Finding inspiration and connecting on a human level were two of the most enjoyable elements for me at last week’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Cannes has become a cornerstone event for us at Formative, offering a chance to meet other professionals, to learn, to network and to explore how we make our best creative work.
For communicators it also offers a chance to reflect on what’s likely to underpin future success and on the human qualities that sit at the heart of effective marketing.
Empathy, emotional intelligence, cultural awareness and creative intuition allow us to craft messages that resonate, to tell stories that captivate and to build genuine connections with our audiences.
AI is not creative, you are
What was also clear was that the future isn't about machines or computers or GenAI replacing humans, but rather about humans being creatively empowered by these technologies.
Here are five ways we can use technology to enhance our communications and marketing work:
Supercharging data insights
The rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics means we can now process vast amounts of information, identifying patterns at a speed and scale that humans simply can't match. They are fast becoming indispensable tools for market research, customer segmentation and performance tracking. Where once tracking audiences, emerging trends and consumer preferences, was a manual and time consuming process, now we can use GenAI to do the heavy lifting, leaving a human strategist to interpret the findings through the lens of cultural context and brand values.
Optimising placement and timing
In a similar way, user data can help us find the most optimal moments for engagement. GenAI systems can predict when a user is most receptive to specific types of content using factors like time of day and browsing history. That means the creatives can focus on crafting compelling narratives and visually striking content and – combined with the optimised placing – that can enhance effectiveness and user experience.
Enhancing personalisation
The partnership between human creativity and GenAI will also allow for highly personalised marketing at scale. Where we can combine GenAI's ability to identify individual consumer needs with human creativity, the result will be meaningful, tailored communications. This should result in engaging campaigns that feel personal and authentic to each consumer, and that will, in turn, drive better engagement and higher conversion rates.
Opening new avenues for creativity
Let’s not forget the exciting part! Technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality and interactive content platforms offer new canvases for human creativity. We don’t see these tools replacing the human imagination, but we do see scope for them to help amplify it, ultimately creating immersive, engaging experiences that were previously impossible.
Ethics and continuous learning
As AI becomes more prevalent, ethical considerations will rise to the fore. For marketeers these concerns are chiefly around provenance, sourcing and trust. Human oversight will be crucial in ensuring that AI-driven marketing practices respect consumer privacy and adhere to ethical standards. We also need to foster a culture of continuous learning, where our people are constantly updating their skills to keep pace with technological advancements.
GenAI as an effective tool
When we use AI as a tool we can really unlock its potential to add value. Even so, the emotional intelligence and creative spark that underpin great storytelling and forges genuine connections with audiences will always rely on human input.
What was clear at Cannes was that the collaboration between humans and machines is already opening up new possibilities. And while the applications of GenAI in marketing and communications are only going to become more sophisticated, the key to success will be finding the right balance.
With machines handling the heavy lifting of data processing and routine tasks, human professionals can dedicate more time and mental energy to strategy, creative ideation and nurturing client relationships.
I believe we have a unique opportunity to free our people up to do what they do best: think critically, innovate and create.
