Data-driven world: Balancing emerging technologies with human creativity
By Abimbola Mohammed
The marketing landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. To stay ahead of the curve, marketers are reassessing their strategies to forge deeper connections with their audiences using accurate data, insight and AI while ensuring creativity is not lost.
As marketeers are turning to innovation to sustain growth and connect with their audience, relying on AI generated content only doesn’t resonate their audience. Clients are now demanding for value creativity more than ever. But it’s a new kind of creativity that is business-driven, making an impact across every aspect of their organization from comms to commerce to sustainability.
According to the 2024 Dentsu Creative report on over 950 CMOs across 14 markets, 83% of CMOs believe that creativity has more potential than ever to unlock business growth. This is resonating particularly with Food & Beverage (88%); Personal and Household Care (97%) and Pharmaceuticals (85%) marketers.
In the same vein, professionals from different fields, while speaking to the role of creativity and human touch at different fora, noted that even thou AI provides tools to streamline and enhance certain creative processes, human creativity is essential to deliver emotionally resonant and culturally relevant content.
Dawn Rowlands, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu South Africa, emphasized the need for marketers to strike a balance between leveraging technology and maintaining human creativity, citing it as a necessary combination that will drive brand growth and societal transformation in the years to come.
Rowlands explained that the role of AI has evolved from a perceived competitor to a co-pilot for marketing professionals. She stressed that, through AI, social listening and community engagement, CMOs have continued to gain foresight that enable them to predict future trends.
On his part, Vikas Mehta, the Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy Africa, shared his views on the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and human creativity, noting that the two are not in competition but rather complementary.
He noted that AI can efficiently handle data-driven tasks such as generating insights, optimizing campaigns, and automating repetitive elements. He added that creative professionals focus on strategy, storytelling, and the deep emotional connections that machines cannot replicate.
“AI is a powerful enabler, but it cannot replace the human touch required for truly impactful creativity. The future of marketing will rely on the symbiotic relationship between human creativity and AI’s analytical power. While AI brings speed and precision, human creativity ensures the heart and soul of campaigns remain intact, driving deeper consumer engagement.
“With AI taking care of regular tasks, the Marketing expert projects a future where creative minds have more freedom to innovate, experiment, and push boundaries that will result in more dynamic and personalized campaigns,” he said.
Preetesh Sewraj, Chief Executive Officer of Loeries Africa and the Middle East, discussed extensively, the evolving landscape of marketing. He emphasized that Generative AI should be embraced as a powerful tool that enhances marketing capabilities and improves customer experiences, rather than feared as a disruptive force.
Sewraj noted the exponential growth of data and the need for marketers to harness untapped resources, highlighting the challenge of leveraging AI to process the right data for impactful marketing. He maintained that AI will process data at a level that surpasses human ability, enabling marketers to deliver more personalized and targeted campaigns.
Sola Akinsiku, President of the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) and Managing Director of Kok Visibility, emphasised the growing significance of AI technologies in enhancing operational efficiency while advocating for the preservation of human ingenuity.
“AI feeds on the vast amounts of data we provide, allowing it to generate insights and recommendations quickly. But we must be cautious of over-relying on these technologies, as they lack the emotional intelligence and nuanced understanding that human creators bring to the table. AI has the potential to streamline processes and provide data-driven insights that can elevate our marketing strategies. However, it’s imperative to recognize that human creativity remains irreplaceable in crafting authentic and emotionally resonant narratives.”
Brenda Nwagwu, Vice President, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) and CEO OVT Media, said Artificial intelligence gives room for efficiency boost, personalization, joint data-driven decisions, consumer engagement and content creation.
“For Production, Al assists with content creation, humans ensure brand voice and emotional resonance. For Optimisation, Al analyzes performance data, while humans interpret insights for strategic improvements. And lastly, for Innovation, humans push creative boundaries, Al provides data-backed validation and sealing.”
Ivan Moroke, CEO of Kantar Insights Division South Africa and Regional Lead for Inclusion and Diversity at Kantar for the Middle East and Africa, spoke on the complexities of modern marketing, beginning with the essential relationship between data and insights and posing the critical question, “What now?”
His insights were further informed by experiences at the Cannes Lions 2024 festival, where he witnessed the powerful intersection of creativity and data.
According to him, brands today must aspire to be meaningfully different to more people, noting that successful marketing hinges on understanding human behaviour and implementing data-driven decisions. He acknowledged the importance of empathy, enabling brands to connect authentically with consumers.
The marketing maverick also discussed the rising significance of artificial intelligence in marketing, stating, “Not using AI is suicidal; it can streamline processes and enhance efficiency.”
He urged marketers to leverage AI not only to boost their bottom line but also to uphold ethical practices in their marketing efforts.
From the research and professional contributions from industry eggheads, it is certain that the future of marketing relies on harnessing the analytical power of AI while preserving the heart and soul of human creativity. To ensure that brands remain authentic, empathetic and resonant in an increasingly complex and automated world, there should be a blend between AI and him creativity.
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