Generation Shift: How Generative AI Is Reshaping The Content Landscape

Once upon a time, the only technology involved in any creative brainstorming used to be the coffee machine in the office. Fill. Guzzle. Talk. Repeat.

Fast forward to today, there’s a new kind of tech in town. And instead of crushing beans, it crunches data.  

It’s called Generative AI, a new branch of AI that can generate images, text, music, and videos, by learning (or rather, machine learning) from existing data. Changing the way we conceive content, campaigns, and conversations. 

But for ambitious brand marketers, there’s more to AI than just pretty pictures. The devil is in the data.  And how we use it.

Creating personalized experiences

In India’s diverse market, where culture and identity changes every few kilometers, personalization isn’t just a trend. It’s a must-have. 

That’s where Generative AI comes in. Take a look at Flipkart, a major player in Indian e-commerce. They use Generative AI to analyze customer behavior and offer personalized product recommendations. It’s like having your own personal shopper. It’s not just about product recommendations; it’s about crafting a shopping journey tailored to each user’s preferences.

Personalization in video and voice

Personalized videos are another interesting way to harness Generative AI, and Cadbury’s was one of the first brands in India to explore the possibilities. Recently, it upped the game by introducing a new twist on the classic ‘Happy Birthday song’. Leveraging AI-generated lyrics, AI-composed music, AI-generated vocals, Cadbury empowered the gifter to make their near and dear ones feel more loved. Using the tool, one could create a customized #MyBirthdaySong, intricately woven with likings and shared memories of the giftee.

In a market where brand mascots thrive, Voice AI technologies can easily turn them into virtual influencers, at speed and scale. We might witness the birth of virtual brand mascots ready to chat with audiences in the moment. Picture the KFC’s Colonel Sanders, or our very own Swiggy’s Gulab Jamun Uncle cracking one-liners with you in real-time! 

A few months ago, MTV Hustle 2.0 dropped the coolest bomb in the rap game – an AI-powered rapper named ‘BotHard.’ It combined AI and the rhyming sensibilities of hip-hop music for fans of the genre. 

Zomato’s “Mann Kiya, Zomato Kiya” campaign spices things up with Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan chatting up the Zomato app using voice commands. The catch? Using Voice AI, Zomato served different ads in different markets, customizing the name of the food dish and the restaurant. 

Crowdsourcing and co-creating  content

Heinz decided to spice up its advertising game by throwing a quirky question to AI: ‘Hey, AI, what’s your take on the look of ketchup?’ And boy, did things get saucy! They fed the DALLE-2 tool wild prompts like ‘ketchup in outer space’ and other zany ideas, sharing the hilarious responses all over their socials. But here’s where it gets even better – they roped in the audience, asking them to whip up their own AI-generated ketchup masterpieces.

So is it game over for human creativity?

The short answer: No, creative agencies shouldn’t start planning farewell parties just yet. While AI is a powerhouse in terms of efficiency and processing capabilities, it lacks the uniquely human touch—emotions, intuition, and that spark of genuine creativity that makes ideas truly resonate.

AI excels at tasks involving data analysis, optimizing performance, and handling data-heavy tasks. However, when it comes to the heart and soul of creativity—the ability to connect on an emotional level, to tell a story that tugs at the heartstrings—that’s where human creativity shines. (Sorry, bots.)

It’s not about replacing human creativity; it’s about enhancing what’s possible. Think of it as a dynamic partnership. Humans provide creative direction, input, and critical thinking, while AI brings speed, efficiency, and the ability to handle complex computations. 

How can marketers use AI better?

Ask, refine, critique: AI is your secret sauce for personalization. Leverage it to analyze customer data, understand preferences, and tailor your content accordingly. Whether it’s product recommendations, personalized messages, or customized offers. Ask it to critique your ideas and suggest improvements. AI is all logic, so use that to arrive at the best strategies and briefs.

Test, tweak, triumph: AI loves playing the numbers game, so let it. Use it to test different versions of your content, analyze performance metrics, and tweak accordingly. Whether it’s ad variations, email subject lines, or social media posts—let AI be your data-driven guide to content optimization.

Humanize your tone, even with the tech: Don’t let the jargon take over. Create a tone-of-voice policy that keeps things human. AI might be doing the heavy lifting, but make sure your content feels like it’s coming from a friend, not a robot. 

How has Generative AI rocked your content creation boat? What are some of the ways you’re currently using it? What are some suggestions and best practices you’d like to share?

Pour your thoughts into the comments!