AI in Marketing

Contrasting Approaches of Large Agencies and RAVER

I recently had a chance to listen to a review on how large marketing agencies prepare and adjust themselves to the age of AI. I found a stark contradiction to how RAVER is approaching the topic.

Large marketing agencies depend, by nature, on the skill and creativity of their employees. These marketing machines employ top talent to handle strategy, client relationships, creative ideas, copywriting, graphics, art, video productions, legal, SEO, social media, public relations, and many more roles. Great marketing is art, science, experience, and professionalism. The best commercials and ads out there can make us laugh or cry while trying to be fresh and innovative. Aside from great creativity, the task of effectively promoting the client’s brand is a complex one. The highlight of marketing is the Super Bowl ads, which may cost millions per second to produce.

AI, at present, cannot compete with that level of human creativity and professionalism. Generative AI images cannot compete with expert video productions or photoshoots. However, such professional services are extremely expensive and out of reach for the majority of us. A small restaurant cannot afford McDonald's level marketing, and a boutique store cannot compete with Target's $1.4 billion marketing budget.

RAVER is meant for the small businesses out there, so our approach is much different. We tap into the knowledge and creativity of AI and improve it as the technology quickly evolves. This is a far more affordable approach as AI is as ubiquitous as the internet and costs very little. We won’t be able to make a Super Bowl ad any time soon, but we can provide good and effective marketing to people who just need to attract some more customers to their business.

When assimilating AI, the big-budget marketing approach is to enhance and optimize the creative powers of their employees. As they should, the people are their asset and improving their productivity and ability will surely get better service to their clients and improve the bottom line. The RAVER approach is to automate everything. Let AI play the role of the full team. Since we have very different customers, we can live side by side for a long time, maybe even feeding and enriching each other.

Will AI be good enough to threaten the big-budget agencies? We tend to believe the answer may be no, at least for the creative tasks. Even human-level intelligence or super intelligence will not guarantee replacement of top-tier human creativity. The best of their profession will just be better and we’ll all win.

Enhancing Creativity with AI

Large marketing agencies thrive on the creativity and expertise of their teams. These professionals are skilled at crafting narratives and visuals that resonate deeply with audiences. AI, in its current state, complements but does not replace this level of nuanced creativity. The Super Bowl ads are a testament to this – they are a blend of high production value, clever storytelling, and emotional engagement that AI alone cannot replicate.

For instance, a high-end car commercial might involve a complex storyline, celebrity endorsements, stunning visuals, and a compelling soundtrack. Creating such an ad requires a human touch to bring all these elements together seamlessly. AI tools can assist in various stages of the process, such as data analysis, trend prediction, and even initial drafts of scripts, but the final product is still heavily reliant on human ingenuity.

Making AI Accessible for Small Businesses

RAVER, on the other hand, democratizes access to marketing tools by leveraging AI. Our focus is on providing small businesses with the ability to create effective marketing campaigns without needing a large budget or extensive expertise. By utilizing AI, we offer a scalable solution that grows more sophisticated over time without a corresponding increase in cost.

Small businesses often operate with limited resources, and the cost of hiring a professional marketing team can be prohibitive. RAVER steps in to fill this gap, offering a platform where AI handles tasks such as content creation, social media management, and basic design. This approach ensures that small businesses can compete in the digital marketplace without breaking the bank.

Coexistence and Collaboration

The coexistence of AI-driven marketing solutions and traditional agencies is not only possible but beneficial. Large agencies can continue to push the boundaries of creative advertising, while AI platforms like RAVER ensure that smaller players are not left behind. This symbiotic relationship fosters a diverse and dynamic marketing landscape where creativity and technology enhance each other.

For example, a boutique store might use RAVER to manage its day-to-day social media posts and email marketing campaigns. At the same time, they might hire a professional agency for a significant rebranding project or a special event. In this way, AI tools serve as an accessible entry point, while high-level human creativity adds the finishing touch for more critical projects.

The Future of AI in Marketing

As AI technology continues to advance, its role in marketing will undoubtedly expand. However, it is unlikely to completely replace the need for human creativity. Instead, AI will act as an enabler, providing tools that allow marketers to focus more on strategy and less on routine tasks.

Future developments might include AI systems that can better understand and predict consumer behavior, create more personalized content, and manage multi-channel campaigns with greater efficiency. These advancements will make AI an even more valuable asset for both small businesses and large agencies.

Conclusion

The integration of AI in marketing presents a broad spectrum of opportunities and challenges. Large agencies will continue to harness human creativity to produce high-impact campaigns, while AI-driven platforms like RAVER make marketing accessible to small businesses. This dual approach ensures that the benefits of advanced marketing techniques are available to all, fostering a more inclusive and competitive market.

By embracing the strengths of both human creativity and AI capabilities, the marketing industry can look forward to a future where innovation and accessibility go hand in hand. As technology evolves, so too will the ways in which we connect with audiences, making the world of marketing more dynamic and exciting than ever before.