Beet.TV’s Post

Transcript

For me and for my company, we look at it as a roadmap, as a work in progress, because as we know, AI is not new. It has been adopted by technology companies like Google and Facebook and all the big wall gardens and others for a very long time. But we never really thought about it in our context of our own work and our work with brands. And I think that's the part where it's good to focus on, because AI, again, and generative AI, have been around for a long time. So we as an agency, an independent agency, look at AI in terms of who we already partner with and how they're utilizing AI. And so, when we are looking at partners, we look at and go deep into how they're using AI. At what part of the entire product offering in the entire cycle are they using AI. And get to know that, and see where do we need to, then, put human analysis, human touch onto it. Because as we know, nothing should ever be 100% AI. Nothing should be ever 100% relying on artificial intelligence. You do need to look at it. So the first stage for us in our roadmap is what we call like an ad hoc way of using AI. So which partners are we working with? How are they using AI? It's not good enough just to listen and say they're using AI and take it verbatim. You really need to go deep into how they're utilizing artificial intelligence. And then where do we play an important role in that? Because analyzing the data from a human side is still important for us. AI is something that helps us become more efficient, more efficient with our time, but never replaces the human element. So the first stage of that roadmap is an ad hoc way of looking at it. Then we move into more experiential. Where do we wanna push the envelope further in how we're looking at AI from a efficiency side? How we're looking at it from personalization, from analytics? And then, where do we, again, push that envelope and experiment? And then from experiential, it goes into where we're deploying it, how we're actively activating it on our own, into the final stage, which is complete deployment. And it's not one or the other, it's all of that together. So some of the things we're gonna do with AI and tools and partners is still ad hoc. Some of it is moved into more of the experiential stage, and some into this specialization, and then into the complete deployment. But it's a cycle, and you're always looking at where you're going to use partners, utilize it in an ad hoc basis, and then constantly evolve into the way you're utilizing AI. >> Well, I'm glad to hear there's still a role for human intelligence. >> There is, and there always will be. >> And that brings me to my next question, if we're still here in the analog world [LAUGH]. Linear television, it's one of these, I don't know, they talk about it losing viewers over the years to streaming. Is linear really dead? What's happening with linear? >> I don't think it's dead, I don't think it's dead at all. We are shifting behavior, and this is not new. I've been around long enough, when cable started, I'm really gonna age myself here. And everybody was concerned when cable started. I mean, technology is a good thing. New technology is good. It means we just have to, from a marketing side, adopt how we're utilizing all the channels. But linear is not, it always will. I think it's finding its place between what is live entertainment, what are we doing live, live sports, versus what is streamed. I think we'll vacillate as watchers, as viewers, as people between the different channels. But we do know that there are still people like myself that are engaged with linear TV. It still gives us a large reach opportunity and an opportunity to reach live audiences, which is important. So it's evolving, and I think we need to think about it in that evolution, rather than, is it dead or is it alive? It's not one or the other, it's how we're gonna be using the two together, synergistically. >> Well, yeah, in talking to broadcasters about it, they do tout what you just said, live events. And the ability for brands to participate in these big cultural moments like the Super Bowl, etc. So how do you see that role continuing? >> Well, it will play an important part. As we know, sports is also becoming increasingly available, streaming. So it will be both. We have to look at it holistically and not one or the other, but look at different audiences and what are they watching, where are they watching it? And build an audience approach and strategy that is all encompassing. >> Well, let's see, as far as what's happening in this omnichannel universe. And we talk a lot about the purchase funnel and how do you engage people along the way. What do you have to say about that? How to engage the omnichannel shopper? >> And we talked a good about it amount about it today in our panels. And that no one shops any one way, right? You don't shop any one way, I certainly don't. We ourselves shop in many different ways. So what is evolving is that we have to address and meet people where they shop, when they shop, how they shop. Again, it's not one or the other, it's really a combination of both. We have to meet people where they shop and engage with them how they do. So I think, in my opinion, the area that needs the most attention is in the retail side, because the retail experience is just not engaging. It's not an exciting experience anymore. So retail has to change the most, and I think we need to, and certainly, we do at Quigley-Simpson, adopt a omnichannel, multichannel shopper experience. And meet people where they are, and recognize that, and measure that behavior. So if you want to shop online, we have accessibility to buy the brands that you love online. If you want to shop at retail, we need to improve that retail experience and recognize that people do both. And how do we then engage with them in that on the channel experience? >> That's interesting, what you said about the retail experience being, I suppose, less than satisfactory [LAUGH]. >> It's a sad experience. >> [LAUGH] Is that all kinds of retail, like groceries and the drugstore and the shopping mall, or [LAUGH]- >> I think it's just, it doesn't compete, it used to, with online, cuz it was, you can touch and feel. And the retail experience was all about being there and touching and feeling products. And that was it, and that was satisfying enough. But digital has so further advanced that shopping experience that it's no longer just good enough to be able to go and see and touch and feel the products. You want to have a different level of experience with them. And so, retail needs to adopt some of what digital has done. Digital adopted what retail has done to be more immersive experiences with brands, but retail didn't do what digital has done. So I think there's an opportunity for now retail to become more digitally engaging in that experience. >> Well, this has been really informative. Looking ahead, is there anything that you're most excited about or perhaps something that keeps you up at night or you want to see happen? >> I think we're in the best time. I've been saying this every year, though. Best time in marketing and in technology is advancing at such a large pace that we have so much opportunity in front of us. And I think we need to embrace it and adopt some of the classic marketing techniques of test and learn. I think in some ways we lost two things along the way in technology adoption. One is the ability to test and learn quickly. And AI certainly allows us to do that in real time and look at many multiple variables and understand what's most effective and optimize it. And then the second thing, which I've gotten into this industry for, which is really exciting, is storytelling. And we need to make sure that as we are adopting technology, we don't lose sight of the ability to tell brand stories. Very exciting and very engaging.