AI studio Secret Level hires its first CEO

Secret Level, one of the AI studios behind Coca-Cola’s three AI-produced holiday commercials, has named its first chief executive. Eric Shamlin, formerly executive VP of emerging tech and entertainment at Monks, took the helm of the studio in late November. He will help steer the company, which was founded in 2023 by Jason Zada, as it aims to raise money through investors. Secret Level claims to have received a flurry of interest from brands in the past three months, heightened especially by its recent work with Coca-Cola, which drew widespread attention. “I can’t even tell you the amount of inquiries we received just from that alone,” said Zada, whose work in video and tech goes back to the famous “Elf Yourself” holiday site for OfficeMax in 2006 (made at EVB, which Zada co-founded). A-List & Creativity Awards Enter for a chance to be recognized as the best in advertising Submit your entry here Coca-Cola’s use of AI opened the floodgates for hesitant brands to follow, and marketers are also leaning further into the technology as marketing budgets continue to shrink, Zada said. Within the past year, AI has become “very important in the future of production,” he added. Also: Coca-Cola’s AI lead on the response to its new ads In raising capital, Secret Level aims to bolster its internal tools and products, as well as build some IP. The studio also plans to increase its headcount (it currently has four employees). “We never want to get huge, but I could see 20 people in the next year or two,” Shamlin said. Secret Level doesn’t plan to compete with ad agencies on brand strategy, but it might dabble further in communications and demographic analysis, which can now be done in pre-production, as AI is streamlining the process, Shamlin said. While the studio now largely works with brands, the ultimate goal is to go after Hollywood—which is struggling as production dips drastically. More: Behind Lionsgate’s video AI deal Entertainment industry giants are investing in AI but aren’t moving quickly enough to keep pace with rapid trends and changes, Shamlin said. Secret Level aims to establish a “beachhead” in animation, potentially paving the way for it to be acquired by the likes of Netflix or Universal down the line, he said. “That’s the direction we’re pushing in,” he told Ad Age.

AI studio Secret Level hires its first CEO

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