AI Campaigns and Case Studies
Artificial intelligence (AI), and its applications, is at the forefront of many discussions in many industries and fields, from marketing to tech to healthcare to education to law. How to implement and leverage these tools in a helpful way for users can be challenging for teams. However, when used well, AI can help save time analyzing data, personalize content and information, enhance creative ideas, and find ways to promote diversity, equality, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
Below are case studies and campaigns that successfully utilized AI.
Leveraging Chatbots and ChatGPT
Zak Stambor, senior analyst of retail and e-commerce at Insider Intelligence, discussed AI at an ANA event, stating that it is "very clear that marketers will be spending more of their budgets on AI-infused productivity tools in the future."
Stambor cited two companies utilizing chatbots to help consumers find what they need. For instance, Instacart started its Ask Instacart tool to help its users "create and refine shopping lists by allowing them to ask questions like, 'What is a healthy lunch option for my kids?' Ask Instacart then provides potential options based on users' past buying habits and provides recipes and a shopping list once users have selected the option they want to try," according to the ANA event recap.
Further, Mint Mobile used ChatGPT to write an ad which it later released. The recap, however, stated that the company's CMO "emphasized that there were limitations with the technology and stressed the importance of understanding a brand's DNA before using generative AI. He recommended approaching ChatGPT in the same way successful marketers approach social media."
Smoothing the Request for Proposal (RFP) Process
Creating campaigns that are actually interesting and engage people, is, of course, every marketer's dream. ZS, a consulting and technology firm focused on transforming global healthcare, worked with Stein IAS to create its campaign "Data Connects Us," which provided client services teams with content, case studies, reports, ZS's Future of Health survey, and data to help with the RFP process.
The campaign leveraged AI to create "futuristic AI generated images — such as a futuristic hospital — and coupled it with copy communicating how ZS is positioned to help connect data with people and support real innovation. By leveraging emotionally engaging, distinct, and memorable creative, ZS was able to invite consumers to learn more about the company," as described in the ANA event recap.
Fostering DEIB
Google sought to promote DEIB practices as well as combat stereotypes and bias; the company was able to do this through the use of AI in the photography space. In 2018, the company established the Google Image Equity initiative, which enlisted experts on "achieving fairness, accuracy, and authenticity in camera and imaging tools," according to the ANA event recap.
This result in Real Tone, which is a "collection of improvements focused on building camera and imaging products that worked equally for people of color" and became a consideration for people potentially buying a Google Pixel.
As part of this process, the company collaborated with Harvard professor, Dr. Ellis Monk; together, they released a 10-shade skin tone scale that was more inclusive of diverse skin tones. This scale helps "train and evaluate AI models for fairness, resulting in products that work better for people of all skin tones."
Unearthing Creativity
Michelob ULTRA partnered with agency CB New York to create a virtual tennis match with John McEnroe, both in the past and present. McEnroe's past self was created using motion-capture technology and AI. Moreover, the brand also created a campaign called "Dreamcaster" with Cameron Black, who has been blind since birth, who longed to be a sports broadcaster "but felt he would never get the opportunity due to his disability," as explained in the ANA event recap.
The recap went on to explain that Michelob worked with Black for an entire year to "create a spatial audio portal, complete with 62 surround sound speakers and more than 1,000 unique sounds, that 'placed' him at center court and told him what was occurring during a basketball game in real time. The portal featured a vest, designed with its own haptic language, to further assist Black in following the action by allowing him to feel the game's action. After 12 months of development and training, Black became the first-ever visually impaired person to broadcast an NBA game on live TV."
Deepening Personalization
To enhance personalization, Panera Bread created a loyalty program called "My Panera" in 2010. The program gives customers rewards based on visits; the rewards to be personalized which boosts the program's engagement.
Recently, Panera worked with ZS Associates to utilize machine learning to create an automated "best next action" program to enable "true one-to-one interactions with My Panera members," as described in the ANA event recap, which went on to say that the company uses a "time-based criterion, combine[s] it with several other variables identified and sorted by AI, and serve[s] more than 100 different offers to the same audience. Panera can also leverage the technology to develop multiple email subjects or coupon headlines, make product recommendations based on past purchases, and even customize colors and copy within the communication to suit the sensibilities of the customer being targeted. Overall, there are more than 4,000 unique combinations of offer and product recommendations that a customer can receive."
The views and opinions expressed in Industry Insights are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ANA or imply endorsement from the ANA.
Joanna Fragopoulos is a director of editorial and content development at ANA.