Surfing the Black Wave

Brand Leadership in the Age of AI

Published by Maxwell Leadership
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Surfing the Black Wave turns AI chaos into command—giving marketers the clarity and control to ride the future instead of being swallowed by it.

AI is not a trend. It’s a force. And it’s already deciding who rises, who adapts, and who disappears.

Surfing the Black Wave is a provocative marketing and leadership strategy book for CMOs, marketing directors, founders, and executives who sense the ground shifting beneath their brands but haven’t yet been given the map. The real question is no longer whether AI will change your business, but whether you understand the patterns that determine who wins during massive disruption.

History is clear that every technological revolution replaces some jobs while elevating others. The roles that endure are the most human: emotional engagement, values-driven leadership, trust, creativity, and even love. As AI flattens greed-driven systems and automates shallow thinking, generous and purpose-led leaders rise above the noise.

We’ve moved from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and now into the Participation Age, where consumers co-create brands, and connection outweighs control. AI is the accelerating force beneath this wave, amplifying everything—both good and bad.

Blending vivid storytelling with real-world marketing science, Surfing the Black Wave draws on a powerful true story of children who survived Japan’s greatest tsunami by recognizing the warning signs others ignored. Their lessons of awareness, humility, early action, and moving to higher ground offer a surprising blueprint for brand strategy, marketing innovation, and leadership in the AI era.
This is not a technical AI manual. It’s a human-centered playbook for marketing leaders navigating the future.

The wave is already here. The only question is whether you’re ready to ride it.

About The Author

Daniel Brian Cobb is the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of Daniel Brian Advertising (DBA), the purpose-driven agency he co-founded with his wife, Krista, in 1992 to reinvent what marketing could be. For nearly thirty years, Dan has guided some of the world’s most iconic and fast-growing brands—including Disney, Warner Bros., Chick-fil-A, Domino’s, Sony, Whole Foods, General Motors, Microsoft, Henry Ford Health System, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Flagstar Bank and Citizens Bank—helping them build meaningful connections through innovation and purpose.

Driven by his corporate mission, Better Brands for a Better Human Condition, Dan believes that lasting success is earned through genuine contribution to society, not manipulation. Under his leadership, DBA pioneered prime-time documentary syndication for healthcare systems, introduced early social-media apps to the entertainment industry, patented groundbreaking AI streaming technology for MyStreme, launched AI advertising solutions for PostMonster as well as Adbox, and co-developed the digital influencer platform that generated more than 300 million organic views for The Hobbit campaign.

A respected industry voice, Dan contributes to the Forbes Agency Council, contributes to the curriculum and teaching for marketing and branding at the University of Michigan, and has earned 21 Emmy Awards along with numerous national advertising honors. He and Krista live in southeast Michigan, outside of Detroit, where they enjoy time with their five grown children, four grandchildren, and their nonprofit work with organizations including Make-A-Wish, Forge and Missions.Me.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Maxwell Leadership (December 8, 2026)
  • Length: 304 pages
  • ISBN13: 9798887100579

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