AI in Marketing - let's dip our toes!

As a content marketer, often it's challenging to keep up with all the advances in technology!

But we must run fast on the tech treadmill, isn't it?

Today, I would like to dip my toes in AI (artificial intelligence). 

It was once thought that the adoption of AI was unique to the sci-fi genre, but today it has spread into all professional verticals, including marketing. 

"The playing field is poised to become a lot more competitive, and businesses that don’t deploy AI and data to help them innovate in everything they do will be at a disadvantage.” 

Paul Daugherty, chief technology and innovation officer, Accenture

The AI market is expected to be worth $36.8 billion by 2025. In this new age of the metaverse, a host of incredible developments are expected.

Artificial intelligence is going to change marketing and has already begun to do so. Let's take a look at some examples...

#1 Sephora & AI (Sephora is an omni-retail beauty brand)

With the help of chatbots, Sephora is using the power of AI to personalize its interaction with customers and to provide customized informational customer experiences.

To facilitate the shopping process, Sephora launched an interactive quiz to guide its customers. Chatbots provided tailored suggestions based on specific answers or responses. 

Sephora has a chatbot-powered Facebook Messenger shopping service with a virtual color match assistant, a reservations assistant, and even KitBot, an autonomous chatty makeup expert.

#2 Netflix & AI 

Netflix, of course, needs no introduction! 

But some of us might still be unaware that much of its success is attributed to cutting-edge approaches to AI. 

User experience is critical to the success of any business, regardless of industry. In order to enhance its overall UX, Netflix uses AI-driven machine learning technology to make personalized recommendations based on a user's preferences and previously viewed content. 

Netflix's personal recommendations platform is now responsible for 80 percent of the shows people watch on the platform.

#3 The Economist & AI

Digital publications like the Economist have a huge following and are highly respected. They had to change their marketing strategies a few years ago when the viewership started declining. 

By buying and selling targeted ads, they used AI-driven advertising to their advantage. They were able to capture and analyze consumer data in this way and identify a segment of reluctant readers. 

In addition, they analyzed web and app usage and devised better ways to target potential readers online. By using AI-assisted research, they discovered new audience segments to boost readership once more. 

As a result, 3.6 million new readers engaged with the publication. As a result of this new data-driven, AI-centered business model, subscribers have grown steadily since 2017, with a rise of 9% (90,000 new loyal) subscribers from 2020 to 2021 alone-an impressive feat in challenging times. 

#4 Starbucks & AI

Today, all brands are taking advantage of the possibilities that voice technology offers! 

Starbucks is no different!

The Coffee giant collaborated with Amazon's Alexa. Now customers can place/modify orders and confirm pickup locations using their very own ‘My Starbucks Barista’ service. This is done via voice and chatbots.

Using the "My Starbucks Barista" App, Starbucks has added AI-powered Mastrena II espresso machines to thousands of its outlets for a streamlined coffee-making experience. 

AI initiatives like these drive growth and customer engagement for over 30 million mobile customers. 

#5 Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s & AI 

AI data centers across the world allow Unilever to extract and amalgamate insights from a range of sources, including CRM, social listening, and market research. 

Unilever found a sweet link between ice cream and breakfast with AI. There are over 50 songs in the public domain that talk about having ice cream for breakfast (so the concept is not alien). 

Even Dunkin Donuts is making money with its ice cream cakes that sell well in the morning! 

With this insight, Unilever developed cereal-flavored ice cream (including Fruit Loop and Frozen Flakes) for Ben & Jerry's.

#6 AMA & AI 

The American Marketing Association is a widely known professional organization made up of marketers. So, when professional marketers are your audience, you cannot afford to send substandard communications.  

Due to the diversity of AMA content, covering everything from content marketing to UX design, it was ( naturally)nearly impossible to make communication personalized for its 100,000+ newsletter subscribers.

Due to the use of an AI-driven personalization platform, AMA was able to benefit from a platform - rasa.io, that generated individualized subject lines based on member interest data. The newsletter recipient is then presented with the most relevant and interesting content. 

AMA subscriber engagement rates have increased by 42% since partnering with rasa.io. 

Bottomline 

In today's increasingly competitive digital landscape, AI can offer incredible rewards in terms of brand growth, development, and massive success if used creatively.

The six inspiring uses of AI in digital marketing illustrate the scope of marketing technology and the evolution of brands. 

Marketing and customer experience are already being boosted by AI's insights, promotions, and tech assistance. 

Have you seen any impressive examples of AI in marketing lately? 

Do share with us.