The recent CIM x IBM roundtable brought together senior marketers from global brands such as Allianz UK, Ford, Sage and Nationwide Building Society as well as representatives from leading marketing agencies to explore the transformative potential of generative AI in enhancing marketing creativity and efficiency.

The event provided actionable insight for marketers looking to drive their creative capabilities. Marketing leaders also shared insights into the importance of engaging stakeholders and bringing them on the journey. Attendees were presented with case studies showcasing successful implementations of AI-driven marketing campaigns, offering tangible examples of how these technologies can enhance customer engagement and streamline content creation processes. The group also shared examples of some of the challenges and difficulties they’ve faced in their implementation journey.

Marketing as the pacesetter 

As marketing we are uniquely positioned to spearhead adoption of generative AI, here are some of the key ways we’re able to achieve this:

1. The link between the board and generative AI: As marketers we must position our department as the catalyst for AI-driven workforce transformation. By doing so, we can demonstrate the tangible benefits of AI and set the standard for other departments to follow.
2. Freeing content creators from routine tasks: Generative AI has the potential to liberate content creators from repetitive tasks and allowing time to be allocated to more creative tasks such as ideation and high-value content creation. The shift will allow you and the members of your team to focus on what you/they do best - crafting compelling and innovative marketing content.
3. Hyper-personalisation: With generative AI, hyper-personalisation is no longer a pipe dream. As marketers we can now use generative AI to build comprehensive 360-degree customer profiles using integrated data. This capability enables us to deliver highly personalised experiences that resonate with our target audiences, driving engagement and loyalty.

Transforming marketing strategies with generative AI

Jay Trestain, Executive partner at IBM Consulting; global lead for the intelligent content supply chain & marketing transformation highlighted the potential of generative AI to deliver personalised experiences that differentiate brands. Trestain shared that:

• It was important to use generative AI tools to understand target demographics and then leveraging actionable insights driven by content.
• AI tools can be used to address the challenge of managing vast amounts of content and inefficiencies in creative processes.
• With adoption there is a need for safe application with guidelines and KPIs to measure value delivery and build stakeholder support.
• It is important to stick to foundational principles of your brand, such as using a unified digital asset management (DAM) system and standardised taxonomy, before implementing generative AI to drive creativity.

Trestain concluded with four lessons from IBM's marketing team:

1. Build a culture of experimentation: Encourage change and influence technology adoption.
2. Focus on user experience: Align projects with key KPIs and prioritise employee and consumer experiences.
3. Emphasise business transformation: Focus on business value outcomes and how technology serves those goals.
4. Start small: Begin with simple steps like standardising processes to achieve productivity gains before adopting higher-risk technologies

Addressing AI anxieties

CIM course director Raj Kotecha discussed the impact of AI on content creation and addressed some of the key concerns marketers have including:

1. Job displacement vs career acceleration: Marketers must manage the transition to AI-powered workflows responsibly.
2. Understanding input vs output: Upskilling for many marketers is required to make the most of the AI tools now available. For instance, being able to prompt engineer can greatly improve results and accuracy - delivering greater ROI.
3. Quality of prompts: Acknowledging varying skill levels required for effective prompting and potential future enhancements.

Foundational Principles for ethical AI implementation

Across the event there was a common theme – the need for marketers to act with integrity. Chris Daly, CIM’s chief executive discussed CIM’s four foundational principles for marketers looking to implement AI and the need for professionalism when embracing the opportunities presented by AI:

1. Act ethically and responsibly: Ensure AI-driven marketing efforts align with brand values and objectives, maintaining quality and relevance.
2. Ensure quality: Employ critical thinking and quality assessment of AI outputs. Implement fact-checking and multi-step approval processes to ensure accuracy.
3. Be transparent: Develop clear policies for customers and employees regarding AI data processing practices. Consider labelling AI-generated content to maintain transparency.
4. Build AI awareness: Stay informed about AI advancements, best practices, and upcoming legislation. Develop specialist knowledge in AI technologies and understand their limitations.

Final thoughts

Generative AI presents unprecedented opportunities for marketers to enhance creativity, streamline processes, and deliver personalised experiences. By embracing these insights and principles, marketing professionals can harness the full potential of AI to drive innovation and deliver exceptional value.

As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial for marketers to stay informed, experiment responsibly, and prioritise ethical considerations. By doing so, we can position ourselves at the forefront of this technological revolution, driving meaningful change and achieving memorable results for our organisations and clients.

Whether you're looking to sharpen up your copywriting skills, leverage AI to create content or map your customer journey, we've got the course for you. If you’re ready to upskill to keep pace with generative AI why not take advantage of our 15% discount across our training courses. CIM members enjoy an extra 15% off.

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