Building Brands for the “Now”: How VaynerX Supercharges its Workforce with Gemini
VaynerX, the modern communications parent company founded by Gary Vaynerchuk, has long relied on asynchronous collaboration as the backbone of its global operations. In a recent video spotlight, Avery Akkineni, Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerX, explains how the agency is taking that foundation to the next level by integrating Gemini for Google Workspace to empower its 2,500+ employees.
The Challenge: Security at Scale
Working with Fortune 500 brands means that security isn’t just a feature—it’s a requirement. VaynerX needed an AI solution that could drive innovation without compromising client data. Akkineni highlights that Gemini rose to the top because of its enterprise-grade security and seamless integration.
Unified Permissions: One of the deciding factors was that the permission structures already established in Google Workspace (for Docs, Drive, etc.) automatically transfer to Gemini, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected without complex new setups.
The Solution: Custom “Gems” for Every Vertical
The standout feature for VaynerX has been the use of Custom Gems—customized versions of Gemini that can be trained on specific topics or given distinct personas.
Specialized AI Experts: Akkineni describes how her team builds specific “Gems” to act as subject matter experts, such as a “Gen Z Ad Analyst” or a “Financial Services Expert.”
Contextual Training: By feeding these Gems publicly available information and specific instructions, employees can “spar back and forth” with the AI to refine strategies and gain sector-specific insights instantly.
A Practitioner-Led Rollout
True to its culture of being “practitioners,” VaynerX didn’t just deploy the tool; they got hands-on immediately. The agency rolled out Gemini to its broader team to discover the right use cases from the bottom up, fostering a culture where every employee is empowered to find their own efficiency gains.
The Future of Advertising
Akkineni predicts that generative AI will be the “single biggest driver in transformation in the advertising industry” over the next decade. By partnering with Google, VaynerX aims to pioneer this future in a way that is both privacy-safe and additive to their clients’ business results.