Ideas Don't Die Because of Budget. They Die Because Nobody Trusted Them - Anastasia Zemleanschih (dentsu)

Boringly Effective Podcast.

Welcome to the Boringly Effective Marketing Podcast. Now, everyone blames the budget when a good idea dies, but nobody blames the pitch or the trust that was never built.

Today I'm talking to Anastasia Zemlyanskykh.

She's an account manager at Dentsu Creative and Dentsu Lab. She's also a board member at Young Dogs, the Dutch network for young creatives. And she spoke at Cannes Lions 2026 at an age most people, including me, would call impossibly early. Including me. She has a few things to say about why ideas actually die, whether AI replaces the craft or just amplifies it, and what growing up in Moldova taught her about working in Amsterdam. I'm Andrei Tarnovski, a marketing strategist for more than 20 years now, and I have a warning. Here we have no hacks, No buzzwords, just the fundamentals argued properly.

Hello, Anna.

Hey, Andrei.

Thank you so much for connecting for the podcast. I noticed your speech at Cannes Lions 2026, and given you are so young, I was wondering how come that you can be at such an early age a speaker at Cannes Lions? I mean, some people spend their whole careers dreaming about this. Tell me more about yourself and how you got there.

Yeah, I think I was also surprised to become a speaker at this age, and I think it also was quite a last-minute thing, to be honest, but how I got there is basically I live in the Netherlands, and in the Netherlands we have an organization, an NGO called Young Dogs, which is an organization that supports young creatives and gives them opportunity to get started with their creative career, and part of it is that we are going pitches with different brands, with different agencies, where basically brands, based on the best submitted idea by young creatives, give them opportunity to go to Cannes Lions. So, they sponsor that trip. And as a board member of Young Dogs, I also get to be there. And we have a very tight connection between Young Dogs and Young Lions, as 35 years ago, the Young Lions competition that is happening in Cannes is actually born because of Young Dogs. As 35 years ago, a bunch of juniors in creative industry in the Netherlands just decided to hijack the festival and go there with a big bus, park it in front of the Palais, and basically make a statement to the organization that, hey, all of our seniors and creative directors are there. They can allow it themselves, but juniors and the ones behind the work are not really able to afford it, or even the agency is not able to afford it. So there needs to be a specific pass created for young creatives. So because of Young Dogs, Young Lions was born and that pass that is a bit more accessible to young creatives. And basically this mission goes on and every 2 years there's new board members who just push it further. So basically through this connection between Young Dogs and Young Lions, we were in touch with the organization and then they just asked us to facilitate more of a network connection session at the Terra stage and basically speak there and yeah, just raise some hot takes about creative industry, especially to connect a bit more senior creatives with younger creatives and also get different opinions on those hot takes and just meet and have a chat.

And to even sometimes show senior creatives that the younger ones can beat them.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

How did you get in this industry? What's your own journey?

So I moved to the Netherlands from Moldova almost 7 years ago for studies, straight after high school. I was studying in a fashion institute with a branding specialization, so I was doing branding. Very quickly, I understood that I would not want to continue within fashion industry. And then during my still studies, I found an internship at creative agency as a digital producer at Danso Creative. I applied. I got in and then now for almost 4 years, I'm in the same company where I started and now as an account manager pushing further. But I think with my background or experience is a bit in a more creative field within fashion as well. I'm always quite excited to get around creatives and especially having that path through starting from an internship, building like career further. I also would really love to support all the others, young creatives, juniors, or students even, to how to find their way through the industry because it might be quite challenging. And yeah, it's actually a very small industry. So there's also not a lot of seats available. So how you found those spots, how you get at the table even with no chairs. So yeah.

You've started from the very beginning in the industry and you're still happy to be in it because there's so many people who get disappointed quite quickly. But I'm happy you have this resilience in Curiosity about the industry.

Yeah, absolutely.

Most of the Cannes Lions 2026 speeches, more or less direct, also talked about the AI. And even one of the debate— one of the statements in your debate was the role of AI in the craft. So besides the good or bad verdicts, the question, the real question is if AI does most of the making. Does human value move upstream to strategy, to taste, or how is it going? And besides that, how do you train the younger generation to get that taste and that appeal for strategy since most of the education lately has been around producing more than acquiring the taste?

Yeah. I mean, more than ever, it is the critical eye, the creativity, the strategy matters most than the actual— a lot of people can use AI, but not everyone has a critical eye on it. So I think we just need to focus also the young creatives to sharpen their eye and become more critical, select the right tools, select the right, make the right decisions. And I do feel right now, I believe young creatives can be the ones teaching also the more senior creatives on how to use it. And I do feel like, of course, right now I'm not a student anymore, so maybe I don't have that many insights on what type of courses are being integrated into the programs. I do hear there is more about AI and even 2 of our Young Dogs creatives, they got opportunity to be part of Cannes Lions Academy. So this is more like an intensive program throughout Cannes, and there was quite a lot of courses on how to critically use AI within the creative industry. So I do think you see it spreading around all the levels, and I, being within also Young Dogs, I have opportunity to engage with a variety of agencies, and I also see the difference how within the agency they approach it. Some indeed replacing maybe even young creatives and focusing on building some AI chatbots instead, but I see majority are focusing on fostering the young talent because they are the ones who actually were able to adapt the latest a bit more faster than those seniors who still have lots of skepticism about even using or trying AI. I think it a bit depends, but I do see it's looking promising because the majority of the industry is still encouraging supporting young creatives and also allowing them to be critical when using AI.

Since so many of the more senior advertisers and creatives are skeptical towards AI, this could— one of the reasons could be that we are used throughout the history that the way you acquire the talent and the abilities is through imitating the craft. So Here is where the question gets even trickier. Can you build your abilities without doing the craft, without doing it by yourself, or do you still need to mix it?

I think for me, the AI part of things is always the amplifier of your own work. So you have to give a proper base and thoughts around it, and then there are certain elements that you can always amplify with AI. Maybe it will be great, maybe it will suck. So, but you, I think the important part is indeed, as you mentioned, the curiosity about just trying things rather than just because it's something called AI, we would completely deny it. So I think craft is still in the lead and I do think the ones that will get ahead are the ones who can critically use AI to amplify their existing work and Given that AI is getting very good at entry-level craft, how does that affect the future of newer generations getting into the business, into the industry?

Because you need to become a senior at some level. But without this craft that you were saying that it is quite important still, it's quite hard to get there. One of the hypotheses I've heard was that it could be like it happens with lawyers in some countries, Italy, if I'm not wrong, where you need to pay as an intern to gain some experience. You don't get paid. Where does this lead in our industry?

Yeah, I think I can critically look specifically in, let's say, in the Netherlands. Young Dogs is quite, for example, renowned organization within the creative industry. And I do think now more than ever, because we organize pitches and invite hundreds of young creatives to participate in them, we give opportunity to brands and agencies see the type of output young creatives come up with. And I think I was in one of the judging sessions where the work by young creatives was reviewed by a few CDs, CMOs of the big company. And that was mentioned that, well, AI would never be able in 2 weeks come up with such a strong idea and insight. So I do as well. There was a board member who was part of the board 10 years ago of Young Dogs who is now a creative director of a company. He also said the quality of ideas actually improved way much, but that we also see from our community that they do share a lot of curiosity surrounding AI. So brands recognize the level of the creativity is now by young creatives. So our organization also exists to show that and we only see the quality going up, but it's also maybe because they use AI to amplify some of our ideas or to test things or to get additional input within their idea. So I think that—

There's no real danger.

No, I don't think so, honestly. I do think young creatives getting more and more recognized within our industry and there is obviously certain businesses that just have other priorities who need to focus on the senior teams that they have for just experience, speed level, etc., but I also see majority of the agencies Within the industry always reaching out to us to connect them to junior teams or they're looking for interns and they always know that we have quite a big community that is there and to be honest how this generation is able to recognize the importance of AI, I think that only helps them to build a stronger end portfolio and a case for them to actually get a The future looks quite bright. Maybe I'm a big optimist, but I think there's quite some facts to back it up. And I think within the industry, Young Dogs is the organization that also helps to push young talent further. And we do see people that were 10 years ago participating in the pitches as 22-year-olds winning it, going to Cannes, and now they're a CD at the best agency of the Netherlands. So, yeah, I think it's a very exciting time.

Another statement from Khanh was that network beats education. Both you and I are from Moldova, a country that is quite small and doesn't have such a flourishing creative industry, at least yet. Hopefully someday. But given that you went from such a young age to a foreign country, you probably knew absolutely no one. So did this help? Did this move you forward? Yeah, it definitely helped. make your life harder? How does it happen?

When you think network or education, when it was in the context of the session that we had in Cannes, we had the format where the people would separate into different groups, someone who agrees, someone who disagrees. And it was a topic where it was actually 50-50, you can see. But I think for me personally, It's neither. I didn't have any network and I also was studying a completely different topic from what I actually ended up doing right now in my role. So, it can be just probably pure passion and hard work, but yeah, everyone can find their own sauce to that success or to their career in the industry, but I do think Both are important and I think people, how the organization or the industry shaped, there's also a variety of roles. In some of the roles, you do need to prove that certain angles or topics that only like professionalism and really degree can help you and in some levels or roles, you are bringing the power with your network. So I think the industry is so big that maybe for different roles, different answer would work, or either network or education would be a correct answer, something that people would agree. For me, it was neither. It was just figuring out things and sharing my passion, and I think in the agency they saw it and they gave me an opportunity and there education you can follow as you also work. I didn't even graduate when I started working here, so... Yeah.

Okay, so you started while studying, which is great.

Yeah, I started as an internship and then after the internship I still had to graduate, so finish a semester, but I already got a full-time job and a contract in the company, so I was doing graduation in parallel.

Would you say that maybe because or even thanks to the fact that you were from a culture that is quite different from the one in the Netherlands helped you to see things from a different angle? Is that a factor?

I think so, but I think it also depends on a company and culture in the company because in my first interview, my employee was also asking me which background I'm from and also encouraging. He mentioned that we also encourage people from different backgrounds to join because we love to integrate all the different perspectives in the work that we deliver as well. So it was quite important. I wouldn't say the main factor. It probably was a benefit rather, something weird. Of course, it's, I'm in the Netherlands. I still don't use my Dutch 100%, so we also cater majority to that client, but I was able just with the hard work and passion that I have for projects that we have to just keep up with the good work and yeah, recognized by the team and the management. So I think that the background helps just to add something special, the extra sauce in the work that you deliver and in the culture that is part of the agency, but maybe In some ways it wouldn't be the same.

I support this 100% because in our agency we started doing a lot better work since we gained a few new colleagues from other countries. So it's basically a team with people from 4 different cultures, 4 different countries, which Each of us adds a bit to what we deliver. So I completely support your position. And yes, it's not the factor that defines it, but it definitely helps.

Yeah.

You were mentioning you are an account manager and you sit exactly where the creative idea meets the client's budget. So it's that specific hard place, which means you sometimes are in the room when the When some good ideas might get killed. What's the most effective idea you've ever watched die? Not necessarily in your agency, but you've probably seen such things. And what did specifically kill the idea? Was it the money, the fear, the ego, anything else?

And I think, to answer the question why sometimes ideas die, I think majority of the time it's because you pitch them to the wrong stakeholders. So I think that's also very important, especially especially when you work for bigger brands or organizations. I think you need to know which battles to pick with which stakeholders. But a specific idea doesn't come to my mind that was killed, but maybe one which I cannot really mention. But I think it's also some provocative ideas that are just, there is no trust from the client side to actually execute. And I do think as an account manager, one of our main goals is to build that trust with the client, to actually sell that crazy idea in, which we probably are sure as creatives that we're able to deliver on and it's going to be showstopping. But the brands are just in a completely different world and you just need to build that trust to actually just of the email, have a call. It's like, you will not regret this decision. I know it sounds crazy. Let us do this together and prove your team within the brand that also you were able to push for the most insane idea ever. And I think it's something that's dependent a bit on the relationship also with the clients. I think also talking about AI, Clients have a lot of questions about, oh, can we do this with AI? We say we can probably do this. Let's try it. Then it becomes risky within the brand. Should we actually do it? And then you have to convince it like, hey, to try, you need to just trust us and let's see how it goes. Budget, they always find money somewhere in different pillars and teams that always flows around. So I don't think that's necessary. That's what usually kills the idea. It's usually the trust. If there's no trust between agencies and brands, then probably they will not go for that crazy idea.

So basically the main ingredients would be to know exactly to whom to pitch a specific project and to know how to do it so that you do gain the trust beforehand. Exactly.

It's a times, depending on the times that you work also with the brand, you need to build it up.

Account managers get cast as the ones who say no, at least that's the stereotype, to the most fun stuff on the behalf of the client. So is this idea of commercial discipline just a polite phrase for when creativity goes to die, or is the constraint the place where reality is actually born.

Yeah, I think as well, similar to the previous question, we sometimes, because of the trust built with the client or understanding of the client, account managers can also predict even in advance when the client would say no to that idea. So you can also share that with the team or flag it with the team. way ahead of times, but of course that shouldn't get them not execute the idea and you would still love to present that idea to the client, but I think you can manage the expectations of creatives or shape, help shape the idea even more so that the client doesn't have to say no. But also I do believe the best creatives are those who also understand that commercial discipline and how radar almost where they can see how far you can push and where to compromise. And I do think that also comes with seniority probably. So you, I think a lot of creatives, best creatives are the ones who have that commercial discipline and understand where to push and where to slow down.

Did you have any situation where an idea seemed so crazy that you were 99% sure that it wouldn't get get picked or approved and yet some miracle happened. Did you have such situations?

I think majority of the ideas that we also try to provoke to a client before we start even like building out the concept, but we usually have this opportunity workshop with the client where we just go wild and come up with, I don't know, 100 one-pagers with the client on all the crazy ideas, also get them excited in the room, sell them in a few ideas already in that space and make it look like they were the ones to come up with those ideas and then it helps to narrow down and then in the end you have 4 crazy ideas which is kind of client was part of coming up with and then I think it helps to sell those ideas in. So I didn't have, to be honest, any crazy idea that didn't get executed.

Wow.

Just maybe still just 4 years of experience, but I think it's more about the way how you involve clients in the process and that's also and builds trust and makes them part of almost being creative in the room and making it feel like that's something that they came up actually a few weeks And now it's just the outcome of that. So they already vouch also internally for that idea.

And you're building it step by step so nobody gets shocked.

No.

Okay. This is actually a good trick. I admire that you're doing this.

It's also, I don't think it's new. I think within the creative industries, more and more there's going to be something that people would just apply further, but getting the client on board as early as possible, that helps.

Given that so many of these crazy ideas, when still there is some reserve and things don't get bought, let's say so, don't get approved straight from the beginning, which is the part that most often misunderstands it? I mean, you can do lots of onboarding and getting into it step by step, but still sometimes there is some misalignment. Which side is more often harder to get on board with the craziness?

I think clients buying the idea, but maybe there is for them, the execution is something that's just like a bit more vague and general. So they do want to fly a person with a glider to, with a Fortnite glider to make kids excited about aviation, but they don't get to understand that, okay, that includes building the technical glider, making the influencer or person sign in the very complicated contract, us filming that, having an insurance and this type of elements. They build up in a quite complex production. And client really wants to do it. but then all those elements, then they are dissected. That also gets them realize the complexity of the entire process. And then there starts to be also budget conversations and then you have to compromise on certain things. So I think from client side, it's misunderstanding of the production and execution of the idea, but it also all depends on how you communicated it from the agency side and how you you got them on board or how you sold them that idea. It's always a bit in between and I think as experienced creatives get, they also understand more that clients have these reservations or concerns about all the different details of production. So—

Yeah, giving the client this access to the understanding that yes, the project is complicated, but at the same time you will get the numbers up So this is the hard part.

Exactly, exactly. But I think it's also process depends on a client, depends on the creative maturity of the client. So yeah, it's a bit of a range.

Getting back to our home country, were there Were there such situations where your cultural background helped you see something that nobody else was able to see? Has this proven a real specific advantage at some point?

I think it's also just because of very specific country we are from. So it's Moldova, it's people talking like 2, 3 languages. That's normal. Even more sometimes if you, for example, know Turkish, if you're from Gagauzia, a different part of Moldova. So, like, our ability to also be able to connect to Romanian people, to Russian-speaking people, Ukrainians more and more. So it's just like always impressive how many links you can make because I even been to an event, actually also to Cannes with my managers, and then we were attending like a global summit there and there was people from different countries from our company. from then too, and I was able to talk Romanian to Romanian delegates, Turkish to Turkey delegates, and to Ukrainians as well. So, that's just like show-stopping for them. So, that really helps, and I do think it's our approach and maybe flexibility as people because we're just in between the states always that helps in also maybe adapting to certain scenarios. I think it's more about that rather than a very specific point of view that as a Moldavian, I can share on maybe creative output. It's less about that, but more the flexibility, the adaptability to different scenarios that we maybe have a bit more in our blood.

So it's kind of cultural fluidity, which enables you to understand different points of view a bit easier.

Indeed, indeed.

On this same point, there's quite a big pressure on immigrants to assimilate, speaking the language, getting rid of their accent, blend in, become one of the locals and so on. But at the same time, the industry we both work in requires creativity and requires difference, distinctiveness and so on. So basically, The country requires one thing, the industry the other. Is this some kind of ironic joke on us, or is this a thing that we can actually bring into the companies we work for?

I think that's also a bit connected to the previous question. And I think that flexibility part, right? Blend in when you need to blend in, stand out when you need to stand out. We are a bit of Chameleon flexing between those states, but I do think maybe on a very, very simple example, for example, I don't really speak Dutch. I understand it very well, like 80% of Dutch I understand, but speaking is still a bit of a challenge, but whenever I'm in a meeting room with all the Dutch people, I also ask, okay guys, let's keep it in Dutch, please talk Dutch, and I would even be able to keep up with the notes, etc., and then I'll jump in when needed, so So I try to blend in at that point, but then afterwards I get people coming up to me and saying, this is really impressive what you're doing. So it still makes me stand out at that point because I'm pushing myself to just be part of, to blend in. That's actually what makes me stand out. And I think it's about this balance within the industry as well. And probably will depend where you are, which culture you're in. But for me, it's Being that chameleon between those phases.

Being like everyone else without giving up on who you really are and just picking the moments.

Exactly.

You work in the western side of this industry in Netherlands, and the western part of Europe has a reputation for doing things in a different way to the east Now, what is some hard-won strategic insight that the Western culture, the Western creatives have, which was simply obvious common sense to you as part of the Eastern European culture?

Yeah, this is a hard one because I was not that much integrated into the industry when I was back in Moldova. Like, I was just starting doing my own stuff as a teenager or as a kid, so I don't have too much insight. Many insights in that, but I think in general, looking at the creative industry, advertising specifically, I think in Moldova and maybe Eastern Europe a bit more, we don't look for that actually depth into the communication from the brands, or it's maybe less obvious what's the insight behind that certain communication was. I don't think a lot of people dig into that, that much, but it's also maybe because our industry is not as developed as in Western Europe, for example. And I do think here you do see everyone trying to find that right insight that clicks with the customers, that right point where you're gonna keep on hitting on. And I think in Eastern Europe, it's a bit more high level, but I also haven't been living there for 6 years, 7 years, so maybe I just don't know where, how far it went. But yeah, I think it's just a bit less developed and I think we are in Eastern Europe also look at things a bit more high level.

I can tell you as someone who lives in Eastern Europe that one thing that surprised me when talking to some of our colleagues from the West, it was someone from the UK and someone from France and they were Both telling me that there are times when they go to the client with ready-made ideas that they just want to pitch, and at the same time, here in Romania, it's more and more often that you are simply asking the client, "Do you sign with me?" And then we'll work on the ideas or just move on. So this. It was kind of a surprise to me, the wish to convince the client fully from the very beginning that you are able to do it on the one side. But on the other hand, you have the drawback that you need to really put a lot of work into that, and sometimes it doesn't pay off. So with good and bad, I don't know if this is a good one or not, but it's a difference.

So it's not just the creative industry, it's just the market in general is completely different. So that's why there's different approaches, which is very hard to compare.

What's one piece of advice that is handed to every young creative that you think is really bad for them?

This is a really good question. And I also, I heard this question a lot during actually Cannes Lions where people were asking from the audience to different cities this question, and I think I stole the answer from someone which I cannot credit unfortunately, but when I heard it, I'm like, yes, absolutely. It's when you, when basically young creatives get feedback of, okay, this idea is great, but now look at it from a different perspective or a different angle. And how that creative director explained it is that the ideas that will spark spark the brightest is the ones that are being created from your own perspective and that have your own point of view on it. And that is just like genuine to you or important to you. So sure, you can evaluate it from different angles, but I think the important perspective is your own and what you put into it.

But here I have a question because I'm not sure how to relate to that. I mean, I don't agree, I don't disagree, I am somewhere in the middle. And Here's my question. For training purposes, wouldn't it be useful for young creatives to look at things from different perspectives? Or do you mean that you should look, but you should decide which to present based on your own feeling?

Yeah, I think the second. It's great for the training purposes indeed to evaluate different angles and perspectives, but I think also maybe the process of coming up with insights should be like more genuine on what you personally believe rather than what you think the others would. I think it's gonna be genuine to yourself and then sure, evaluate it from other perspective, but believe in yours.

So for me, this would sound like don't judge your idea before it has a shape that comes straight from your Yeah, perfect. Okay, nice. Okay, now I agree. I'm on board with this. In 10 years from now, what do you hope you haven't lost? I mean, what's the thing that you see today, like today, and you want it to definitely stay with us, both in your own case and in the industry?

I would say for me, I think maybe why I grew so quick within, let's say, my agency or my career, it's also because of the speed I'm doing and pushing things further. Like, I don't want to wait too long or sit with the idea too long. Immediately, let's find the teamwork. Let's find a client who buys into this or let's make this real. And I think that speed and power, I don't see maybe that much within the industry or within the teams in the agencies. So it might be this seniority thing that you're just a bit more laid back and give things more time. So I just really hope within the, let's say, 10 years, I would have that drive and excitement to push things further because I truly believe that also gives a bit more excitement and to the team and to the client. brings you really exciting results. There's obviously certain projects, work that requires time, craft, it requires time, but I do think it's important to also not to fall through with the processes, with productions, procedures, etc., but really fight and execute something quickly, what you want to. So I hope that stays with me, but also maybe within the industry, trusting people who want to do things fast and seeing where they end up.

Actually, the IDEO, or I can't remember the name of those guys who invented the design thinking method, and they were saying that iterating quickly and doing as many repetitions as possible is the best way to become the best at something. And quite frankly, Picasso is a great For example, painting thousands of paintings every year. So yeah, I really do hope this stays with you, especially that you like it.

Absolutely.

One last question. If there was the possibility to delete one word from every marketing deck forever, which word would that be and why is that? What damage has it done?

As account manager, we have, let's say, debriefs or point of departure decks when we start or kickoff decks or when we start a process. We always have this slide with approach and then all the steps outlined with activities, client responsibilities, deliverables, et cetera. It's like very heavy slides with approach title and it. And I think I never had a project ever executed following that approach that was originally outlined. So even though I'm maybe a project manager inside, account manager, and I have to advocate for sticking to the process, I don't think you ever achieve great work by sticking to those steps. Neither it works within the brands client sites, never worked with an internal site. So sure, let's try to stick to something, but let's remove that approach out. Let's just go iterate, change the process as we go, experiment, come up with a new thing in the meantime. Yeah, so probably that.

Great. Especially that I strongly do support this idea of yours because Because I'm really convinced that having a method is crucial, but having a process is less important because the method gives you the key points while the process keeps you in this strict frame, which kind of restricts.

I love sticking to principles and creatives have their own principles of the type of work they have delivered or the type of thing their work have to hit. So I rather strive for that than having them sticking to a specific approach or steps getting there. So I think let us be creative with our approach as well.

Well, thank you so much for having— making the time for this interview. And also, I I wish you lots of energy and to get to keep that energy for all of your career and to many Cannes Lions further.

I hope. Loved all the questions. So thank you so much for the time.

Here's a quick recap of what I keep thinking about after this conversation. We spend so much time blaming money when an idea Anastasia's point cuts deeper. Ideas don't die because the budget ran out. They die because we pitched them to the wrong person or because we never built the trust to carry them. And in a year where everyone is panicking about AI, she was quite calm. The tool is just an amplifier.

The scarce skill is still the eye that decides what's good.

And one more thing stuck with me. She said the The best way to sell a crazy idea is to let the client feel they invented it. It sounds like a trick, but it's actually the whole job— making the idea theirs so they defend it. This was Boringly Effective, the marketing podcast. If you found this useful, subscribe and share it with someone who keeps blaming the budget. And also sign up to the newsletter on boringlyeffective.com.

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