Creativity Steps into The Future: Cannes Lions, AI, and the Evolution of Marketing

This week as the marketing community gathers in Cannes to contemplate the future of creativity there is a dominant player on the field that cannot be ignored: Generative AI. The promise of AI and machine learning overall is immense because it can help brands to create personalised content at scale, leading to a more loyal and engaged customer. 

While many in creative community have 'AI anxiety' in my experience, tools using AI can help with some major issues being faced by marketers. For example, people are increasingly separating themselves into micro communities making reaching them harder than ever. This is due to the rise of social media, the decline of mass media, and the desire for deeper connections. Micro communities can provide a sense of belonging, meaning, and support. The success of some web3 projects, such as NFTs that include access to private clubs, events, and other benefits, are harnessing this trend beautifully. 

This transformation from a traditional mass marketing approach to a more community and personalization-driven allows for more specific and valuable messages, visuals, and activations that inspire people because they’re based on their passions. The ease of content creation using tools like generative AI has the potential to truly bring people content they want and will respond to, ideally coming from people they trust – whether that’s a top-tier celebrity or a micro creator.

This personalised content creation at scale also has the potential to turbocharge the creator economy. According to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy is currently worth about $250 billion. Imagine if these creators doubled the number of posts, videos, and other content going out into the world and that content was even more engaging.

Take livestream shopping as an example at the heart of the creator economy. A WARC and Google retail report in March found that livestream commerce accounted for 32% of digital purchases across channels in the past six months. Generative AI combined with AR can elevate this experience further, creating more immersive experiences for consumers that feel more like entertainment and less like shopping.

But these advances do not come without their hurdles and major risks for brands. Trust has been suffering on several fronts already, not just due to rising concerns surrounding social media and data privacy, but also regarding the authenticity of information due to deep fakes and IP misuse. This means that brands need to be transparent about how they use AI, data and technology, as well as clear about their values and ethics around it. 

As major tech companies race to release the next greatest AI-driven innovation, such as Microsoft’s Copilot, the looming question remains: how quickly will AI transform marketing? The optimist believes AI is a super assistant that can make us smarter and faster, while unlocking creativity for far more people. The pessimist predicts jobs rooted in junior and tactical work, content creation, administration, and production are phased out over time.

Given how quickly things are moving, agency leaders must shoulder the responsibility and be honest about these shifts. Training people on traditional paths will no longer be possible as typical entry-level and mid-level jobs dwindle. We need to reinvent our training methods, focusing on new skills like prompt-engineering, but more importantly how to think strategically and unlock creativity regardless of the tool in which it comes to life.

At last year's Cannes Lions, I had several enlightening conversations with associates in the web3 space. Several lamented that the creativity community, while progressing, seemed focused on the past. I agreed, in my career I have felt significant push back around embracing innovations such as AI tools or new platforms. That said, it feels different this year because of massive impact that generative AI made across all aspects of culture and marketing. I think it’s important we all remember that in the past new technologies have enabled brands to create new and innovative marketing campaigns that are more relevant, sustainable, and immersive than ever before while creating new jobs. Hopefully, that will be the case here as well, but anyone who says they know for sure is lying. It’s far too soon to know, but it is also in our power to shape what comes next for our industry. 

Image credit: Google DeepMind via Unsplash