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TBWA\New Zealand sets up AI arm to help brands bridge the gap
TBWA\New Zealand has launched TBWA\i – a new practice designed to bring the right people, AI product and processes together.
AI efforts within businesses often focus on what can be automated or eliminated, and are contributing to a tsunami of content that is often undifferentiated and ignored, says TBWA\New Zealand.
So, TBWA\i helps clients reimagine what’s possible by combining service design, strategic consultancy, AI product development, strategy and insights, creative ideation and production to enabling teams to look at new ideas, products and brand experiences.
“There is no shortage of AI tools, but the real opportunity lies in how we apply them,” says Catherine Harris, CEO of TBWA\NZ.
“TBWA\i drives growth for businesses by enabling entirely new kinds of work that are ownable and unique for each brand – not just optimising what we already do.
“In a world of efficiency, this is about people and AI product coming together to create advantages for brands over their competitors,” Harris adds.
Bridging the gap
AI platforms are evolving rapidly, and establishing a roadmap for meaningful implementation, especially in marketing, can be challenging.
TBWA\i was created to bridge that gap – helping businesses adopt the most impactful uses, both at speed and safely.
Drawing on the technical depth of Digital Arts Network (DAN) – with proven expertise in service design, UX, CX, and full-stack digital development – and the creative, brand and strategic power of TBWA’s creative agency, the practice aims to help brands transform.
The five key service areas of TBWA\i
- Consultancy: to reimagine what’s possible when people, AI product and process come together and roadmap the delivery.
- Bespoke AI tools: built to specification and designed to complement specific marketing activity or expertise.
- AI-led discovery and research: exploring and uncovering new strategic avenues and insights.
- New creative possibilities and production solutions: unlocking new types of ideas, executional approaches and scalable production solutions.
- Optimised delivery processes: finding ways to build new partnership models and ways of working for clients and agency teams.
“More than just tools, TBWA\i is a practice designed to extend what our client teams can deliver – helping them move from AI exploration to meaningful execution,” says David Parkinson, managing director – digital arts network and TBWA\i.
“We will supercharge what people can imagine and create with AI products. By combining TBWA’s strategic, creative and production firepower with DAN’s technical depth and service design expertise, we’re able to help clients integrate AI into their systems and workflows in a way that is scalable, smart, and effective.”
Led by a team of experts
TBWA\i is led by a multidisciplinary team of creative and technical experts, including:
- Trudi Greig – head of innovation & AI delivery
- David Parkinson – head of AI adoption & service design
- Billy Weir – lead innovation developer
- Blair Walker – head of innovation & creative delivery
- Shane Bradnick – chief creative officer
- Supported by TBWA’s Strategy and Data team
“Every department in our agency feeds into TBWA\i, and TBWA\i feeds back into the team,” says Shane Bradnick, chief creative officer.
“It’s not an isolated lab – it’s a living, working model where creatives, strategists, technologists and producers collaborate to make things better, smarter and more powerful.
“This is completely reshaping how we’ll work in the coming year – and we’re evolving at pace alongside our clients,” Bradnick adds.
TBWA\i team is also powered by the agency’s existing digital capabilities and supported by Omnicom’s global AI and data ecosystem. It is grounded in ethical AI use and data security.
