Product management strategies for business growth

Effective Product Management Strategies for Business Growth

Effective Product Management Strategies for Business Growth

This time I’ll tell you a story.

Once upon a time in the bustling town of Innovationville, there lived a savvy entrepreneur named Emma. Emma was the proud owner of a small tech startup, PixelPerfect Solutions, specializing in creating cutting-edge mobile applications. Her dream was to build a thriving business that would leave a lasting impact on the world.

With a twinkle in her eye and an insatiable drive, Emma knew that the key to achieving her dreams lay in effective product management strategies. She believed that by honing her products and delighting her customers, she could unlock the door to sustainable growth. And so, armed with determination and a sprinkle of humor, Emma embarked on her quest for success.

Emma’s first step was to optimize her product offerings. She realized that understanding her target market was crucial, so she embarked on a voyage of market research. She dove deep into analyzing customer needs, preferences, and pain points, discovering valuable insights that would shape her product development process.

Armed with this newfound knowledge, Emma crafted an irresistible product roadmap. She focused on delivering features that her customers desired the most, while also keeping an eye on emerging trends in the tech world. She embraced Agile methodologies, breaking down her roadmap into manageable sprints that allowed her team to iterate quickly and respond to market demands effectively.

As PixelPerfect Solutions began rolling out their enhanced products, Emma knew that customer satisfaction was paramount. She believed in the power of building meaningful relationships with her customers, so she personally engaged with them, seeking feedback and making improvements based on their suggestions. Emma’s empathetic approach and genuine care for her customers not only won their hearts but also led to a strong and loyal customer base.

To further amplify her success, Emma implemented a robust feedback loop within her organization. She encouraged open communication channels between her product managers, developers, and customer support teams. This allowed for the seamless flow of ideas and ensured that the entire organization worked together towards a common goal—continuous improvement and business growth.

But Emma wasn’t done yet. She knew that innovation was the lifeblood of her business, and staying ahead of the curve was vital. She fostered a culture of creativity and exploration within her team, encouraging them to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. Emma believed that a little humor could go a long way in sparking innovative ideas, so she often organized brainstorming sessions with quirky themes and a lighthearted atmosphere.

As time went by, Emma’s efforts paid off. PixelPerfect Solutions grew from a small startup to an industry leader, attracting accolades and admiration from peers and customers alike. Emma’s effective product management strategies had propelled her business to new heights.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, effective product management strategies are the bedrock of business growth. By optimizing product offerings, delighting customers, and fostering a culture of innovation, entrepreneurs like Emma can achieve remarkable success. So, take a page from Emma’s book, and infuse your business with these strategies to embark on a journey of growth and prosperity.
Remember, success might not come overnight, but with a dash of determination, a sprinkle of humor, and a deep understanding of your customers, you’ll be well on your way to writing your own success story, just like Emma did in the town of Innovationville.

marketing campaign

Strategies for Creating a Successful Marketing Campaign

Strategies for Creating a Successful Marketing Campaign

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, creating a successful campaign requires a thoughtful blend of creativity, strategy, and precision. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned marketer, understanding the core strategies that drive effective campaigns can significantly impact your brand’s success. In this article, we delve into the essential strategies that will help you create a highly successful marketing campaign, leaving a lasting impression on your target audience.

Define Clear Goals

Every successful marketing campaign begins with a clear set of objectives. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or launch a new product? Defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is crucial to guide your campaign’s direction and measure its success.

Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is key to developing a campaign that resonates with them. Conduct thorough market research to identify their needs, preferences, and pain points. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your messaging, design, and channels to effectively engage and connect with your audience.

Craft a Compelling Story

People connect with stories, so weave a captivating narrative that resonates with your audience. Create a brand story that evokes emotions, highlights your unique selling points, and communicates the value you offer. Whether through powerful visuals, relatable characters, or compelling narratives, storytelling can make your campaign memorable and shareable.

Leverage Innovative Digital Platforms

Embrace the power of digital platforms to amplify your campaign’s reach and impact. Utilize social media channels, influencer marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) to connect with your audience on platforms they frequent. Experiment with emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) to create immersive experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Consistency Across Channels

Maintain consistency across all marketing channels to reinforce your brand’s identity and message. Whether it’s your website, social media profiles, or offline advertising, ensure that your visual branding, tone of voice, and messaging are coherent. Consistency builds trust and strengthens brand recognition.

Monitor and Adapt

Successful campaigns require constant monitoring and adjustment. Regularly analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, click-through rates, conversion rates, and social media engagement. Based on these insights, adapt your campaign in real-time to optimize results and make data-driven decisions.

Engage Influencers and Collaborate

Partnering with influencers and relevant businesses can significantly expand your campaign’s reach and credibility. Identify influencers within your industry or niche who align with your brand values and have an engaged following. Collaborate on co-branded content, giveaways, or live events to tap into their audience and create a mutually beneficial partnership.

Encourage User-generated Content

Capitalize on the power of user-generated content (UGC) to enhance your campaign’s authenticity and reach. Encourage your audience to share their experiences, reviews, and creations related to your brand. Repurpose and showcase UGC across your marketing channels to build social proof and engage your audience.

Conclusion:

By implementing these strategies, you can create a highly successful marketing campaign that resonates with your target audience, boosts brand awareness, and drives tangible results. Remember to stay agile, adapt to emerging trends, and continuously refine your approach. With the right mix of creativity, strategy, and data-driven decision-making, your campaign has the potential to make a lasting impact in the minds and hearts of your audience.

website content

Tips for creating engaging website content

Tips for creating engaging website content

Your website is often the first point of contact for potential customers, making it crucial that your website content is engaging, informative and persuasive. Creating content that stands out in today’s crowded digital marketplace can be a challenge, but with the right strategies, you can capture your audience’s attention and drive conversions. Here are some tips for creating engaging website content that converts.

1. Know Your Audience

Before you start creating content, it’s important to understand your target audience. Consider their needs, interests, and pain points. What are they looking for when they visit your website? What problems are they trying to solve? Once you have a clear picture of your target audience, you can tailor your content to meet their needs.

2. Write Compelling Headlines

Your headline is the first thing that visitors see when they arrive at your website, so make it count. A good headline should be attention-grabbing, informative, and relevant to the content that follows. Use action words, numbers, and emotional triggers to create headlines that resonate with your audience.

3. Keep it Simple

Effective website content is clear, concise, and easy to read. Use short sentences, simple language, and plenty of white space to break up text and improve readability. Avoid jargon and technical speak that may confuse or alienate your audience.

4. Use Visuals

Visuals are a powerful tool for engaging website visitors. Use images, videos, and infographics to break up text and make your content more visually appealing. Visuals can also help to convey complex ideas and data in a more digestible format.

5. Tell a Story

Humans are wired to respond to stories. Use storytelling to create a connection with your audience and make your content more memorable. Use anecdotes, case studies, and customer testimonials to illustrate your points and demonstrate the value of your products or services.

6. Make it Shareable

Encourage visitors to share your content by making it easy to do so. Include social sharing buttons on your website and create content that is interesting and relevant enough that visitors will want to share it with their own networks.

Creating engaging website content takes time and effort, but the payoff can be significant. By following these tips, you can create content that resonates with your audience and drives conversions.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, creating engaging website content is essential for capturing your audience’s attention and driving conversions. By understanding your audience, writing compelling headlines, keeping it simple, using visuals, telling a story, and making it shareable, you can create content that stands out in today’s crowded digital marketplace. Keep these tips in mind as you create content for your website, and you’ll be well on your way to creating engaging website content that converts.

the role of colors

The role of color in branding and design

The role of color in branding and design

Color. It’s all around us, brightening our world and influencing our perceptions.

From the luscious green of a freshly mowed lawn to the vibrant red of a perfectly ripe apple, color has the remarkable ability to evoke emotions, convey messages, and leave lasting impressions.

When it comes to branding and design, color plays a pivotal role in capturing attention and creating a visual identity that resonates with audiences.

So, let’s dive into this kaleidoscope of hues and unveil the power of color in branding.

Have you ever noticed how some brands are instantly recognizable by their colors alone? Think of Coca-Cola‘s classic red and white, or Starbucks‘ iconic green. Color plays a vital role in branding and design, and can be a powerful tool for creating an emotional connection with your audience. In this article, we’ll explore the psychological impact of color, and provide tips for choosing the right colors for your brand to create a strong brand identity.

Color Psychology

Color psychology lies at the heart of successful branding strategies. Each color possesses unique psychological associations that can profoundly impact how people perceive a brand.

For example, warm colors like red and orange tend to evoke feelings of passion and energy, while cooler tones like blue and green convey calmness and trustworthiness.

Understanding the psychology behind colors allows brands to strategically select hues that align with their values and evoke the desired emotional responses from their target audience.

Choosing the Right Colors for Your Brand

When it comes to color selection, it’s not just about personal preference or what looks visually appealing. Brands must consider their target demographic, industry norms, and the message they aim to convey. For instance, a luxury brand might opt for elegant gold or regal purple to symbolize sophistication, while an eco-friendly company may choose shades of green to evoke a sense of harmony with nature. It’s the art of color selection that allows brands to communicate their essence without uttering a single word.

However, color is not a standalone entity; it thrives in harmony with other design elements. The combination of colors within a brand’s visual identity, known as a color palette, contributes to its overall aesthetic appeal and recognition. Think of Coca-Cola’s iconic red and white combination or McDonald’s golden arches; these color choices have become synonymous with their brands and can instantly evoke strong brand associations in consumers’ minds.

Beyond recognition, color can also serve as a tool for differentiation in a crowded marketplace. By strategically selecting a unique color scheme, a brand can stand out from the competition and establish a strong visual identity. For example, when everyone in the tech industry was gravitating towards sleek blues and grays, Apple took a bold leap with a clean, minimalist white design. This distinctive choice helped them carve a niche and revolutionize the way we perceive technology.

As we unravel the secrets of successful branding strategies, it’s important to note that color isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Cultural contexts and individual interpretations can vary, so it’s crucial for brands to conduct thorough research and testing to ensure their color choices resonate across different demographics and cultures.

Red

Energy, passion, excitement, urgency

Orange

Energy, passion, excitement, urgency

Yellow

Optimism, happiness, warmth

Green

Nature, growth, health, harmony

Blue

Trust, stability, reliability, calmness

Purple

Royalty, luxury, creativity

Pink

Romance, femininity, playfulness

Brown

Dependability, stability, earthiness

Black

Sophistication, elegance, power

White

Purity, cleanliness, simplicity

It’s also important to note that the shade and tone of a color can impact how it’s perceived. For example, a bright, bold red might be perceived as energetic and passionate, while a muted, dusty red might be perceived as more calming and sophisticated. Consider the tone of your brand and the emotions you want to evoke when choosing the shades of your brand colors.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the role of color in branding and design cannot be overstated. It holds the power to capture attention, evoke emotions, and shape brand perceptions. By understanding color psychology, mastering the art of color selection, and integrating color harmoniously within their visual identities, brands can create memorable and impactful experiences that connect with their audiences on a deeper level.

So, next time you encounter a brand, take a moment to appreciate the colors that make it stand out.

brand strategy

Crafting an impactful brand strategy

Crafting an impactful brand strategy

In today’s competitive marketplace, building a strong and enduring brand is essential for any business. A strong brand can help you stand out from the competition, build trust with your target audience, and create a loyal customer base that will support your business for years to come. But what exactly is a brand strategy, and how can you build one that is effective and enduring? In this article, we’ll explore the key components of an effective brand strategy and provide tips for building a powerful and enduring brand that resonates with your target audience.

What is a Brand Strategy?

A brand strategy is the blueprint for your brand. It defines your brand’s purpose, values, and personality, as well as your target audience and the unique value your brand provides. It also outlines the key elements of your brand, such as your brand identity, messaging, and visual design.

Components of an Effective Brand Strategy

1. Brand Purpose and Values: Your brand’s purpose and values are the foundation of your brand strategy. They define why your brand exists and what it stands for. Your brand purpose should be a clear and concise statement that communicates the unique value your brand provides. Your brand values should reflect your core beliefs and guide your brand’s behavior and decision-making.

2. Target Audience: Understanding your target audience is essential for building a strong brand. Your brand should resonate with your target audience, and your brand strategy should be designed to appeal to their needs, wants, and values.

3. Brand Identity: Your brand identity is the visual representation of your brand. It includes your logo, color palette, typography, and other visual elements that help to create a consistent and recognizable brand identity.

4. Brand Messaging: Your brand messaging is the voice of your brand. It includes your brand’s tagline, tone of voice, and key messages that communicate your brand’s unique value proposition.

Tips for Crafting an Effective Brand Strategy

1. Start with Why: Your brand purpose should be the driving force behind your brand strategy. It should guide all of your brand’s activities and decisions, from product development to marketing campaigns.

2. Know Your Target Audience: Understanding your target audience is essential for building a brand that resonates with them. Conduct market research to learn more about your target audience’s needs, wants, and values.

3. Create a Consistent Brand Identity: Your brand identity should be consistent across all of your brand’s touchpoints, from your website to your social media profiles. This consistency helps to build brand recognition and trust with your audience.

4. Develop a Unique Value Proposition: Your brand’s unique value proposition should be at the heart of your brand messaging. It should communicate the unique value your brand provides, and what sets it apart from the competition.

5. Monitor and Adapt: Your brand strategy is not set in stone. As your business evolves and your target audience changes, you may need to adapt your brand strategy to stay relevant and effective.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, crafting an effective brand strategy is essential for any business seeking to create a strong and enduring brand. By defining your brand’s purpose and values, understanding your target audience, creating a consistent brand identity, developing a unique value proposition, and monitoring and adapting your brand strategy over time, you can build a brand that resonates with your audience and stands the test of time.

brand identity

The importance of Building a Strong Brand Identity

The importance of Building a Strong Brand Identity

For any business looking to establish a unique and recognizable image in the market, building a strong brand identity is essential. A brand identity is the visual and emotional representation of a company that distinguishes it from its competitors. It encompasses everything from the logo and color scheme to the tone of voice used in marketing materials. In this article, we’ll explore why a strong brand identity is important and how to build one.

3 reasons why a strong brand identity is important

1. Differentiation: A strong brand identity helps businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors. It allows them to stand out in a crowded market and attract customers who share their values and beliefs.

2. Recognition: A strong brand identity makes it easier for customers to recognize and remember a business. This is important because customers are more likely to choose a brand they recognize over one they don’t.

3. Trust: A strong brand identity helps build trust with customers. When a business presents itself in a consistent and professional manner, customers are more likely to trust it.

How to build a strong brand identity

1. Define your brand values: Start by defining what your brand stands for and what values it represents. This will help guide all aspects of your brand identity, from the visual design to the messaging.

2. Develop your visual identity: Your visual identity includes your logo, color scheme, typography, and other design elements. These should be consistent across all marketing materials to ensure a cohesive brand image.

3. Establish your tone of voice: Your tone of voice is the personality that comes across in your messaging. It should be consistent with your brand values and visual identity.

4. Create a brand style guide: A brand style guide is a document that outlines all aspects of your brand identity. It should include guidelines for the use of your logo, color scheme, typography, and tone of voice.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, a strong brand identity is crucial for any business looking to establish a unique and recognizable image in the market. By defining your brand values, developing your visual identity, establishing your tone of voice, and creating a brand style guide, you can build a strong brand identity that will differentiate you from your competitors, increase recognition, and build trust with your customers.

Harness the Power of Web Design for Your Marketing Strategy

Harness the Power of Web Design for Your Marketing Strategy

Harness the Power of Web Design for Your Marketing Strategy

Web design is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a modern marketing strategy, yet often remains overlooked. It is essential for a business to understand how to best employ web design in order to stand out from the competition, increase customer engagement and drive sales.

This article will explain how you can use web design to drive a powerful and effective marketing strategy.

Determine your target audience

Before you begin designing a website, it is important to determine your target audience and their needs. Consider who they are and what they’re looking for, as this will help you decide on the right design elements to include.

For example, if you are targeting younger audiences, consider using bold colours and engaging visuals. On the other hand, those targeting an older audience may do better with a more professional look, such as muted colours and simplistic designs. Your website should also reflect your company’s values, goals, and brand identity.

Have a clear website structure

Having a clear website structure is an often overlooked but important part of web design for marketing. Make sure you provide relevant information and visuals on each page, as well as clear navigation. This will help your visitors find the information they need quickly, thus increasing the chances of them returning to the site.

Use responsive design

Incorporating responsive design is essential, as it ensures your website looks great no matter what device it is viewed on. Additionally, ensure that your website loads quickly and is easy to use, as this will help ensure a positive user experience, which can lead to increased customer engagement.

Include CTAs

Including calls-to-action (CTAs) on relevant pages should also be part of your web design strategy. Common CTAs include asking visitors to sign up for a newsletter, download a brochure, or register for an event. Make sure your CTAs are prominent and that they appeal to the user’s needs.

For example, if you are launching a new product, asking users to “learn more” or “sign up now” can be more effective than simply asking them to “buy now”.

Optimise for search engines

Finally, investing in SEO (search engine optimisation) is essential for any website. SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine results, resulting in increased visibility and more traffic. To ensure your SEO efforts are successful, make sure to include relevant keywords in page titles, meta descriptions and page content. Additionally, make sure to keep your website updated with fresh content and create backlinks from other high-quality sites.

Conclusion:

By following these tips, you can ensure that your web design helps drive your marketing strategy. Web design is not only important for helping your website stand out, but also for creating a positive user experience that ultimately increases customer engagement and drives sales. Investing in quality web design is therefore essential for a successful online presence.

Aristotle

Ethics, Habits, and Marketing in the 21st Century: Applying Aristotle’s Philosophy

Ethics, Habits, and Marketing in the 21st Century: Applying Aristotle's Philosophy

Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed that ethics are not just a set of rules or principles to follow, but rather a way of living that is cultivated through good habits and virtues. In the 21st century, the concept of ethics has evolved, and businesses are faced with the challenge of balancing profit with ethical considerations. In this article, we will explore the relevance of Aristotle’s ethics in modern-day marketing and the role of habits in ethical decision-making.

Aristotle’s ethics are centered around the idea of virtue, which he defined as a habit or disposition to act in accordance with what is good or right. According to Aristotle, virtue is not innate, but rather something that is developed through practice and habituation. He believed that by cultivating virtuous habits, such as honesty, courage, and kindness, individuals can achieve a state of eudaimonia, or flourishing.

In the context of marketing, Aristotle’s ethics can be applied in several ways. Firstly, businesses can cultivate virtuous habits by practicing transparency and honesty in their marketing practices. For example, by providing clear and accurate information about their products or services, businesses can build trust with their customers and avoid misleading or deceptive advertising.

Secondly, businesses can promote virtuous habits in their customers by aligning their marketing messages with values such as sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical sourcing. By encouraging customers to make ethical and responsible purchasing decisions, businesses can create a culture of virtuous consumption and contribute to a more sustainable and just society.

However, in the 21st century, the influence of marketing on our habits and decision-making has become more pervasive than ever before. With the rise of digital media and targeted advertising, businesses have the ability to shape our preferences and behaviors in ways that were previously unimaginable.

This presents a significant ethical challenge, as businesses may use their influence to promote harmful or unethical products, or manipulate our habits and desires in ways that are not aligned with our values or well-being.

To address this challenge, it is essential for businesses to adopt ethical marketing practices that prioritize the well-being and autonomy of their customers. This can be achieved by adopting a consumer-centric approach, where the needs and preferences of customers are placed at the center of marketing strategies.

In addition, businesses can foster ethical decision-making by encouraging critical thinking and reflection among their employees and customers. By promoting a culture of ethical reflection and inquiry, businesses can empower individuals to make informed and responsible decisions that are aligned with their values and interests.

In conclusion

Aristotle’s ethics offer a valuable framework for businesses to cultivate virtuous habits and promote ethical decision-making in marketing. By adopting transparent and ethical marketing practices, businesses can build trust with their customers and contribute to a more sustainable and just society. However, in the face of pervasive marketing influence, it is essential for businesses to prioritize the well-being and autonomy of their customers, and promote a culture of critical reflection and inquiry.

advertising in the AI era

A sneak peek into where advertising is going in the AI Era – II

A sneak peek into where advertising is going in the AI Era

Part two

A thought-provoking examination of the current status of advertising and its future possibilities in the AI era.

New sources of consumer data and the AI-produced info

VR/AR glasses, smart assistants, smart TV, smartwatch, smart fridge, smart A/C — did you hear about DigitalSTROM ? It’s exactly that! A smart home system that can program your gadgets to follow your daily habits. Coffee prepared for you before you get out of bed, lights turned on when your alarm goes off, or the thermostat set to the exact time you’re supposed to get home from work.

All connected to the internet — the Internet of Things.

All of this enables the collection of additional data.
More data means more control. Biometric data from smartphones and security systems that employ fingerprints, facial recognition, or retinal scans is one of these new sources. Wearables, eye-tracking cameras, and other similar technologies capture behavioral data. Voice samples captured by smart speakers, smart displays, and other voice-controlled devices.

Automated, AI-powered systems generate huge results. By looking for patterns in scraps of user data, automatic algorithms can predict consumer behavior to a larger extent than a person may have consented to. And people are unaware of the wealth of information that may be gleaned from seemingly innocuous data that they generate.

Data protection

Enters the famous GDPR (EU’s General Data Protection Regulation) which put us all through hell a few years ago. The GDPR legislation, along with various privacy scandals or data leaks, has also changed a lot for people by putting the privacy issue on the lips of everyone. Some are annoyed by yet another popup. Others are distressed by discovering how much data has been gathered on them by companies.

Another point to make here is the opt-out choice. It is relatively easy to withdraw one’s consent to data storage. But what if one’s data is used to train AI? Would the deletion of the source data be enough?

The issues of privacy and data ownership have changed the industry forever and will continue to have an increasing influence on it.

Enters Ad blockers. They are a way for people to say that they’ve had enough. According to reports, 47% of Internet users have some sort of ad blocking mechanisms enabled. This increases the costs of advertising, and the only way to combat that, is to work towards less intrusive ads for a better customer experience.

The marketing and the 5G technology

Do you remember that scene in Star Wars where R2-D2 is delivering a message from Princess Leia in the form of a hologram? Can you even imagine the power of the internet they must have had?

Back to the future, imagine presenting your product in a virtual or augmented reality, smart assistants proactively promoting your offers, your ads shown on fridges or microwave ovens’ displays. An advertising paradise or a nightmare depends on which side of the screen you are on. Well, the IoT plus 5G is making it possible.

What we do have now is the unabashed rise of VR/AR technologies, with more and more applications in experiential marketing.

The reality of many touchpoints encouraged marketers to attempt to engage with a consumer genuinely. It is known as omnichannel marketing. Needless to say that all touchpoints, from awareness through to purchase, are seamless.

But eventually, the fragmentation of the Internet is inevitable. In recent years, the Internet has ceased to be a worldwide anarchic platform devoid of country. Big techs have changed it into an oligopoly.

Now we find out that big tech players also have a nationality and an agenda. Chinese, Russian and Western nets are divided more and more. Soon an advertiser may not be able to run global campaigns and switch from country to country with ease.

There have always been barriers between countries in the online world. But the new, divided Internet — splinternet — may consist of completely incompatible parts.

Money talks

Because the competition is fiercer and the growth in ad space is insufficient to meet demand, the average cost of a click varies between verticals, but it is rising.

Moreover, ad blockers usage is still going up and bot traffic, despite the small drop, still makes a huge chunk of traffic. And this is a matter of ad fraud practically.

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are a new means of distributing capital introduced by blockchains. They are one-of-a-kind digital IDs for physical or digital items. You may buy and sell single tweets or.jpeg files, as Christie’s did in its latest record-breaking auction.

Digital commodities are a real way to invest large sums of money. This new product category needs fresh advertising.

Blockchain technology has the potential to significantly alter the marketing sector. It can considerably decrease prices, but it may hasten the split of the advertising industry between large companies by removing intermediaries.

My proverbial two cents

Considering a user’s history of touch-points across various channels, focusing on the cost of a click will be inefficient in the long run. As a result, the profit created by a customer over time will become increasingly essential, and marketers will finally be able to quantify it.

But the very thing that was for years the heart and soul of advertising will be dead. The creativity, along with many other traditional values, is dying as we “speak”.

advertising in the AI era

A sneak peek into where advertising is going in the AI Era – I

A sneak peek into where advertising is going in the AI Era

Part one

When someone in the industry asked me what do I think is the future of advertising, I bluntly responded that the advertising, as we know it, will be gone. In this article I will intent to develop my thoughts over the status of advertising in the AI era.

‘Power to the people’

Remember Lennon’s song? Well, since ’71 we’ve seen it all come true.

The early XXIst century sees the shift of control away from marketers and placed into the hands of consumers, apparently. It is the dawn of the Social Media era.

Consequently, digital advertising is born.

Facebook starts as a way for Harvard students to check each other out. It grew to be the most ubiquitous social media platform of the early XXIst century. Follows the birth of Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, Instagram, and Snapchat, which enables everyone to communicate visually. And this empowers consumers with real-time feedback tools. Now we all have a voice.

And it’s very true that technology always changed how marketing works. Think of the revolution the printing press brought about; then the broadcasting, then the personal computer. Let us see what advertising in the AI era looks like.

 

Where are we now?

The state of the digital advertising industry in 2021 is flourishing, under scrutiny, and yearning for a change.

The state of the users is: hating ads.

Several patterns arise from this state of affairs, and the structure of postmodern advertising begins to take shape.

 

The future?

When it comes to thinking about the future, the mind wanders to new gadgets and gizmos, the internet, AI, and space ads.

And while the traditional marketing theory was revolving around brands, with integrated marketing campaigns, the 4Ps, AIDA, segmentation, targeting, positioning and the people were merely unsuspecting subjects, the marketing today apparently gives the consumer the center role.

 

But, the traditional marketing theory is still relevant today, and nothing is fundamentally changed. Even though the accent is shifting and the information is influenced by social media and controls the sales. This is to say that ultimately the brand-centric development goes hand-in-hand with consumer-centric development. Modern brands are evolving from ideas, as David Ogilvy defined them (the intangible sum of a product’s attributes) to networks (the sum of assets and networks that are owned by a brand).

Is that disruptive for advertisers? Pretty much so.

Does it give more ‘power to the people’? Definitely.

Consequently, what will count more and what advertisers are finally able to track is the value generated by a user over time.

Let’s see.

Artificial intelligence and the most recent trends

Storytelling is data explained with a story. Advertisers no longer want you to remember the technical specs of their products. They want you to feel specific emotions when interacting with their brands. Critical thinking has died. Welcome emotions. It’s not about products anymore. Latest and not so, as we can track this tendency as far back as the 80s.

Gillette did it. Nike did it.
Watch these online ads! You’ll learn nothing about the products, but you will remember the emotions you felt when you recall these brands.

Personalization — A time of smaller, personalized ads in campaigns with even bigger budgets is here. Because turns out that customers respond better to content that seems to be tailored just for them .
AI-generated content. Individual marketing campaigns. In the age of anything smart (smartphones, smartwatches, smart TV), smart ads are becoming commonplace. And much of it is run by bots.

Personalization can’t be achieved without measurability. It’s not about clicks and conversions anymore. How do you measure an emotional response? Eye focus? Heart rate? Yes, just like that: the gadgets of today are gathering all sorts of data.
From the point of view of a marketer running an ad campaign, a single visitor belongs to a group of other visitors, similar in terms of spending habits but not necessarily in others, like demographics and location. So, you may not be as unique as you would like to think. And AI can group people with surprising accuracy.

 

Smart grouping, based on interests and behaviors, is being introduced by Google, with others likely to follow. These groups, or rather ‘Federated Learning of Cohorts’ (FLoC), is the tracking target of the future. “This points to a future where there is no need to sacrifice relevant advertising and monetization in order to deliver a private and secure experience,” Google stated. But this is tricky since Google’s attempt to delete third-party cookies and other identifiers for the sake of user privacy would, sadly and unavoidably, aggravate the problem of ad fraud.

Bots generated content

The key phrases behind content-writing robots are intelligent narratives, natural language generation (NLG), and automated storytelling technology. And I believe that this is one of the most disruptive things to the advertising sector in the AI era.

Quill is an NLG software created by Narrative Science who could be the biggest player in the field of AI-generated content.

It describes itself as: “Humanizing data like never before, with technology that interprets your data and transforms it into ‘intelligent narratives’ at speed and scale.”

Companies like Groupon, Forbes, T. Rowe Price, Credit Suisse, and USAA use Quill to create content. Quill can generate news stories, industry reports, and even headlines without human intervention. It’s limited to the confines of news reports and data-backed content, but it can generate this type of content at scale.

Heliograf is a robot reporter created by Washington Post. This in-house automated storytelling technology — or better-said reporting technology — supplemented The Washington Post reporters covering the Olympics, and created hundreds of news stories and alerts for the event. The Post also has used Heliograf to cover hundreds of political races since 2016.

Photo courtesy of DIGIDAY

Wordsmith by Automated Insights is half bot half-human. The human adds the data to the software (tell it a few data points for a “story”) and writes the template for the story. The bot creates the content. That’s it — easy and publishable straight from the app. Many businesses have invested using Wordsmith, including Allstate, Microsoft, and Yahoo!, so this became a direction for marketers. 

There also are funny stories happening with bots. Apparently, Facebook created two chatbots to talk to each other, but they were shut down after they started communicating in a language they made for themselves.

That’s it for today, folks!

In the second part, I will talk about the new sources of consumer data, AI-produced info, and the sound of money.

To be continued