Why Creators Are Becoming the New Marketing Operating System: Kevin Blazaitis & Chrissie Hanson

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, Kevin Blazaitis, President at Creo, sits down with Chrissie Hanson, CEO of North America Media Practice at Dentsu, to explore how creators are reshaping the modern marketing operating system. They discuss the shift from chasing viral moments to building durable creator-led content that delivers measurable business outcomes, from audience growth and active attention to sales lift and ROAS.

Chrissie shares how brands can integrate creators across the full funnel while preserving the authenticity and credibility that make creator partnerships effective. The conversation also explores AI’s role in testing audiences, accelerating content strategy, and reducing risk without replacing human creativity. Along the way, Kevin and Chrissie unpack why longevity may matter more than reach and how simplifying measurement to a few meaningful metrics can help brands build sustainable creator programs and drive enduring growth.

What You'll Learn:

• How to transition creator content from viral moments to durable assets
• Why creators drive spontaneous purchase decisions at scale
• The framework for measuring creator impact on par with retail media networks
• How to design creator partnerships with early brand integration
• Why "longevity is the new reach" for building sustainable competitive advantage
• The practical AI playbook for de-risking creator decisions
• How to simplify measurement from 50+ KPIs down to 3-4 core metrics

About the Guests:

Chrissie Hanson is CEO of Dentsu North America’s Media Practice and Global Brand President of Carat, named Cannes Lions Media Network of the Year in 2026. With 25 years across OMD, Mindshare, MediaCom, and Carat, she has led global strategies for brands including Visa, Vodafone, Sony Pictures, and Nordstrom. Previously CEO of OMD USA, she transformed the agency into a new-business leader. A champion of data, creativity, and technology, Chrissie has pioneered attention-to-outcomes solutions and serves on the Advertising Research Foundation board.

Kevin Blazaitis is an executive client development leader with 15+ years of experience across emerging media, digital advertising, promotions, and technology. As President of Creo, Omnicom Media Group’s Influencer practice, he leads growth, innovation, and go-to-market strategy, helping brands combine capabilities to create differentiated solutions. A proven revenue generator and team builder, Kevin believes in leading by example and creating environments where people thrive. Outside work, he enjoys DIY projects, soccer, Michigan football, Everton, podcasts, and 90s alternative rock.

Host and Guest Resources:

• Chrissie Hanson on LinkedIn
• Dentsu NA Website
• Kevin Blazaitis on LinkedIn
• Creo Website
• ADWEEK Website

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