Ad Infinitum S4E02: Guaranteed Human with Rahul Sabnis on AI, Trust & the Future of Audio

How do you help 7500 co-workers be their most creative selves? Find out in the latest episode of Ad Infinitum.

That’s right, the world’s only podcast solely dedicated to audio ads is back! Presenting Ad Infinitum Season 4, Episode 2: “Rahul Sabnis: Guaranteed Human.”

Host Stew Redwine (Executive Creative Director, Oxford Road) welcomes bona fide creative master Rahul Sabnis (President & Chief Creative Officer, iHeartMedia) for a WIDE-ranging conversation spanning: Picking a Side, Creativity for All, The Memory Test, and more. There’s even an Audiolytics breakdown of ads from Mint Mobile, Aura Frames, Toyota, and Amazon Prime. Let’s dig in…

“A voice in the dark when you feel alone.”  – The purpose of radio, according to Rahul Sabnis (President & Chief Creative Officer, iHeartMedia)

Creativity: More How than What – Rahul’s job at iHeart? To unlock the inner creativity of his 7500 co-workers. Creativity is not just how we make ads, but also how we find new solutions. So, next time you’re hitting a creative roadblock, try this: pay attention to your frustrations. That’s how Rahul moved from being stymied by weeks-long ideation to writing ads for Ryan Seacrest in 20 minutes. Marketers, if something feels wrong, imagine how it could be different. Whether it’s ads, campaigns, or literally anything: our inner creativity lights up with the magic words, “what if…?”

The Guaranteed Human – What is the point of radio? It’s to make people feel less alone. It’s connecting outside algorithms. That connection is impossible, though, if listeners doubt the humanity behind the message. So, iHeart has a guaranteed human initiative for all of its radio stations. A bulwark against AI mistrust. It’s not just about celebrating human connection. The insight came directly from iHeart research that 90% of their customers want media from humans. Marketers, if a part of AI is bad for your customers, listen to them. This is one of the easiest, smartest stands you can take.

The Memory Test – Marketers, take your ad, read it aloud, wait 5 minutes, then try to tell someone one thing about it. If you can’t do that, your ad’s probably stuffing 10lbs of copy in a 5lb bag. If you can remember one thing, make sure it’s the main thing. And start cutting to make that main thing shine. Your customers are already wading through AI slop on the daily. Don’t feed them “copy slop”, too. Let simplicity shine.

Want more insights from two creative heavyweights at the top of their game? Tune in to the full episode below.