The AdNews end of year Perspectives, looking back at 2023 and forward to next year.
As we look ahead to 2024, it will undoubtedly be a year in which the conversation around, and application of, artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to dominate the discussion on the future of marketing communications.
It’s not so long ago that our industry was debating whether machines could ever be creative. Now it is becoming clearer that generative AI tools can be influential extensions of, and partner to, human creativity; adding a new dimension to how we can develop ideas, and how we can illustrate and communicate our creativity.
As we head into 2024, it’s useful to consider three ways AI can, and is already, being deployed in earned first campaigns:
LLMs as Creative Assistants
Marketing departments and agencies are of course experimenting with language platforms as a research tool and as an inspiring assistant. Large language models (LLMs) are now appearing that are dedicated to communications. Jasper is using generative AI specifically for blog posts, social media content, and marketing copy. The company says it can complete original marketing 10 times faster than a human in 26 languages. US-based startup Copy.ai, which has raised $US13.9 million so far, is focused on the same market segment.
LLMs can also be used as a tool to help develop prompts in visual AI platforms such as Midjourney to create new kinds of combinations and visuals that just don’t exist in reality or even in our minds.
Rabbits Reimagined
It once seemed like a big leap to go from drawing by hand to using graphic design tools, but now you can create high-quality imagery simply by typing what you want into a command prompt. Searching online reveals all kinds of delights and creative combinations that push our imagination into fascinating new areas. Passionate fans have created such incredible combinations as Harry Potter reimagined head to toe in Balenciaga (Demonflyingfox), ‘modern gadgets in the style of Gaudi’ or ‘rabbits reimagined for a Marvel series’ are taking us to fascinating new places.
Ogilvy Paris launched its first AI ad for Nestlé’s La Laitière brand, using OpenAI’s DALL·E model and leveraging its ability to extend the boundaries of an existing image through generative AI. Known for its yoghurts and desserts, the brand has been featuring ‘The Milkmaid’ on its packaging since the late 1990s, an iconic figure from Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer which depicts a woman preparing a milk-based recipe. Ogilvy creates an extended version of the famous painting so that the environment around the Milkmaid could be ‘revealed’ through artificial intelligence.
Ogilvy and Absolut invited Canadian locals to ‘Mix Your Neighbourhood’ by pinpointing distinctive ingredients that best captured their region. These elements were then transformed into creative prompts for an AI platform, which subsequently generated vibrant and visually stunning cocktail art, catching the essence of the local flavours, whilst mixologists used the art to create cocktails reflecting the neighbourhood.
Influencers can no Longer be Human
A huge growth area of recent years has of course been influencer marketing and this will continue into 2024. Now tools such as HeyGen, Synthesia.io and D-ID are helping to create fully digital and
synthetic influencers such as Lil Miquela and Vietnam’s Minah (who engages with audiences on sensitive health topics). The success of these avatars shows that artificial influencers can be engaging to communities and have a role to play. There are plus sides for brands, including brand safety and control, but it is important to clearly state when an influencer is artificial, and Ogilvy’s AI Accountability Act calls for full disclosure when using AI-based content.
Conclusion
Generative AI is taking marketing teams to new creative places, but it’s important to tread carefully. This means staying up to date with copyright and confidentiality rules, and being transparent with your audience about the use of these tools.
Despite this note of caution, creatives who ignore these tools do so at their peril. It’s true that AI will not replace them, but somebody using them almost certainly will.
Richard Brett, CEO, Ogilvy PR, Ogilvy Health
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.