By Gabriel Kwame CMktr FCIM - Chartered Marketer, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and currently the Head of Commercial and Operations at Acute Business Advisory a Business Advisory firm in the UK, with a distinguishing career in strategic Marketing and Leadership
To help businesses we work with and potential businesses we would work with and for general advisory support for businesses, I have developed this article to provide some background to Boards and strategic leaderships regarding what to look for when using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and marketing and how much investment they should make.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently one of the hottest topics being talked about within all aspects of business. Whether you are in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, technology, and other sectors, industry leaders are asking themselves the same questions:
"Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) replace jobs?" In the marketing arena, the concern surrounding replacement of Marketers due to Artificial Intelligence (AI), reducing creative positions and removing the human element from consumer interaction is high. I believe the discussion around this topic needs to transition.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was not created to displace professional Marketers. Instead, AI was designed to enable Marketers to achieve greater success by providing them with new ways to be creative, faster decision-making capabilities and by enabling them to gain better insight into consumers.
The future of marketing will include both AI and the marketer. The future of marketing belongs to those individuals who can utilize their ability to think creatively and strategically, along with their ability to emotionally relate to others and to effectively utilize AI powered tools.
Marketing has continuously utilized technology and Over time marketing has continuously adapted to advances in technology. From print advertising and television to digital marketing and social media, each new form of technology has enabled businesses to interact with potential Customers in a manner previously unimaginable. Yet, despite these changes in technology, no new advancements have eliminated the necessity for skilled Marketers. Why? Because marketing has always been about understanding people. While technology can provide us with information, it is the people behind the marketing efforts who create connections with other people. While AI may be able to analyse vast amounts of data, it is the marketer who understands the emotional aspects of people. While AI may be able to generate content for advertisements and communications, it is the marketer who provides the message. While AI may be able to discover patterns in consumer behaviour, it is the marketer who applies his/her judgement and strategic planning in response to the identified pattern.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a marketing resource, not a marketing replacement. Successful Marketers of the future will not compete against AI; instead, they will be working collaboratively with it. As such, AI will serve as a resource for marketing teams by assisting with tasks such as better customer understanding, assist marketing teams by analysing large quantities of customer data to identify Customer Buying behaviours, Consumer preferences, Market trends and Emerging market opportunities.
This enables Marketers to base their decisions on evidence rather than speculation. Nonetheless, utilizing that information to decide upon actions still requires human strategic thinking.
Some individuals believe that AI results in reduced levels of creativity. On the contrary, I believe that AI can serve as a source of creativity for Marketers. By utilizing AI tools and resources, Marketers will be able to produce ideas more quickly, explore various concept options, Develop draft content for campaigns, Test messaging alternatives and explore campaign variation options.
However, creativity goes far beyond generating content. To truly engage people and inspire action, creators must be able to determine what types of messages will resonate with people, which stories they want to share and how they can establish trust. These are human abilities.
Creating more personal customer interactions in today's world means Customers expect companies to know them. Through its ability to personalize interactions with Customers based on individual characteristics, demographics, purchasing history and emerging customer trends, AI in fact, will allow companies to provide more personalized customer experiences through Personalized product recommendations, Segmentation of customer groups, Predictive customer analysis and Enhanced customer journey management
However, if a company uses technology solely for the purpose of creating a customized experience without attempting to create authentic relationships with its Customers, the relationship created can come across as artificial. Therefore, it is up to the marketer to ensure that technology enhances and facilitates relationships with Customers versus eliminating them.
Human behaviour will remain marketing's largest advantage. Marketing is ultimately about human behaviour. Thus, for Marketers to successfully connect with their target audience they require several attributes including empathy, storytelling, cultural awareness/understanding, emotional intelligence, relational skills and strategic thinking. None of these traits can simply be replicated via algorithms. Customers do not Develop loyalty towards a company because an algorithm engaged with them; they Develop loyalty towards a company when it demonstrates an understanding of their needs/wants/problems and creates meaningful experiences for them.
The role of the marketer is evolving. The marketer of the future will be required to be comfortable utilizing technology as well as developing skills that separate humans from machines. This means they will be required to possess multiple skillsets including Data-driven decision-making capabilities, Strategic thinking, Creative problem solving, Ability to lead customer experience initiatives and the Ability to craft compelling brand stories
While AI will eventually become yet another tool in a marketer's toolbox similar to analytics, social media and automation.
The best Marketers will not focus on "how can Artificial Intelligence (AI) replace what I do." Rather they will focus on "how can AI help me perform my job better."
At the boardroom level, when considering the impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) may have on their organizations' marketing teams, business executives need not only consider whether AI will replace their teams, but also whether their teams are prepared to use AI responsibly and strategically. Companies that choose to invest in both AI and effective marketing leadership will gain a competitive advantage over other organizations. They will better understand their customers. They will create superior customer experiences. They will make informed decisions quicker. And they will build stronger brands.
A customer develops loyalty because they felt that a company understood their needs, resolved their problems and provided a memorable experience. Not because an algorithm interacted with them.
Organizations that can integrate powerful marketing teams with advanced AI capabilities will be better equipped to understand their customers faster and provide enhanced experiences for Customers to make better decisions
My Final Thoughts
Marketing Professionals are not going to be replaced by AI. However, AI will alter what we expect from Great Marketers. The Future is for those that will take advantage of technology and protect the most important aspect of Marketing: Understanding People; Building Connections and Creating Trust. Artificial Intelligence (AI) gives us Intelligence and Marketing gives us Human Insight. This combination of Technology and Humanism creates the Business Growth of the Future.
‘AI delivers the intelligence. Marketing delivers the human understanding. Together, they shape the future of business growth.’ - Gabriel Kwame CMktr FCIM.
Gabriel Kwame is the Head of Commercial Operations with extensive experience in driving commercial growth, strategic partnerships, and operational excellence. A results-oriented business leader, Gabriel is committed to delivering sustainable value through innovative commercial strategies and strong stakeholder engagement. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) and a Chartered Marketer (CMktr), reflecting his dedication to the highest standards of marketing and commercial leadership.