The Importance of Agile Brand Adaptation to Consumer AI Trends

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Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT has proven its capabilities by achieving an MBA from an Ivy League university, passing the US medical licensing exam, and demonstrating proficiency in law and accountancy. With its rapidly increasing intelligence, how can brands utilize the power of AI to enhance market share?

The advancement of AI is revolutionizing the way consumers interact with brands and media. This includes receiving personalized news tailored to individual viewing history and accessing customized content, such as generative imagery, based on what AI deems most impactful for a particular audience.

The core principles of marketing remain the same, but the way campaigns are created and implemented has been transformed by AI. Brands can now use AI to quickly and accurately understand what creative and messaging will resonate with customers, as well as how to allocate budget and purchase media more efficiently.

While many brands are still in the process of adapting to AI technology, consumers are becoming more comfortable with interacting with AI. This shift in consumer behavior presents brands with a significant opportunity for growth and innovation. Let's explore some of the key areas where AI is making an impact.

Transforming the Retail Experience

GenAI's extensive knowledge opens up a world of specialized expertise for individuals, allowing them to delve into their interests. Whether it's planning a vacation, selecting trendy outfits, or trying out a new recipe, GenAI provides personalized guidance and assistance in these areas of passion.

Brands now have a new opportunity to gain insights into their customers, enhancing their approach to future marketing campaigns, product development, and pricing strategies. This also provides a sneak peek into the future of commerce.

Currently, platforms like ChatGPT can be used to ask for brand recommendations and create product shortlists. However, it won't be long before these platforms can also handle purchases on behalf of users.

Next-gen content creation

GenAI is revolutionizing the shopping experience, making it faster and more seamless than ever. This leads to the important question of how both established brands and newcomers can use AI to stay ahead and ensure their success in the evolving world of GenAI-based retail.

AI is transforming how brands validate their creative approach and allocate budget more effectively to engage consumers. This foresight is a powerful tool.

One of the most advanced uses of GenAI in media and marketing is generating unique content like imagery, video, and audio based on keywords or interests. This allows brands to quickly test assets, which is especially beneficial for retail and performance marketing teams. The ability to test hypotheses without a significant investment of time, budget, and resources is groundbreaking.

GenAI enables brands to easily scale up campaigns and create localized content at a lower cost, helping global brands connect with local markets more effectively. Media teams now have the flexibility to make adjustments to their creative content, leading to improved campaign results. By integrating media data and insights, assets can be optimized to ensure that media and creative elements work together seamlessly.

An impressive example of this is when our AI platform Marcel developed an advertisement for Orange, a French mobile network and partner of the French Football Federation (FFF). Using AI technology, the ad showcased the impressive skills of female football players, aimed at promoting the 2023 Women’s World Cup and challenging gender bias. The ad initially features renowned French football stars Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, before revealing that the skills actually belong to members of the women's French team. This creative use of AI technology demonstrates the significant impact that GenAI can have on media campaigns and assets.

The human factor

In our yearly Christmas greetings to our Publicis Groupe team members, we utilized AI technology to deliver 100,000 customized 'thank you' videos. These videos were created to demonstrate real-life uses of AI and to inspire upcoming projects for our clients.

Despite concerns, AI assets are not diminishing the role of creative teams. In fact, the technology is empowering individuals by enabling them to test and validate creative direction. Additionally, time-consuming manual tasks like reporting and measurement are being revolutionized.

By automating processes, marketers can quickly analyze campaign data, allowing AI to extract valuable insights. This frees up more time to focus on strategy and comprehension, ultimately enhancing brand value. Moreover, AI provides a sense of confidence when setting goals and allocating marketing funds, as it can analyze data to predict outcomes and offer more certainty in decision-making.

While data quality is crucial for optimizing AI, the human element is equally important for realizing its full potential. Market changes and cultural nuances are factors that AI may not foresee, highlighting the value of experienced media professionals in determining the success or failure of capturing market share.

AI may be a powerful and efficient tool, but its effectiveness still hinges on having a clear vision, strategic planning, and human insight. Similar to an F1 racing car, AI can be fast and powerful, but without a skilled driver and a team of expert mechanics and engineers, it will not achieve victory.

Marketers must constantly improve their skills, moving from technical knowledge to data literacy, while also developing ethical and environmental awareness regarding biases and responsible data usage. It is crucial to work on honing these skills at this moment. Brands need to start exploring GenAI, experimenting, learning, and understanding its potential (as well as its limitations) in order to benefit in the future.

AI is a revolutionary tool, but it can only truly benefit marketers who understand how to utilize it effectively to enhance brand growth.

Niel Bornman is CEO at Publicis Media UK.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the transformative power of Generative AI (GenAI) in the marketing landscape. With its ability to generate personalized content, provide expert guidance, and automate processes, GenAI is revolutionizing the way brands engage with consumers. By leveraging AI's capabilities, brands can gain deeper insights into their customers, enhance their creative approach, and allocate budget more effectively.

The article also emphasizes the importance of balancing AI's efficiency with the human element. While AI can automate tasks and provide valuable insights, it cannot fully replace the strategic thinking and cultural understanding that experienced marketers bring to the table. Marketers need to continuously develop their skills and embrace AI technology to fully capitalize on its potential for brand growth. By embracing a collaborative approach, brands can harness the power of AI to drive innovation, optimize campaigns, and ultimately enhance market share.