Wanda Weigert is Global Brand Director at Globala public company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technology.
There is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is reinventing the role of the modern marketer and changing the way we work in this industry. And while we have broad consensus that “AI in marketing” is an area that will see significant growth, exactly what that will look like and how to navigate uncharted waters is less clear.
Ninety percent of market research researchers say AI will have a significant impact on their industry within five years, but only 30% say they know what that will look like.
As the Chief Brand Officer of a digitally native company, I believe AI can be a transformative force in our industry that drives customer engagement, optimizes campaigns, and enables personalized experiences for audiences. But I also believe the role of human empathy, creativity and the ability to create emotional connections must remain at the heart of any successful marketing campaign.
A clear understanding of the challenges, risks and opportunities for marketers is essential. There are several issues marketers need to consider when considering integrating AI into their work.
The power of data
Data-driven insights have always been essential to the success of a marketing campaign, but with the advent of AI, we can now understand customer behavior in a way we never could before. AI allows us to quickly, and often in real time, analyze trends in purchasing behavior. This can help us predict the next steps in a consumer’s journey.
Personalization like never before
And of course, AI allows us to deliver hyper-personalized experiences that increase engagement and conversion. Today’s customers demand more, and a one-size-fits-all, generic approach won’t build their loyalty. AI-based content personalization means that AI can dynamically generate personalized content for each individual or provide a tailored web experience based on data analysis. AI can ensure our audience targeting is more accurate—which means we reach the right people, at the right time, with the right message.
The world of sports is a great example of an industry that caters to a passionate and emotional fan base with technological solutions. For example, we’re seeing hyper-personalized fan experiences made available to spectators, whether they’re physically present at a game, watching it on a device, or experiencing it online.
Other good examples are TV streaming services, which often offer personalized content recommendations based on a user’s viewing history and ultimately this means that customers stay loyal to these brands. We have the impression that the brand “knows” them and their preferences.
Process automation and content generation
No discussion of AI in marketing would be complete without mentioning the enormous amount of time that automated processes allow. For example, in an advertising campaign, AI now automates A/B testing to determine which versions of a campaign are most effective, and then optimizes those campaigns in real time based on the results. And of course, in doing so, AI saves marketers a lot of time, time that can be spent on the creative thinking process, brainstorming ideas, etc. Among other things, AI also quickly collects and analyzes market data. , and AI-powered chatbots answer basic questions, freeing up valuable time for marketers.
When looking at GenAI tools in particular, the technology also impacts marketing in many ways, from a content creation perspective. Whether it’s using tools like ChatGPT to help create higher-level written content, coming up with creative titles and themes, or using image-based tools like Dall-E to help inspire creative visualization: the tools, in collaboration with creative prompt engineers. (the humans guiding the tools) add efficiency to the marketing discipline in ways we never imagined before.
People, people, people
But this does not mean that the role of humans becomes less important; rather, the role of individuals and humans in marketing becomes even more critical.
To truly engage an audience, you need to tap into their emotions and make them “feel” something that then prompts action. Without humans at the heart, AI-generated marketing content may lack the emotional depth and impact that human creativity and empathy provide, and is less likely to spark action.
And this same rule applies to the ethical use of AI: humans must be the moral compass that ensures we act ethically, ensuring that the impact of AI use on our industry has no negative impact. In my organization we have a AI Manifesto, a set of ethics to respect that guides our employees. Furthermore, we, the “humans in the know,” have always been and will continue to be the creative force behind any brilliant marketing campaign, and always will be. If AI is the key to achieving new effectiveness in performance marketing, greater efficiency and innovation, humans must always remain at the heart of it.
Ultimately, it is the partnership between AI and humanity that will be the future of marketing, and those who are well-positioned to embrace this relationship now will lead the marketing revolution of tomorrow.
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