Marketers are leveraging AI’s analytics and research capabilities more than they do for content production, according to a new survey of more than 1,200 marketers by genAI. adtech Mediaocean platform.
The same marketers are also monitoring consumer interest in AI and other trending technologies. While AI topped the list of consumer trends in a previous study, CTV is now in the lead.
AI Capabilities. Data analysis (45%) and market research (40%) are the top ways marketers are using AI.
“Marketers continue to focus on data analytics and market research to improve decision-making processes, optimize campaigns and gain deeper insights into consumer behavior,” said Karsten Weide, director and chief analyst at W Media Research, during a panel discussion on the report.
“Using generative AI for automated content creation, such as dynamic creative optimization, only comes after analysis,” Weide said.
Consumer trends. Many marketers also ranked GenAI as a top consumer trend (55%), just behind CTV (56%). TikTok/social video came in third at 47%. GenAI took first place in the previous survey.
Here are all the major consumer trends assessed by marketers and their position in the rankings:
“As many dynamics change and the focus is on data and business performance, brands still need to reach a certain audience,” Deborah Wahl, former chief marketing officer of General Motors, said during the panel. “It’s amazing to see the growth of the CTV market and where it can go. … I shifted a lot of the spend when I was running things (at General Motors) to really focus on CTV, and it’s great to see that’s the number one trend that everyone is seeing.”
Dig deeper: 3 Reasons Why Digital Video and CTV Are Booming in 2024
Why we care. Creating images and text from a simple prompt is making its way into marketing workflows. Three-quarters of marketers surveyed in this study have yet to take the plunge, perhaps due to lingering concerns about brand safety. What many marketers can look forward to, however, is AI’s ability to help “sort through data that you often can’t fully process,” Weide said.
As the holiday season approaches, marketers will likely deploy AI capabilities to help shoppers find the perfect gift. Consumers are interested in how retailers are using these tools. And for wary consumers, they may not even know when the experience is powered by AI.
The full report can be read here (registration required).
