZhan:  http://zhanstation.com/

Bryce on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/