MONKS vs Publicis Health

S4 Capital's Monks lets AI agents run autonomously for days

S4 Capital's Monks agency now deploys AI agents that operate autonomously for 36-48 hours (sometimes longer) on coding tasks, with minimal human oversight. This shift is part of a broader move into social and performance marketing, with client applications planned for next year. Clients demand oversight features like model transparency and centralized agent management. Monks has cut ~800 jobs in the past year and now allocates budget for AI tokens as part of its 'talent budget'. In other industry news, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, Carat, and Newton launched a joint initiative using custom AI agents for CTV advertising, with a luxury retailer as the first client. Political ads for Ken Paxton aired nationally during NFL games due to lower costs, Mars is overhauling M&M's production to remove artificial colors, and Skydance closed its $110B acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

• S4 Capital's Monks uses AI agents that work autonomously for 36-48 hours on coding tasks, with plans to extend to social/performance marketing.
• Monks cut ~800 jobs, and clients now require oversight (transparency, centralized registry) for AI agents.
• NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, Carat, and Newton launched an agentic CTV ad buying initiative, with an unnamed luxury retailer as first client.

Staples Launches 'Hard vs. Easy' B2B Brand Campaign

Staples is launching a new full-funnel advertising campaign called 'Hard vs. Easy' to spotlight its enterprise-level B2B services and celebrate its 40th anniversary. The campaign introduces a black 'hard button' as a dark alter ego to the iconic red 'easy button,' humorously depicting workplace mishaps solved by Staples' solutions. The ads will run across streaming services like YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix, as well as social platforms and out-of-home placements. Chief Marketing Officer Bob Sherwin, who joined in June of last year, aims to shift perception from Staples as a retail store to a comprehensive B2B solutions provider, leveraging its supply chain and same-day delivery capabilities. The campaign was created in-house with support from agencies Bandits & Friends and Monks.

• Staples launched a new 'Hard vs. Easy' full-funnel B2B campaign featuring a black hard button alter ego.
• The campaign includes ads on YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, LinkedIn, Meta, out-of-home billboards, and digital signage.
• Staples' CMO Bob Sherwin says the campaign aims to shift perception from retail store to B2B solutions provider.

S4 and Monks Face Rising AI Token Costs

Rising AI token costs are forcing marketing services groups to reconsider spending, licensing and pricing models. Monks reports token usage “exploding,” driven by increased use of agents and coding tasks, while parent S4 Capital posted improved margins and doubled first-half operating profit amid strict cost discipline. Agencies are experimenting with controls—such as PMG’s $50 daily token cap—and exploring outcome- or subscription-based pricing to offset higher variable AI costs. Analysts and forecasts warn token consumption could surge (Goldman Sachs projects a 24-fold increase between 2026 and 2030), potentially exposing agency business models if vendors shift to token- or GPU-based billing. S4 and Monks are weighing targeted caps, model selection, and subscription revenue targets (Monks aims for 25% subscription revenue) to balance capability growth with cost control.

• S4 Capital broadened margins to 12.3% and doubled first-half operating profit to £35.2 million from £16.4 million year-over-year.
• Token usage is described as “exploding” at Monks by co-founder and chief AI officer Wesley ter Haar.
• Goldman Sachs forecasts token consumption could increase 24-fold between 2026 and 2030, driven mainly by enterprise usage.

PART TWO: THE FUTURE OF THE BRAND.COM IN AN AI-FIRST WORLD

In Part Two of The Future of Brand.com roundtable hosted by The DHC Group, Publicis Health's Stephanie Schulman and Heartbeat's Dan Haller joined industry leaders to explore how AI is reshaping patient discovery, engagement, and trust. The discussion highlighted why brand websites must now serve both human and AI audiences, deliver value beyond information alone, and provide the trusted resources patients need to take meaningful next steps. The future of brand.com is not disappearing. It's becoming more essential than ever.