Stay true to your values
Opinion
How do marketers safely integrate AI into their processes? The CEO of Responsible Marketing Advisory, highlights the need for flexibility.
AI can do amazing things for brands, but how to use it needs careful decision-making. Not only is the technology changing rapidly, but the legislative landscape is evolving rapidly as well.
We recently held a workshop with ISBA and its AI Steering Committee, attended by senior marketing professionals from across a range of brands and categories, as part of developing a new whitepaper.
The Marketers’ Framework for AI-Enabled Content Creation, released last week, examines best practices for how marketers use AI in content development.
From fully generated AI ads to ‘real ads’ born from creative ideas provided by an LLM chatbot, the possibilities in this space are massive.
Already, 57.5% of brand marketers are using AI to generate content and creative campaign ideas, taking advantage of its ability to refresh and streamline established processes, costs, and timescales.
Unilever, for example, uses “Digital Twins” – virtual models of real-world physical products or objects – to create product imagery twice as fast and 50% cheaper.
What’s great is that many of the lessons learned in this area can be applied across other areas of marketing, including media, because the challenges and risks are so similar.
Buy, don’t build
It may be tempting for marketers to think about building their own bespoke tools, but with the speed of change, both in terms of technology and also shifting public attitudes, even the best marketing organisation will end up behind the curve.
Legislation is coming fast, with major compliance deadlines this year, including the EU AI Act’s high-risk rules, which come into force in August.
Be flexible with your approach
Consider your brand, industry, and audience and be realistic that changing opinions may impact your decisions.
Simply put, what might not be the best approach today could be the best approach tomorrow. Every potential AI application or process needs to be risk-assessed and applied to your individual brand values and AI governance frameworks.
Marketers must shape the use and implementation of this new technology so it doesn’t simply supplant existing processes but surpasses them.
That means having clear red lines for what is acceptable and what is not. These will differ by brand, but applying them consistently will enable you to move fast while staying true to your values.
Be open
Brands can enhance their public profile by being transparent about their use of AI.
A YouGov study found that 86% of UK consumers felt AI disclosure is important (75% globally). Creative content can be the first time customers realise you are using AI, and how you choose to disclose this sets the tone for your brand.
And it’s not just consumers, your own workforce also needs to know how it’s being used across the business, and how they can benefit.
Ensure your chosen AI platform has deep knowledge, and train your teams to use the software responsibly to promote consistent, effective use across your brand.
AI is undoubtedly transformative. It acts as the connective tissue throughout the marketing communication journey, from insight through to planning, testing, optimisation, and analytics.
By using AI wisely, continually upskilling your teams, and having well-established brand frameworks and governance, you enable more efficient and effective marketing operating models.
Hannah Mirza is the founder and CEO of Responsible Marketing Advisory.