4.5/ 5
The enterprise-safe generative creative suite. Everything that matters for professional image generation, inside a commercially defensible architecture.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026
Issue · Q2 2026 · 63 tools reviewed
Twenty years in advertising.
Here is what actually works.
The AD Stack is a personal, opinionated review of the AI tools advertising and marketing professionals should know about — written from the perspective of someone whose job is to make AI work commercially, operationally, and responsibly inside complex creative organisations. What's hot. What works. What's safe to deploy.
My Pick
25
I'd deploy these. Professionally safe, earns its place.
Worth Watching
32
Direction of travel is right. Reservations are fair.
Proceed Carefully
6
Real concerns flagged. Make your own call.
Editor's selection
Top picks right now
MY PICKVideo Generation
VEO / VEO3
4.5/ 5
Google's advanced cinematic video model. The leap to VEO3 — with dialogue and ambient sound — makes this the most production-capable AI video tool available.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026
MY PICKAudio Generation
ElevenLabs
4.5/ 5
The leading voice synthesis platform. At this point, indistinguishable from professional talent for most advertising applications.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026
MY PICKLLM / Chat
Claude
4.5/ 5
The strongest reasoning and long-form writing model currently available. If you are doing serious thinking work, this is the tool.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026
4.5/ 5
The design standard for advertising and digital teams. Figma Make adds AI generation capability to the platform everyone is already using.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026
4.0/ 5
The tool that finally solved readable text in AI-generated images. Essential for social, OOH, and any content where typography matters.
Last reviewed · Q2 2026