Inside LBB’s The Monthly Cut Creative Council with Aaron Kovan
Prose on Pixels’ EVP Create, US, Aaron Kovan, has been selected to join the Creative Council for LBB’s The Monthly Cut. Each month, a rotating lineup of world-class industry leaders reviews hundreds of submissions — from commercials and print ads to music videos and social campaigns — to curate an edited reel of standout creative work. That reel is not only posted on LBB’s website, but also brought to life with The Monthly Cut, a global screening series hosted in cities around the world.
Launched in 2025 by Little Black Book as a hub for creativity and community, each Monthly Cut reel is accessible to creatives, marketers and craftspeople around the world to watch, download, and share. Now entering its second year, the program introduces a refreshed 48-member Creative Council — including our very own Aaron — that brings together voices from across brands, agencies, and craft disciplines. Working alongside LBB’s editorial team and head of creative excellence, Aaron will help play a critical role in defining what creative excellence looks like today and shaping the global conversation of the industry.
Aaron Kovan is a creative production expert with over 20 years of experience leading content innovation across top agencies and in-house studios. With a strong background in social, film, AI, and experiential production, he has built and scaled integrated teams that deliver high-quality content with precision and impact.
As EVP Create, US, he’s driving the network’s creative evolution, overseeing the development of future-facing capabilities, and embedding creative thinking into every stage of the production process. Throughout the years, he’s participated in other juries including Cannes Lions, The Clios, The Super Clio, Shots Awards, AICP and The One Show — reflecting a career built on creative excellence, strategic leadership, and innovation.
Keep reading to hear from Aaron about his participation in the council and his insights on creative work today.
How did you get involved in The Cut’s Creative Council? What does your participation mean to you?
I was introduced to The Cut’s Creative Council through a conversation with Paul Moran, Head of Creative Excellence at LBB. We met a few weeks ago and started talking about the Council — what it stands for and the kind of voices it brings together — and it immediately felt like something I’d genuinely value being part of.
Given my background in production and a long-standing focus on crafting high-quality, award-winning work, Paul felt it could be a natural fit, and I was honored to be invited to join.
For me, participation in the Council is less about recognition and more about contribution. It’s an opportunity to stay close to the creative conversation happening across the industry, learn from other perspectives, and help champion the kind of work that raises the bar. I see it as a space to both give and get — sharing experience while continuing to be inspired by others doing great work.
With hundreds of submissions each month, what separates work that “makes the cut” from work that almost does?
With so much work coming in, the stuff that really stands out is usually pretty clear — it has a strong, simple idea at the center and a point of view you can feel right away. It doesn’t try to do too much, and there’s a level of craft and intention behind every choice.
The work that almost makes it is often still good, but it can feel a bit safer or less resolved. Maybe the idea isn’t as sharp, or the execution doesn’t fully elevate it. Sometimes it just lacks that extra layer of originality or confidence that makes you stop and take notice.
At the end of the day, the work that “makes the cut” is the kind that sticks with you — it feels considered, distinctive, and like it’s pushing things forward, even in a small way.
How do you approach evaluating creative work — whether here or on other juries you’ve been a part of? What is “creative excellence”?
I try to approach evaluating creative work pretty simply — starting with the idea. Is there a clear, compelling thought at the center of it? From there, I look at how well it’s been brought to life. Is the craft supporting the idea in a meaningful way, or just decorating it?
I’ve found the best work usually feels intentional at every level. Nothing feels accidental, and every choice — whether it’s writing, design, or production — adds something to the overall idea.
For me, creative excellence is when those things come together seamlessly. It’s work that’s not only well-made, but also feels distinctive and true to itself. It has clarity, confidence, and a point of view — and it leaves an impression that lasts a bit longer than everything else.
How do you envision the future of the creative industry, especially considering recent developments in technology like AI?
I think the creative industry is entering a really interesting phase where technology — especially AI — is becoming part of the everyday process, not something separate from the work itself. And I’m genuinely excited about that.
Used well, AI can remove a lot of the friction in how we develop and explore ideas. It can help speed up thinking, open up different directions earlier, and allow teams to get to stronger creative outcomes faster. In that sense, it’s less about replacing creativity and more about expanding what’s possible within the time and constraints we all work under.
At the same time, I do think the fundamentals matter more than ever. Taste, judgment, and responsibility don’t go away — in fact, they become even more important. The value will come from how we use these capabilities, not the capabilities themselves, and from making sure the work still feels human, intentional, and ethically sound.
So I see the future as a hybrid space: where AI helps push the work further and faster, but the core of creativity — ideas, craft, and emotional truth — still sits firmly with people.
Want more insights from Aaron Kovan? Check out this article on our blog about one of the defining advertising moments of the year so far.
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