The Speed of Culture Podcast

Ctrl Creative: How Smartly’s Laura Desmond is Rewriting the CMO Playbook with AI

Host: Matt Britton (Adweek & Suzy)
Guest: Laura Desmond (CEO, Smartly)
Date: September 16, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Matt Britton converses with Laura Desmond, CEO of Smartly and renowned leader in digital advertising. The discussion centers on how AI is revolutionizing creative advertising, the evolving role of the CMO, and leadership in the age of rapid technological transformation. Laura shares her journey from agency leadership to driving innovation at Smartly, offering strategic insights for marketers navigating the "speed of culture."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Leadership Lessons from the Front Lines

[03:19]–[09:11]

• The Core of Leadership

  • Laura credits her leadership success to fostering meaning, clarity, and trust within teams.
    • Quote: "You have to create meaning. And you have to bet on some things. First, you have to bet on you as a leader... you have to pick the right mission… often, the mission can change." — Laura Desmond [03:50]
  • She emphasizes investing in people with desire over raw talent.
    • Quote: "I will take someone with desire over ability every day..." — Laura Desmond [06:17]

• Building Next-Generation Cultures

  • Laura discusses leading with excellence, vulnerability, and supporting the next generation at Smartly.
    • Quote: "I've learned you have to communicate more, you have to build trust more... and be willing to be vulnerable." — Laura Desmond [08:20]
  • Pride in developing millennial talent and fostering a purpose-driven environment.

2. Evolution of Digital Media and the Age of AI

[09:47]–[12:54]

• From Digital Dawn to AI Disruption

  • Laura identifies four major industry shifts: the Internet era, mobile, social & commerce, and now AI—regarding the latter as the most profound disruptor.
    • Quote: "Of the four, AI by far is the most disruptive... It will give people the power to create, to enhance, and it will speed culture." — Laura Desmond [10:17]
  • AI’s impact is not just about automation but reimagining the creative relationship between brands and consumers.

• Speed and Engagement as the New Norm

  • Brands must meet consumers at the velocity set by algorithms and social platforms—requiring more engaging, personal creative.

3. Hyper-Personalization & Intelligent Creative

[14:26]–[20:29]

• Personalization at Scale

  • Smartly’s approach is not just more ads, but "smarter advertising"—always learning, always adaptive.
    • Quote: "The world doesn't necessarily need more ads. It needs smarter ones... that's what Smartly calls intelligent creative." — Laura Desmond [15:07]
  • AI enables real-time, tailored experiences—transforming marketing from mass to truly personal.

• Left-brain vs. Right-brain AI

  • AI’s value is both operational (efficiency, dynamic pricing, video assembly) and creative (enhancing human ideation and output).
    • Quote: "AI is also going to unleash exponential ability to create, to enhance human creativity… but it won't replace human touch." — Laura Desmond [18:17]

• Consumer Expectation & Privacy

  • 76% of consumers expect personalization, while 2/3 demand privacy—a delicate balance brands must master.

4. Data, Privacy, and Building Responsible AI

[20:29]–[24:09]

• Data as the Lifeblood of AI

  • AI effectiveness depends entirely on data quality, but privacy is paramount.
    • Quote: "You can't have good AI without good models, and you can't have good models without data. It's the fuel." — Laura Desmond [20:52]
  • Smartly is privacy-first: no data resale, compliance with GDPR and CCPA, and use of ethically sourced AI models.

• Internal AI-First Transformation

  • Smartly has embraced becoming an "AI every day" company, with training and operational changes to embed AI into all facets of the business.

5. The Changing Role of the CMO

[24:09]–[26:49]

• CMO as Growth Leader

  • Boards see marketing as the #1 function for enterprise transformation.
    • Quote: "Marketing dollars with AI power can drive growth and untapped business potential..." — Laura Desmond [25:55]
  • CMOs must leverage AI not just for efficiency but for business growth, agility, and brand love.

• Global Scalability

  • AI-powered tools can scale campaigns globally with less time and resources, driving broader reach and deeper personalization.

6. Convening the Industry: The Advance Event

[26:49]–[30:33]

• Purpose of the Advance Conference
  • Launched by Smartly to push advertising forward, the event brings together platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok), creators, storytellers, and top marketers.
    • Quote: "Storytelling, creativity, technology are all coming together today... We're at an inflection point." — Laura Desmond [27:34]
  • The goal: foster bold ideas and challenge the status quo, positioning Advance as the “Davos of advertising.”

7. Personal Motivation and Founder's Drive

[30:33]–[33:34]

• Knowing Your "Why"
  • Laura’s clarity of mission fuels her career choices—she describes herself as “driven” more than competitive.
    • Quote: "I’m very much a commit and do person... I’m driven to win. I’m driven for excellence. I’m driven to do what hasn’t been done before.” — Laura Desmond [31:34]
  • She finds energy in creating impact and seeing advertising as a positive force in capitalism and society.

8. Mantra for Success

[33:34]–[34:18]

• Get Shit Done
  • Laura’s career and ethos distilled into a single phrase:
    • Quote: “Get shit done. Don’t be afraid to try. Be fearless in your pursuit of your goal, of your dream. Take a step forward every day. Just get shit done.” — Laura Desmond [33:51]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Half the time, leadership is just about defining reality and then helping the team get to where they need to go." — Laura Desmond [04:55]
• "AI is transformational because it will give people the power to create, to enhance, and it will speed culture." — Laura Desmond [10:22]
• "AI won’t replace human touch, it just enhances it and accelerates it." — Laura Desmond [18:17]
• "You can only take that journey—a journey of uncertainty—if you know your why." — Laura Desmond [31:20]
• "Get shit done." — Laura Desmond [33:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:19 — Leadership values and approach
• 09:47 — Evolution of media, impact of AI
• 15:07 — Hyper-personalization and intelligent creative
• 20:52 — Data, privacy, and ethical AI
• 24:35 — The evolving CMO role
• 27:20 — Building the Advance event and industry dialogue
• 31:15 — Finding personal motivation and energy
• 33:51 — Career mantra: “Get shit done”

Conclusion

Laura Desmond’s episode offers a blueprint for contemporary marketing leadership: embrace AI as an enhancer (not a replacement), put privacy at the heart of innovation, stay relentlessly purpose-driven, and, most importantly, take concrete action. Smartly’s efforts and Laura’s vision signal a new era where creativity, technology, and culture move at unprecedented speed—led by those who “just get shit done.”