Brands Must Balance AI and Authenticity
The (ANA) has just announced its annual Marketing Word of the Year and, for the first time, two words were selected: 鈥渁uthenticity鈥� and 鈥渁gentic AI.鈥�
The ANA鈥檚 decision reflects a marketing landscape simultaneously disrupted by autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) and anchored by a sharp public cry for transparency. As one expert states, corporations, brands, and marketing professionals should take note.
鈥淚n recent years, consumers have seen this technology evolve in real time鈥攚ith increasingly sophisticated AI-generated content infiltrating television, social media, and other platforms,鈥� says Professor of Marketing and Management Colleen Kirk, D.P.S., who has researched consumer response to AI-generated marketing messages. 鈥淗owever, at the end of the day, people still crave real connection and transparency. In the new year, brands must figure out how they strike a balance between leveraging AI and reaching consumers in a way that still feels genuine.鈥�
Kirk鈥檚 research on consumers and AI-generated marketing messages, published last year in the , provides much-needed insight into how using AI to generate emotional content could negatively impact brands鈥� perceptions and, in turn, the consumer relationships that support their bottom lines. The findings suggest that companies must carefully consider how to disclose AI-authored communications, prioritizing authenticity in their interactions with consumers.
Some brands are already adapting their methods. For example, Kirk notes that while Coca-Cola鈥檚 2024 AI-generated holiday ads received consumer backlash, signals improvement and seems to have resonated more with audiences. She believes this may be due to the brand鈥檚 decision to use AI-generated animals rather than humans to evoke holiday nostalgia, while also communicating the high level of human involvement in creating this year鈥檚 ad.
鈥淐onsumers are becoming ever more skeptical of the human origin of advertisements and marketing messages. While AI tools offer marketers an exciting new frontier, these professionals should bear in mind a time-tested principle: authenticity is always best,鈥� says Kirk.
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