Akanksha Goel on Creator Culture, Ethics, and AI’s Role in Advertising’s Future

In a candid and thought-provoking interview at Cannes Lions 2025, Akanksha Goel (AK)—founder of Socialize and newly appointed CEO of We Are Social Middle East—sat down with Roastbrief’s Editorial Contributor Cesar Christoforidis to reflect on a landmark moment in her career and the shifting values of the advertising industry.

Celebrating her 10th Cannes appearance, 15 years of Socialize, and 7 years since joining forces with We Are Social, AK offered a unique perspective from the crossroads of creativity, technology, and cultural transformation.

Judging the First-Ever Creator Content Category at D&AD

AK served as a juror for the inaugural D&AD Creator Content category, a significant step in recognizing creators and influencers as central players in modern storytelling. The jury awarded a Yellow Pencil to the bold and spontaneous Colombian campaign “Blurred Unboxing” by snack brand Ramo and influencer Pugliatto—a humorous and fast-moving viral moment that began when the influencer blurred the brand’s logo in a TikTok unboxing video.

In a rare show of creative agility and self-awareness, the brand embraced the moment, sending a fully blurred-out PR package to the influencer, sparking further buzz and resale demand on Mercado Libre.

“It was work that couldn’t have existed without the creator,” AK said. “It took things outside of the feed and into the real world—and that’s the kind of creativity that earns a pencil.”

But Should Unpaid Work Be Celebrated? A Tense Jury Room Debate

Despite its brilliance, the campaign raised ethical questions: Should a creator’s unpaid, spontaneous work be awarded at the industry’s highest levels?

The jury—comprised not only of agency heads but also talent reps and influencer platforms—engaged in deep debate. In the end, they awarded the Yellow Pencil but acknowledged the need for a new “code of creative credit” and fair compensation practices for influencers, even in reactive or co-created moments.

“Spontaneity should never be an excuse for inequity,” AK emphasized.

AI as a Tool for Curiosity, Not Fear

As a leader navigating the intersection of tech and creativity, AK shared her vision for AI as a force for empowerment, not replacement. While acknowledging efficiency gains, she stressed that AI should be used to free teams to do more meaningful, human work—like ideation, relationship building, and storytelling.

She urged creatives to embrace AI with “childlike curiosity” rather than anxiety:

“When people are scared, they stop having fun—and if we lose fun, we lose creativity.”

Self-Awareness as a Leadership Superpower

AK also opened up about her exploration of Human Design—a tool combining astrology, the I Ching, and Vedic science—as a way to improve leadership through self-knowledge. She’s used it with her team to build empathy, emotional intelligence, and personal resilience.

“Understanding what’s within helps you control what’s outside,” she noted, advocating for greater emotional support and self-work in creative organizations—especially for Gen Z professionals.

Final Word: Embrace Change with Empathy and Ethics

As Cannes 2025 wrestled with its relationship to AI, creator economy, and cultural impact, AK’s closing thought was a challenge to the industry:

“Let’s not separate AI into its own category. Let’s embrace it fully—as we did the Internet—and focus instead on creating work with empathy, creativity, and human truth.”

This wasn’t just an interview. It was a masterclass in modern leadership, from one of the most insightful voices shaping the future of creative marketing.