How AI Might Be Muting Your Brand's Message
A Brief Note: If you have a stake in branding or run a business, I encourage you to delve into this week's series. It's a synthesis of challenges we face with Branding and Generative AI, informed significantly by my recent Marketing in AI certification from Cornell University.
As a seasoned marketing and public relations expert with over 18 years of experience, I've witnessed firsthand the seismic shifts in our industry. One such monumental shift? The integration of AI in our day-to-day branding strategies. In a world constantly buzzing with digital chatter, brands have been lured by AI for its promise of efficiency and omnipresence.
However, in this technological embrace, many have inadvertently let the authentic voice of their brand slip through the cracks.
The essence of marketing orbits around a brand's voice. It's the central fulcrum guiding content creation, driving advertising narratives, shaping SEO, and virtually every other cog in the vast machinery of marketing and public relations. Without it, the machinery grinds to a discordant halt.
With the introduction of sophisticated generative AI systems, notably ChatGPT, both businesses and marketers felt an undeniable pull. The proposition was tantalizing: tasks that took hours could now be achieved in mere minutes. However, this newfound efficiency carries a concealed hazard. The ease and rapidity of AI can become a seductive trap, causing many to over-rely on its capabilities.
But pause and ponder this: in our quest to harness time, are we unknowingly muffling the distinctive voice that defines our brands? The risks are monumental, and the potential fallout is significant. Here's what stands to be compromised when we become overly dependent on generative AI:
1. Loss of Authenticity
Generative AI, for all its marvel, has a limitation. It doesn't possess the heartbeat of human emotion. As emotions, values, and brand ethos are channeled through mathematical formulas and algorithms, what emerges on the other side often lacks the genuine warmth of human touch. It's akin to a well-tuned piano playing without a pianist's passion. The result? Content that, while structurally impeccable, feels distant and sterile.
ACTION POINT: Next time you interact with content online, pause and reflect: does it resonate with genuine warmth or does it feel coldly algorithmic? As part of your daily industry digest, analyze a selection of brand posts from one brand you suspect using AI with content creation. Dig back in the history. Can you pinpoint when they started using the tool and happened to their brand voice? Write up your findings. (Share here!)
2. Muddled Brand Identity
Think back to a time at a grand masquerade ball, where behind every ornate mask lies a familiar face, yet they all blur into one. Such is the risk with AI-generated content. Drawing from common databases and operating on similar algorithmic logic, AI can inadvertently homogenize brands, causing once distinct voices to echo the same tune.
ACTION POINT: Here's your task: Dive deep into the branding of a handful of companies on your preferred platform. Can you distinguish the unique voice of each, or do they feel eerily similar? What are the indicators that make it all a similar voice? Tone? Style? Puntunation? (Fun fact: There is one punctuation used that always gives it away gives it away for me! Can you guess what that is?)
3. Missing The Cultural Beat
Our world is in a constant state of flux, marked by evolving cultural nuances and swift societal transitions. While AI excels at analyzing data trends, it often stumbles when it comes to grasping the heart and soul of these shifts. More so, for the keen-eyed, AI outputs can often feel templated, especially given that a staggering 1.6 billion unique users engaged with platforms like ChatGPT in June 2023 alone. This shortcoming can make a brand's communication feel disconnected or even antiquated.
ACTION POINT: Challenge time: Observe global and local news, then compare it to how a few brands are communicating on social platforms. Do their posts reflect an understanding of current cultural moments, or do they seem out of touch? Set aside 30 minutes daily for this exercise for a week, understanding that capturing the cultural pulse can be a game-changer for branding. Self-reflect: why is integration relevant content important? Why is it important to do it well? What's at risk of doing it poorly with AI that's not in-tune with current events?
Let's Wrap It Up
As we progress this week, we won't just spotlight the challenges. We'll map out tangible solutions, especially for those at the helm of a brand's narrative direction. Brands, the call to action is clear: reclaim your voice and let it resonate unbridled.
Find this helpful? I value your perspective and invite you to not only digest these findings but also to share them. Elevating our industry through collaboration and the dissemination of knowledge has always been a fundamental tenet of my professional journey.
About the Author
Michelle's 18-year-career in marketing and public relations stands as a beacon of dedication and prowess. From HBO and National Public Radio to strategic roles at Edelman to boutique agencies to consulting, her experiences have sculpted her into an industry stalwart. As a Cornell-certified marketing AI expert, Michelle has collaborated with diverse brands, be it global giants like Walmart or regional stars like The Fox Theatre in Atlanta. By seamlessly integrating traditional marketing insights with modern digital tactics, Michelle crafts strategies that guarantee impactful results, a testament to her unparalleled expertise.