Creativity in transformation: Uses and challenges of artificial intelligence in spanish advertising

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Published: Aug 24, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15178/va.2027.160.e1731
Keywords:
artificial intelligence, generative AI, advertising creativity, advertising agencies, digital transformation, human-machine collaboration

Main Article Content

Rebeca Antolín-Prieto
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6777-923X
Nuria Ruiz-Lacaci
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0145-1439

Abstract

Introduction: This article analyzes the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the work of advertising creatives in Spain. Methodology: The research employs a quantitative methodology through an online survey completed by members of the Spanish Creative Club (c de c). The objective is to explore the perceptions, uses, barriers, and opportunities identified by professionals regarding the adoption of AI tools in creative processes. These AI-assisted products, such as advertisements, visuals, and scripts, are increasingly understood as AI-enabled brand touchpoints that directly shape the consumer experience and brand perception. Results: The results show a gradual appropriation of these technologies by professionals with extensive experience, predominantly through self-directed learning, and their use is mainly concentrated in the early stages of the creative process. Discussion: While the overall perception of AI is positive, relevant tensions emerge related to the potential impact on external creative roles and inequality in access to training, pointing to emerging dynamics of reconfiguration within the professional ecosystem. Conclusions: This study provides one of the first empirical pieces of evidence on how generative AI is integrated into professional creative processes in advertising, identifying usage patterns, emerging tensions, and possible transformations in the creative value chain.

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How to Cite
Antolín-Prieto, Rebeca, and Nuria Ruiz-Lacaci. 2026. “Creativity in Transformation: Uses and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Spanish Advertising”. Vivat Academia. Journal of Communication 160 (August):1-25. https://doi.org/10.15178/va.2027.160.e1731.
Issue
Vol. 160 (2027)
Section
Research Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Rebeca Antolín-Prieto, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

She holds a PhD in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid and a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Navarra. She also has postgraduate qualifications in advertising communication (Miami Ad School) and digital marketing (IE Business School). Her professional career includes extensive experience as an art director and creative at leading multinational agencies (McCann Erickson, Bassat Ogilvy, DDB) and in the pharmaceutical industry (Merck Sharp & Dohme). She is currently a professor in the Faculty of Information Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid. Her research focuses on advertising creativity, digital marketing, communication networks, corporate social responsibility, biometric analysis, and neuromarketing, and she has published in indexed scientific journals.

Nuria Ruiz-Lacaci, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Nuria Ruiz Lacaci is an assistant professor at Rey Juan Carlos University, where she earned her PhD in social and legal sciences. Her research focuses on online consumer behavior, approached from practical and theoretical perspectives that integrate information science, data science, and neuromarketing.

She is a reviewer for scientific journals indexed in impact rankings, a guest editor of special issues, and an evaluator at prestigious international conferences.

She has over ten years of professional experience in marketing departments of companies in various sectors, which has allowed her to bridge the gap between academia and business practice.

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