Marketing and eCommerce Technology Exposition: Pivotal Discoveries
The Technology for Marketing and eCommerce Expo, the UK's biggest marketing technology and e-commerce event, concluded this week, with a focus on leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and video content for more authentic and engaging marketing strategies.
AI and Authenticity
Businesses can effectively integrate AI into their existing processes while maintaining authenticity. The key lies in defining clear, measurable objectives, assessing data and organizational readiness, and thoughtfully selecting AI applications. Maintaining human connection is crucial, and this is achieved by embedding human review and ethical oversight into AI workflows, ensuring transparency, and using AI as a tool to augment human judgment and empathy.
Defining Clear Business Objectives
Identifying precise goals such as reducing customer churn or automating routine processes, and engaging stakeholders to prioritize AI use cases is the first step towards successful AI integration.
Assessing Data Quality and Infrastructure
Conducting thorough audits to ensure data completeness, accessibility, and compliance with privacy regulations, and verifying AI compatibility with existing systems is essential.
Prioritizing When Not to Automate
Automating repetitive, low-impact tasks to improve efficiency is important, but keeping meaningful human engagement in high-value customer interactions and content creation areas preserves the genuine connection.
Implementing Human-in-the-loop Processes
Using AI-generated outputs as drafts or support content that is reviewed and approved by human employees before delivery, particularly in sensitive communications and areas requiring empathy or ethical judgment, is a crucial part of maintaining authenticity.
Building Ethical Guidelines and Transparency
Establishing clear policies defining appropriate AI use, maintaining employee and customer trust by being open about AI’s role, and ensuring humans supervise AI decisions to avoid bias and maintain company values are essential steps.
Starting Small and Measuring Impact
Focusing on targeted AI implementations, tracking measurable outcomes, and scaling gradually as confidence and competence grow is a balanced approach that allows businesses to harness AI’s efficiency benefits without sacrificing the authenticity and human touch that differentiate their brand and foster trust among employees and customers.
The Power of Video Content
Video content has proven to be a powerful tool in marketing. According to Andrews and Miller, video content offers five benefits: reach, community building, experimentation, insights, and brand recall. Moreover, video content is suitable for B2B audiences, with Andrews stating, "'It's always human to human'".
Video is expected to account for 82% of all internet traffic by 2025, making it an increasingly important part of marketing strategies. Short-form video content offers marketers the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy, according to Andrews and Miller.
Interactive and Immersive Digital Activations
Creating interactive and immersive digital activations to engage customers was another key theme at the event. Hamish Stacy, OREO Consumer Data Lead at Mondelez International, emphasized this importance, providing examples of successful activations such as Cadbury's virtual Easter egg hunt and Oreo's partnership with Pacman.
Data-Driven E-commerce
The use of data in e-commerce was another focus at the event. Mailchimp Intuit chaired and supported a session at the conference focusing on this topic. Jim Rudall, GM of EMEA at Mailchimp Intuit, stated that 70% of consumers want to know what their data will be used for. Stephen Rogan, Head of Merchant Success at Shopify, added that customers now expect features like digital payments, free returns, and loyalty discounts in exchange for their data.
Product Information Management (PIM)
Adam Ull, Global Product Information Lead at H&M, spoke about Product Information Management (PIM) and H&M's Product Data Hub (PDH). He highlighted how tracking customer behavior online can reveal their wants and help identify gaps in a retailer's offering, allowing for the addition of new product attributes to better meet customer needs.
Emphasis on Human Connection
Despite the technological advancements, the focus on human connection should not be forgotten. Nathan Lomax, Founder of Quickfire Digital, warned against leaving AI unattended and emphasized the importance of preserving a company's authenticity. Ellen Bishop, Founder and Managing Director of AI consultancy company Alcea, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of using AI to streamline existing business processes. Lomax also stressed the importance of human-to-human connection and building communities in marketing strategies for 2025.
In conclusion, the Technology for Marketing and eCommerce Expo provided valuable insights into the role of AI and video content in modern marketing strategies. By focusing on authenticity, human connection, and data-driven approaches, businesses can create engaging, effective, and trustworthy marketing campaigns.
Harnessing Data and Cloud Computing for AI AdvancementsInsights gleaned from data-and-cloud-computing technologies pave the way for sophisticated AI advancements, empowering businesses to make data-driven decisions and enhance their marketing strategies.
Aligning AI with Business GoalsTo maximize business gains, AI applications should be aligned with marketing goals such as improved customer experience, increased brand awareness, and boosted conversion rates.
Leveraging Video Content for Marketing InsightsBy integrating video content into marketing campaigns, businesses can derive valuable insights about customer preferences, choices, and behaviors, which can guide future marketing initiatives.
