With the Artificial Intelligence fast tightening it claws over the brand image marketing scenarios and more, often brands are disillusioned or clueless in terms of :
- How is AI shaping brand identity and consumer experiences? Is it better, or human touch is better?
- What are the ethical considerations in using AI for marketing?
- How can brands maintain authenticity amidst AI-powered personalization?
This month we have renowned brand image specialist Vanshika Mehta met Mahima Sharma, Founder and Editor, The Think Pot on the sidelines of the Laja Talks, where the latter was the Guest of Honor.
The focal point of Vanshika’s Speech was not her work and life directly, but her vision to look at things: “In her view, each human is a differnt pot and we have to craft our own pot in a unique manner, because no two pots are the same!”
**This speech of hers triggered an idea to interview her on the nuances of Artificial Intelligence and Brand Building in a world, where tools like ChatGPT are making various brands look the same! Vanshika is also a co-mentor with Mahima Sharma at the Women Will Mentorship Project with SHEROES in Collaboration with Google. So it was but obvious for our news magazine to ask her a few questions on how in the rat race to stay ahead in brand image creation, how should one mark a clear difference between AI and ethics to ensure ‘EACH POT OF BRAND’ is crafted differently to create a better impact.
Over to Vanshika for an exclusive conversation with THE THINK POT …
Vanshika, how do you envision the future role of AI in shaping brand identity and consumer experiences?
AI, or artificial intelligence, is like a super smart assistant that helps companies come up with ideas and plans for their brands. It’s like having a brainstorming buddy that can crunch a ton of data and suggest all sorts of cool stuff.
But here’s the thing: while AI is really good at generating ideas and strategies, it’s not so great at understanding the human side of things. You know, the emotions, values, and stories that make a brand feel real and relatable to people. That’s where us humans come in. We bring that personal touch, the creativity, and the ability to connect with others on a deeper level.
Now, imagine if every brand out there, relied solely on AI to create their identities. It could lead to a kind of sameness, where everything starts to look and feel the same. And that’s not good for anyone! We want brands to stand out, to be unique and memorable. So, while AI can be a powerful tool in brand development, it’s important to remember that the human touch is what truly sets brands apart.
With the rise of AI-powered personalization, how can brands maintain authenticity and human connection in their interactions with consumers?
Maintaining authenticity amidst AI-powered personalization requires a nuanced approach. Brands should closely examine data, interpreting its meaning rather than relying solely on AI for customer interactions. Human involvement in crafting emails, outreach efforts, and marketing messages preserves the emotional and relatable aspect of communication.
So, what can brands do to stay authentic in this high-tech world? Well, it’s all about finding the right balance. Instead of letting AI handle all the customer interactions, brands should take a more hands-on approach. That means having real humans involved in crafting emails, reaching out to customers, and creating marketing messages. Why? Because humans bring that emotional and relatable touch that AI just can’t replicate.
Think about it this way: when you receive an email or a message from a brand, what makes you feel connected to them? It’s not just about getting the right product recommendations based on your data. It’s about feeling like there’s a real person on the other end who understands you and cares about your needs. By using AI for data analysis rather than direct customer interactions, brands can uphold authenticity and foster a genuine human connection.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into marketing strategies, how can brands ensure ethical use of data and algorithms to maintain trust with consumers?
Ensuring ethical use of AI in marketing involves a complex challenge. Customers may not always be aware of potential ethical concerns, making transparency crucial. Striking a balance between innovative use of data and respecting privacy is essential. Open communication about data handling practices can help build and maintain trust with consumers. Mahima, there’s a fine line between using this data responsibly and potentially crossing ethical boundaries.
Take the issue of privacy, for example. Your customers trust you with their data, but they might not always be aware of how you’re using it. This is where transparency becomes key. Just like in any relationship, trust is built on open communication. As a marketer, it’s your responsibility to be transparent about how you collect, store, and use customer data.
Let’s consider a deeper insight as an example. Imagine you run an e-commerce website, and you use AI to recommend products to your customers based on their browsing history. Now, while this can enhance the customer experience, it also raises concerns about privacy. Customers might feel uneasy if they think you’re tracking their every move online without their consent.
So, how do you strike a balance between leveraging AI for innovative marketing strategies and respecting your customers’ privacy?
- One approach is to give customers control over their data. Let them choose what information they want to share and how it’s used.
- Another important aspect is to ensure that your AI algorithms are fair and unbiased. AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on, and if that data is biased, it can lead to unfair outcomes. For instance, if your AI algorithm inadvertently discriminates against certain groups of people, it can damage your brand’s reputation and erode trust with consumers. This part – the only problem is AI can’t do this well, unless you’re using premium AI to do it, or use a combination of AI+human intervention to edit on top of it
What are some innovative ways that brands can leverage AI to anticipate and adapt to changing consumer preferences and market trends?
AI has powerful features which allows us humans to have eyes on the data sets and between. It can help you summarize a 300 page report in just 30 seconds. It can also help you by taking the data you have and making predictable statements of what could happen in the future. It can help you fine tune your survey questions so they’re not vague and open ended
When it comes to consumer preferences and market trends – I would say AI will help you understand this data better, with trend analysis and even things such as micro actions and their respective triggers. The world is changing so rapidly around us that we can’t possibly be doing a 100 things at once, and something like this, has a huge impact on business decisions. Let AI do the heavy-lighting and you can on the other hand, work on customer experience and delight – which keeps them engaged, happy and loyal to your brand
With the proliferation of AI-generated content, how can brands differentiate themselves and maintain brand voice and authenticity?
See Mahima, as an experience brand specialist I would again and again assert that human writers, capable of infusing personality and authenticity into their work, are indispensable for maintaining a distinct brand voice. By prioritising human-generated content, brands can ensure a genuine and trustworthy communication style that resonates with their audience. I will share with an example.
I would give you a controversial answer and say, if you do want to use AI to maintain brand voice and authenticity, give it words and phrases it can use – make sure you feed it the same input to get different outputs because the level of quirk in each output would be different otherwise. Alternatively, you can give it a person and ask it to speak like that person and that way you build a brand like a person and maintain consistency in voice & tone.
So, if you’re a brand looking to stand out in a sea of content, it’s important to prioritize human-generated content. That means putting real, talented writers at the forefront of your content creation strategy. These writers have the ability to infuse personality and authenticity into their work, creating content that truly resonates with your audience. When it comes to crafting that story, that narrative that sets your brand apart from the rest, nothing beats the human touch.
What are the implications of AI for brand positioning and differentiation in highly competitive markets, and how can brands leverage AI to gain a competitive edge?
Sure Mahima, let’s break down the implications of AI for brand positioning in competitive markets. Imagine you’re running a lemonade stand in a busy neighbourhood with lots of other kids selling lemonade too. How do you make sure people choose your lemonade over everyone else’s?
No, let’s talk about what AI is. AI stands for artificial intelligence, which basically means smart computer programs that can learn and make decisions like humans do. Now, imagine if you had a super smart friend who could help you figure out things like what flavors people like best, when they’re most likely to buy lemonade, and even what prices they’re willing to pay.
In the world of big businesses, companies use AI to do exactly that, but on a much larger scale. They analyze data from things like social media, online shopping habits, and even customer reviews to understand what people want and how they can stand out from their competitors.
Think about it this way: if you know that everyone in your neighbourhood loves strawberry lemonade but nobody else is selling it, you could use that knowledge to make your stand more appealing. That’s how AI helps brands identify gaps in the market and find ways to stand out.
But it’s not just about knowing what people want. It’s also about how you talk to them. AI can help companies create personalized messages and advertisements that resonate with their audience.
AI can’t give you answers – it can show you the direction and AI can’t be human, so brand positioning and differentiation is not something to expect from an AI bot in the first place, you can use AI to validate a hypothesis or crunch data to do so – but you do need a human to do this end to end
**VANSHIKA’S SPEECH AT LAJA TALKS…that triggered this interview with her
ABOUT VANSHIKA MEHTA
Vanshika is a visionary brand strategist and founder of The Fingerprint Lab. With a dual degree in Marketing and Management, she transitioned from corporate to entrepreneurship in 2019. Since 2020, she has empowered 100+ startups globally to define their brand identity and build digital presence. Notable clients include Accel, Jupiter, and Airmeet. Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice, her impactful content reaches her 100K+ followers. In 2022, she was named among the Top 30 Women in Content by Pepper Content, followed by notable rankings in 2023 for her branding prowess.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the above interview are the personal opinions of the protagonist/protagonists for which The Think Pot is not liable in any manner. To share your views on an apolitical and intense subject like this you can reach out to us at mahimaasharma@thethinkpot.in