Embracing the ‘intelligent’ era of marketing
The widespread adoption of ChatGPT has again brought artificial intelligence (AI) into the spotlight, with a surge of generative AI software and applications unlocking new frontiers for the marketing industry. Beyond serving as a ‘brain’ to assist brands in precisely targeting and analysing audience preferences, AI can also act as a helmsman to create real-time personalised experiences and break down boundaries between virtual and real worlds.
Research has found that over 60% of surveyed marketing organizations and experts have already used AI in marketing campaigns, with nearly half allocating more than 20% of their budgets to AI-related projects. Currently, the Hong Kong government is also considering the development of an ‘AI Supercomputing Centre’ to provide AI services to a variety of industries. With AI becomes increasingly popular, how should we embrace the new era of marketing?
Taking exhibitions as an example, the recent ZGC Forum featured a virtual reality (VR) exhibition hall, which transformed the exhibition’s text content into engaging explanations for AI virtual guides, making online audiences feel as if they were actually there. Offline visitors could also use augmented reality (AR) navigation routes to precisely locate the content they needed.
In the realm of brand activation, chocolate brand Lacta used ChatGPT-3 and AR technology to create the ‘AI Love You’ app, allowing users to input confessions and keywords and receive personalised love letters and exclusive links. Recipients could access the letters by pointing their phone cameras at Lacta chocolate packaging. Over 40,000 love letters were created on the app’s launch day alone. The combination of AI and emotion established the brand’s technological image whilst offering a personal digital experience.
AI can not only help brands enhance the effectiveness of their marketing, but can also be socially beneficial. When eyewear chain Optic 2000 hosted a photography exhibition at Paris Museum, it used AI to translate the imaginations of visually impaired individuals into photographic works, enabling the public to ‘see’ their world. As well as deepening public understanding, the images promoted the brand and highlighted the company’s mission.
There is no doubt that AI will revolutionise the field of brand marketing. Marketing professionals must continue to master its latest applications and think about new ways to integrate the technology into brand activation to stand strong in the future of marketing.
