RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE AI

/in , , , /by

BLOG: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE AI

It seems that we have officially entered the technological twilight zone, and in the year 2023 the machines have officially taken over. No one seems to be spared from the AI uprising, least of all those in the marketing space. The list of potential hits to the industry is ever- growing but is it all bad? Looks like this is a question on many people’s minds when looking at the effect that AI has on the advertising landscape.

The new kid on the block: ChatGPT

Released in November, 2022, by OpenAI ChatGPT is a large language model that is trained on a massive dataset of text-based data. It has been trained on text-based data comprising social media posts, articles, blogs, and even books in order to learn the structure and pattern of the human psyche to give a human-like answer. ChatGPT’s claim to fame is providing dynamic and rich human-like responses, unlike other chatbots. This is possible because of Generative Pretrained Transformer 3 (GPT-3), a very potent model trained by OpenAI.

It now threatens to overthrow Google’s hitherto total dominance of internet search. In the process, it also became a $29 billion dollar organization, seemingly overnight. Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest stakeholder, will reportedly receive the lion’s share of OpenAI’s profits for years to come.

But that’s not even the biggest implication of ChatGPT. In February, 2023, OpenAI and Microsoft announced that an even more robust AI than ChatGPT was embedded into Microsoft’s floundering search engine, Bing. And just like that—Microsoft now poses a credible threat to Google’s previously uncontestable dominance of search.

This latest addition to the list of chatbots has also attracted applause and criticism in the marketing space. A lot of people believe that it will transform the industry by improving the efficiency of digital marketing, whereas others find ChatGPT and other AI’s alike overrated and a threat to already shrinking job pool.

A look at the pros and cons may help make things clearer.

Cons

  1. Phrase Usage Makes It Detectable As Non-Human

Researchers studying how to detect machine-generated content have discovered patterns that make it sound unnatural.

One of these quirks is how AI struggles with idioms.

A lack of idioms within a piece of content can be a signal that the content is machine-generated – and this can be part of a detection algorithm. This inability to use idioms contributes to making ChatGPT output sound and read unnaturally.

 

  1. ChatGPT Lacks Ability For Expression

An artist commented on how the output of ChatGPT mimics what art is, but lacks the actual qualities of artistic expression. Expression is the act of communicating thoughts or feelings. ChatGPT output doesn’t contain expressions, only words. It cannot produce content that touches people emotionally on the same level as a human can – because it has no actual thoughts or feelings.

 

  1. ChatGPT Is Too Wordy

A research paper published in January 2023 discovered patterns in ChatGPT content that makes it less suitable for critical applications. The paper is titled, How Close is ChatGPT to Human Experts? Comparison Corpus, Evaluation, and Detection. The research showed that humans preferred answers from ChatGPT in more than 50% of questions answered related to finance and psychology. But ChatGPT failed at answering medical questions because humans preferred direct answers – something the AI didn’t provide.

ChatGPT tends to cover a topic from different angles, which makes it inappropriate when the best answer is a direct one. Marketers using ChatGPT must take note of this because site visitors requiring a direct answer will not be satisfied with a verbose webpage.

  1. ChatGPT Is Biased To Be Formal

ChatGPT output has a bias that prevents it from loosening up and answering with ordinary expressions. Instead, its answers tend to be formal. Humans, on the other hand, tend to answer questions with a more colloquial style, using everyday language and slang – the opposite of formal. ChatGPT doesn’t use abbreviations like GOAT or TL;DR. The answers also lack instances of irony, metaphors, and humor, which can make ChatGPT content overly formal for some content types.

  1. ChatGPT Is Still In Training

ChatGPT is currently still in the process of training and improving. OpenAI recommends that all content generated by ChatGPT should be reviewed by a human, listing this as a best practice.

 

The pros

  1. Refined customer engagement

ChatGPT can enhance customer engagement by providing real-time responses to customers’ concerns and queries. This will eventually result in higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to higher revenue generation and better conversion rates.

  1. Enhanced personalization

ChatGPT can be immensely helpful for digital marketers in personalizing campaigns and content to meet the requirements of individual customers. ChatGPT can analyze customer data and offer tailored recommendations to address specific preferences and needs using its machine learning and natural language processing capabilities.

So, you can deliver an engaging and authentic result thanks to the chatbot to any client who queries you. This enables you to build a strong bond of loyalty with your customer.

  1. Automated customer service

ChatGPT can improve automated customer service operations by answering frequently asked questions promptly and also by resolving the most commonly occurring issues. This allows the company’s human customer service representative to handle complex queries and provide a higher level of service.

Once the customer service quality is boosted, the company will also be able to recognize the pain points faced by its clients.

ChatGPT is equipped to address some of the most common customer care issues, such as:

 

  • Delayed response time
  • Lack of personalized conversations
  • Declining inappropriate queries
  • Predictable AI-generated responses
  • Inappropriate behaviour of the representatives

 

  1. Advanced content creation

ChatGPT can generate high-quality content tailored according to the target audience’s requirements. The content can be anything ranging from social media posts to email marketing campaigns. This can help digital marketers save time and resources. It also helps them improve the quality and relevance of the content produced.

With the creation of high-quality content, ChatGPT has tremendous potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s content marketing department.

 

  1. Nurture marketing leads successfully

Marketers can use ChatGPT to develop innovative marketing campaigns that can ideally resonate with the target audience. Engaging content will attract leads to progress sales efficiently.

With this ability to analyze large amounts of data and generate creative ideas, ChatGPT can help marketers create effective, efficient, and memorable campaigns.

 

So will human jobs be replaced by AI?

The simple answer is no.

Indeed, there are some areas where computers may outperform people. Like games with rules, intricate math, and data storage. And they do have better processing and memory capacities. But imagination and empathy are two things that artificial intelligence lacks.

Creativity. Divergence. Thinking outside the box. These are the things that are still needed even with ChatGPT or any AI for that matter.

Saying that, with the advent of ChatGPT, it’s most likely that digital marketing will be revolutionized in more ways than one. ChatGPT might become an inevitable component of digital marketing in the future, especially for customer service.

The solution is to not shy away from the new tech but rather use it with measurable unites of caution.

Here are some steps to creating a good AI partnership:

1. Establish goals.

As with any marketing strategy, it’s crucial to set clear goals from the outset, so you know what you’re looking to achieve from your effort.

Start by identifying areas within campaigns or operations that need slight improvement.

2. Select the right message.

A solid marketing strategy is a core to the success of any organisation, and targeting your campaigns to reach the right audience will give you the best results.

Through machine learning, AI can detect which messaging tones consumers have best responded to and create a more complete and nuanced user profile for different individuals. That way, your marketing teams can deliver personalised messages to users based on their specific preferences.

3. Get personal.

Consumers are moving into a new digital revolution. They expect convenience, new ways to engage, and personalised experiences.

That’s why many modern marketing messages are based on a user’s interests, purchase history, location, and past brand interactions. With a helping hand from AI, of course.

AI marketing surpasses primary demographic data to determine consumer preferences on an individually specific level. The results? Carefully selected experiences based on a customer’s unique tastes.

4. Use predictive marketing analytics.

With AI, you can develop marketing strategies that anticipate the buyer’s next move in real-time and without human intervention.

AI marketing tools allow marketing teams to go all clairvoyant in their strategy using predictive data analytics. These combine machine learning, algorithms, models, and datasets to predict future behaviour. This can help your team’s target exactly what their customers are looking for and when – and then realign their campaigns accordingly.

 

 

Sourced from:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/glenngow/2023/02/09/if-chatgpt-can-disrupt-google-in-2023-what-about-your-company/?sh=5cfedd894d39

https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/5-ways-chatgpt-will-impact-digital-marketing/446208#:~:text=The%20impact%20of%20ChatGPT%20on,email%20marketing%20or%20social%20media.

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/disadvantages-chatgpt-content/477416/#close

https://exarta.com/blog/ai-marketing-isnt-replacing-human-marketers-its-helping-us-do-a-better-job/

https://www.ibm.com/watson-advertising/thought-leadership/how-ai-is-changing-advertising

 

The “holiday” we didn’t see coming: How do you need to change the way you do business?

/in , , , , /by

Part I: Brand development

South Africa has been forced to wrestle with an uncomfortable truth: the world is constantly changing, and you either learn to change with it, or you go under. As we confront a 21-day lockdown, starting on Thursday, 26 March, many other truths will rise to the surface. The only way forward is to prepare yourself as much as possible.

The central message that’s reverberating throughout the web and social media is that companies are doing business as usual.

But what does this mean at a time when it feels like the carpet is being pulled out from under us?

What does this mean if employees are suddenly working away from each other and the resources, structures, and processes that keep them motivated?

What does this mean if many businesses can’t rely on foot traffic and can’t produce products because there aren’t any workers?

This is a tricky puzzle – one that Insignia Advertising can help you solve step for step, so read on to find out how you need to develop your brand in today’s world.

How to develop your brand

There’s no getting around it. You’ll have to change your marketing strategies to keep current customers and to get new ones because you can’t rely on brick-and-mortar shops or branches, face-to-face consulting, or marketing efforts that centre around events, conferences, showrooms, etc. Right now, it’s about survival, and this is the mindset that must inform your investment decisions.

Consider the following changes at the strategic and tactical levels when it comes to brand development:

  1. Cut the long-term campaigns

Reduce your investments in long-term campaigns that require time to build momentum, and rather drive short-term sales and business outcomes as you keep brand-building alive.

  1. Make your brand useful

People are not interested in fluff or luxury right now – they care about what’s useful. Think about the details of being in a lockdown situation and list what people will find useful under these conditions.

  1. Brand visibility is key

In marketing there’s a phenomenon known as “the mere exposure effect” where customers develop a preference for your brand just because they’ve seen it so often. Brand visibility never gets old, and these days it can be done with very little money. For example, Google Ads are a terrific way to keep your brand visible at a low cost because you only pay per click. Or focus on creating high-quality content that will get traction on social media and push people to your website.

  1. Show off your achievements

Leverage your past successes to create future success! If you’ve had high-profile customers who are willing to give you a testimonial, make sure you plaster this all over your site and social media adverts to build brand authority.

  1. Drive solutions for societal issues

Make your brand stand out as a driver for social change. Any company can add  a hashtag to show they support a social cause, but unless your brand can offer tangible solutions to what is going on in society, your brand will be perceived as distastefully riding the lasts social justice wave for gain. If you’re the kind of company that can step in with a solution to what society is suffering from, then make it happen and make people aware of the good you’re doing!

How can Insignia help?

Brand development is one of Insignia’s top services. Insignia can identify where your best short-term sales will come from and how to market these effectively to ensure a steady income stream. As an agency that shapes and develops brands as they evolve, we are also equipped to position your brand as useful during this volatile time, helping you stay relevant. If you can solve for societal challenges, we’ll help you spread awareness of the good you’re doing.

In terms of content creation, we offer everything you need, from engaging copy to eye-catching designs that communicate what your brand is all about. We’ll also infuse your content with the energy of past success by integrating testimonials and positive feedback, showcasing your company’s strengths.

Stay tuned for future blogs that will delve into changes you also need to make to your:

  • Digital marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Internal communications
  • Web & SEO

Get your head in the game and start thinking creatively! And if you need support and guidance to get everything up and running, the Insignia Advertising team is on standby, ready to get going. Contact us on 083 631 5417/ 082 801 0223 or at https://insigniaadvertising.co.za/contact/

Does your Business have a strong Brand Foundation?

/in , , /by

Building-Strong-Foundations-213x300

In construction, a strong foundation is built in layers: sand, gravel, steel and concrete.

Your brand foundation is no different. Skimp on any of the ingredients — strategy, messaging, visual identity or people — and your brand is likely to be weak and unstable.

4  Basic Levels for Building Your Foundation

  1. Strategy —  Is the vision, clearly stated, that explains how your business will attract customers and talented employees. How are you different? What powerful need do you fill in the marketplace? Strategy provides answers. A good strategy makes everything else easier.
  2. Messaging — These are the words you use when you write and talk about your company and its services. The ideas and tone they convey should come directly from the strategy. It must be easy to understand, relevant to your potential clients and believable.
  3. Visual Identity — Your visual identity comprises all of the visual components of your brand, including colour, shapes, images, typography, and layout. A brand’s visual tone and attitude should align with the strategy. The visual identity can create a strong emotional reaction. Potential clients will be attracted to your company even if they can’t articulate why.
  4. People — In a professional services company  your people are your product. How they behave has a profound impact on your brand. Selecting the right people is important, but guiding them through all the day-by-day and hour-by-hour decisions they make is the key. A strong brand can help employees understand what is expected of them.

If you looking for a professional Agency to help you build your foundation fill out the form below and let Insignia Advertising help you make your mark!

Make Your Mark
Sending

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHY CHOOSE A SMALLER AGENCY OVER A LARGER ONE?

/in , /by

There are a lot of criteria to use in choosing an agency, but agency size should not be one of your decision factors. Remember that bigger isn’t always better and here’s why:

 

Individualised Attention

Your project will receive a great deal of individualised attention at a small agency.

 

At larger agencies, it’s common for employees to be responsible for dozens of clients which could result in them displaying little or no personal interest in the client or its marketing efforts, causing staff to complete the bare minimum amount of required work and then move onto the next project.

If employees have too much work on their plate, it prevents them from fully immersing themselves into each of their client’s projects because they are splitting their time between multiple clients competing for their attention.

 

It is common for smaller agencies to provide each client with personalized attention from every employee because they have fewer clients allowing each employee to become fully focused on every aspect of their client’s needs.

You’ll also be in direct contact with the creative directors, designers and the owners themselves .The small agency depends on it’s clients for it’s own success, therefore the small firm is highly invested in pleasing it’s clients. Their investment in your campaign is essential to not just your success, but also theirs.

 

Flexibility

Small agencies thrive on creativity. Staff of smaller agencies is expected to be experts at their jobs as well as grow in other directions to benefit each particular account.

With less corporate hierarchy, job definition is blurred as each individual staff is encouraged to reach client based goals rather than focus on defined job role goals.

In contrast, larger agencies tend to have corporate hierarchy, specific job descriptions, ways of doing things, and profit margins goals stemming from a legacy system. Even though all agencies are tasked with finding ways to develop and execute creative ideas, the big firms might face the constraint of a legacy system steeped in quantifying a specific type of deliverable.

 

Culture/Personality

In a small agency you have a dedicated team of people that want your success as much as you do.

An agency is about the people that work there, the team that is on your project. You are paying them for their time, talent and creativity. Do they represent you? Do you know them? Chances are you will meet 25-50% of the team in a small agency pitch, whereas you might meet only 1% of the big agency team at their pitch.

 

Choosing the right agency is kind of like hiring a team of people all at once. If you like the people that came to the pitch, you can be sure they represent the people that will be working on your account if you are going with a small agency. The culture and personality of a small agency can match or mirror your own company.

 

Quick Turnaround

Despite the resources that a large agency may have, small agencies will do anything to make sure their clients are satisfied, even if it means going the extra mile. Larger agencies sometime have a whole process to get in the work queue; so quick turnarounds are not always feasible.

 

Price/Budget

The more people that work for a company, the bigger the overhead ultimately resulting in higher project quotes than those from the small marketing firm. Smaller agencies provide a better bang for your buck.

If you are looking for a standard marketing execution and normal distribution channels, you might be best choosing any agency that can offer you the price you desire.

If you are looking for a fresh look in your industry, want to stand out from the rest, and risk breaking the norm, consider giving a chance to the smaller firm. The best agency for you is the one that gets you, the one that wants to see you succeed.

Come on Let us help you make your mark!

 

 

5 Things Every Small Business Should Know About Branding

/in , /by
Make your mark!

Make your mark!

The whole concept of branding is foreign to many small businesses. They view it as something that only matters in the ivory towers of global corporations.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Branding is all about making your business memorable, and it’s the small business rather than the big one that’s likely to get lost in the shuffle. Here are five core concepts that small business owners should know about branding.

1. Repetition and consistency are paramount. Any parent knows that when you say something once it seldom sinks in. And, parents who send mixed messages confuse the child … and perhaps themselves! The same dynamics apply to branding: the market needs to see the same imagery and the same message again and again and again.

2. Sales reps can undermine your consistency. Even in large organizations, sales reps tend to develop their own way of talking about the company they represent. However, if every rep tells a different story, your customer base will ultimately have many different impressions of what your business does. This may cause customers and prospects to overlook key products and services — and perhaps look for them elsewhere.

3. Branding is more than just a logo. Every business should have a logo, but just as important are a consistent color scheme for the website and brochures, a strong tagline, and a consistent set of talking points for sales and marketing communication. Branding should dive deeper into the details still, in terms of consistent font styles, product/service descriptions, item numbers, and any other data and imagery customers see.

4. Branding is far more than window dressing. Far from it: Effective branding reflects and projects the core values and key differentiators of your business. A strong brand tells customers what you stand for and why they should buy from you. Are you the cheapest? The best quality? The most reliable? The most innovative? Your imagery and messaging must get to the heart of what you do.

5. Branding must be focused. Continuing on the previous point, you must confine your branding to a few critical concepts. No amount of branding expertise can communicate that you’re the cheapest, best quality, most reliable AND the most innovative. The more you dilute your message, the harder it is to remember and the less important it sounds. This is counterintuitive for sales people and small business owners who feel compelled to tell the whole company story every time they have the floor.