Content That Connects: Peter McCann on the Unification of Production and Technology at Publicis Groupe
Any piece of content for a brand means little if it never connects with its target audience - a statement to ponder in this interview series from Comcast Technology Solutions and Little Black Book.
Over the course of this series, we’ll be speaking to some of advertising’s most respected production leaders to delve into how emerging themes in production, such as data-fuelled production, more lo-fi shooting technology, remote filming, and evolving feelings towards the value of production all feed into creating content that matters to customers and works for brands.
Today we’re speaking to Peter McCann, chief production officer, North America at Publicis Groupe, where he is responsible for every aspect of production, from brief to delivery, for a wide range of clients across the entire collective of agencies.
Peter was integral in the launch of PXP, Publicis Groupe’s robust platform focused on craft, innovation, production strategy and growth. He joined Publicis Groupe in 2008 as an executive producer, eventually rising through the ranks to become head of production for Digitas, North America. Prior to joining the Groupe, Peter was a talent agent and executive producer at production companies and post houses.
To get his take on production in 2023, and how PXP is interacting with things like data and AI, LBB’s Addison Capper chatted with Peter.
LBB> Publicis Groupe's global production division has undergone significant transformation in the last six months or so. From a US perspective, how are you feeling these and how are they impacting the way that you're working with clients?
Peter> On a global scale, and certainly in the US, our production offering has continued to transform to meet our clients’ ever evolving needs and further power growth. Our production teams are now working to tackle client challenges from an integrated, holistic perspective – rather than in silos – to optimise marketing strategy and production budgets (at global and local levels), streamline workflows, and elevate our craft on a global scale. Our teams are fully connected via Publicis Groupe’s global AI Marcel platform, making it easy to seamlessly tap into all the great producers and expertise within our network, from LATAM to Canada, New York to Warsaw, Singapore to Sydney, and everywhere in between.
LBB> How are you interacting with data to improve production and the impact of the content?
Peter> Data is an integral part of our production planning process. For many years now, we have been ahead of the curve, integrating production with data and strategy way upstream in the ideation and creation of highly personalised content across platforms to create and deliver engaging content in the right formats at the right time. That all starts with smart creative ideas that are artfully and strategically infused with data points about the consumer. Data also enables us to optimise our content in-market to be sure our work drives results and effectiveness.
LBB> Similarly, how is AI impacting production at Publicis Groupe?
Peter> Clearly, AI is having a huge moment and an undeniable impact on the way we think about what is possible in production. That said, we did not wait for the industry buzz – Publicis Groupe invested early in the promise of AI and now see the benefits of that visionary thinking coming to life across our business. We launched PublicisGPT, a proprietary platform housed in Marcel that leverages the collective generative AI opportunities for clients in an agile, collaborative environment. It also provides testing environments, training opportunities, accessibility to unique Groupe resources and educational materials about startups and providers, including access to the latest generative AI tools like our industry first partnership with OpenAI (ChatGPT and Dall-E), Google’s Bard and Adobe’s Photoshop Beta – all within our own Marcel platforms to allow for safe and responsible use. We’re also working closely with partners like Adobe, with whom we recently launched PX, an end-to-end AI-powered content production platform.
It's also worth noting that we were the first holding company to join the Coalition for Content Provenance Authenticity (C2PA) as a Steering Committee Member, because we believe it’s important to balance the growth potential of AI with the demand for responsible use of these technologies.
Though the technology is evolving on a daily basis, at this moment in time, I like to think of AI as the spark to jumpstart our thinking about a brief, unleash our creativity with infinite possibilities, and an opportunity to create certain types of content at warp speeds. An eternal optimist however, I believe we will always need human intervention to be sure our messaging, craft, and content is on brand, and culturally appropriate. To that end, at Publicis we believe that AI can never replace or replicate what humans can do and create – rather, it is additive to drive the art and science of ideation, iteration and personalisation.
LBB> What are your thoughts on the power of production to drive business growth, both for an agency and its clients?
Peter> One of the primary reasons we have launched PXP, our innovative production platform within the Groupe, is because we recognise that production is a critical growth driver for our clients, and in turn, for our agencies. All of our clients require smart, bespoke production solutions to deliver high quality craft across their consumer touchpoints. In parallel, there is significant pressure on marketing budgets – meaning as producers, we must do more, faster, often for less, while still delivering unmatched service and results. With PXP, we are doing just that with the unification of our best-in-class production talent and technology to connect us.
LBB> What kind of role do you believe production plays in making a narrative / idea connect with its audience?
Peter> As producers, we have the brilliant opportunity and responsibility to bring our clients’ stories to life in every form of communication and messaging. At PXP, we’re obsessed with storytelling, creativity, and craft to ensure every interaction and experience is meaningful and engaging. Consistent with the world we live in, we are no longer focused on one platform or type of deliverable, we are focused on all of them - social, digital, experiential, gaming, cinema, creator-led, TV (linear and CTV), platform partnerships, emerging tech, and more. And, in the creative commerce revolution, we’re driving real-time commerce transactions to drive clicks, shares, purchasing, likes, retention, and inspire customers to take real action over and over again. Most of all, we can inform and impact culture with our creativity, bold strategic thinking and craft.
LBB> In our constantly shifting media environment, how would you articulate the value of production to a brand?
Peter> Several years back, one of our foremost leaders within Publicis said, “production is the consumer experience.” That really stuck with me, as we are the beneficiaries of all the creativity, strategy, media, data, and technology informing our work. Though we partner with these different areas of expertise from inception of a brief, we have the massive responsibility to deliver on all of that thinking, planning, and creativity through final delivery. As producers, we also have the responsibility to lead the way into new technologies and ways of doing, making, and inspiring. In doing so, production brings immense value to our agency teams and clients. And yes, we make it fun too.
LBB> I believe you worked at production companies prior to making the shift to the agency side. How does that experience feed into how you run production for a holding company like Publicis Groupe?
Peter> Not a day goes by when I do not stop to appreciate the fact that I have had the great luck to work with brilliantly talented people on both sides of the industry (both that agency side and production company side). For me, PXP is the culmination of the totality of my experience, as we bring agency teams and makers closer together. I have often said our work can only ever be as good as the talent we attract to our productions. Throughout my career, I have learned from brilliant directors, editors, photographers, EPs, actors, musicians, writers, production designers, crews, business affairs managers, bidders, and many more - all of whom inform my work and role today. Most of all, I am constantly reminded of how lucky we are to do what we do - it’s fun.
LBB> How did you wind up in production in the first place? Was it a happy accident or somewhat planned?
Peter> I always knew I wanted to work in the advertising industry, but thought copywriting would be my calling, until I stumbled on to the super cool production department ‘down the hall’. In true ‘get it done’ producer fashion, I was determined to join that team - never once thinking that I would end up in my current role, let alone being interviewed by LBB.
LBB> What are some new technologies or practices that are having a big impact on how production is done or have the potential to change things in a big way in 2023?
Peter> Of course the quick and easy answer is ‘AI’, but I’m going to pivot in a different direction and say that as an industry, we need to continue to remain focused on bringing greater diversity and equity into the production space. In particular, we need to provide diverse, female directors – particularly Black and multicultural female directors – with more opportunities to direct and therefore inform our work based on their lived experiences and authentic views of the world. This will require industry collaboration to include them and other historically excluded communities in every competitive bid process. As producers, broadly speaking, we have the power - and the obligation - to impact culture in small and profound ways. When we put Black, multicultural, and other diverse female creatives and filmmakers behind the camera, we can provide more visibility for their voices to be heard & given the respect they deserve.
LBB> Can you tell us one thing that you believe we are certain to have in store for the future of production?
Peter> One thing is certain: talented people, curious, motivated producers, and brave clients will always lead the way forward in production. This is an incredibly exciting time in our industry. We are connecting with audiences in countless new ways, expanding far beyond traditional platforms and ways of making. Whether we’re producing a fully branded gaming and commerce-infused experience, an AI generated social campaign, capturing content in a fully virtual environment, or producing a full length feature film which transcends entertainment and marketing, the possibilities are endless. Producers are on the front line to deliver those connections and will continue to lean into whatever comes next. Buckle up!
