Industry leaders are taking a deep dive into the complex issues of how technology can both foster creativity and potentially stifle it, impacting big marketing outcomes.
In today's rapidly evolving marketing environment, the convergence of technology and creativity brings both opportunities and challenges. According to a 2023 Gartner report, companies that effectively integrate technology and creativity will see 25% higher engagement rates in their digital campaigns. Technology can be either a creative enabler or a creative inhibitor, depending on how it's leveraged.
Technology amplifies creativity
Technology supports and leverages itself to create newer and more efficient solutions for businesses. Technology can provide a medium for personalized solution delivery, analytics, and customer engagement.
Rohit Talwar, vice president and head of marketing at Castrol India, asserts that technology is an augmentation or amplification of creativity. He emphasizes that a core idea or insight needs to come first, and technology can be used to expand and amplify that idea. Talwar cites as an example Mondelez's recent campaign with Shah Rukh Khan, which used data-driven insights to personalize ads for small businesses. This approach is a strong example of how brands can integrate technology without compromising on creative impact.
Technology remains fundamental
According to a 2024 Adobe survey, 73% of marketers believe creative judgement is essential to avoid generic results in technology-driven campaigns.
Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India, supports Talwar's opinion and stresses that the core idea should always drive the use of technology, citing the example of social listening tools to generate concepts. However, he warns that relying solely on technology can lead to a lowest common denominator approach that dilutes the original creative vision. Creativity is judgement and the final decision requires human insight, he says.
A 2024 McKinsey survey revealed that 62% of consumers prefer brands that offer a simple user experience, even in a highly data-driven environment.
Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer at Air India Express, talks about the tension between the simplicity of an idea and the complexity brought about by data and AI. Butalia argues that while data can provide valuable insights, it can also overwhelm and undermine the simplicity that makes an idea resonate with consumers. Butalia describes the airline's website relaunch with a focus on fast booking and great value, a strategy that led to record booking speeds. This focus on simplicity ensures that the brand's core proposition is not lost amid data-driven optimization.
Ipshita Choudhury, chief marketing officer at Valvoline Cummins, points out the risk that technology will stifle creativity. She points out that an increased reliance on templates and generative AI can lead to homogenization of content, losing the uniqueness of original ideas. Choudhury emphasizes that technology should be an enabler of creativity, but not a replacement for the fundamental insights that drive effective marketing.
Generation AI and Marketing
According to a Gartner report, by 2025, 85% of customer interactions will be managed without human intervention. However, the report emphasizes the importance of maintaining human oversight to ensure creativity and personalization.
Reflecting on the emerging role of generative AI in marketing, Talwar acknowledged the potential for improved efficiency (Castrol India saw a 70% increase in productivity in a recent AI-driven social media campaign), but cautioned that the truly transformative impact of Gen AI is still in its early stages.
Himanshu Khanna, director, Enterprise Business (India and South Asia), HCL Software, also spoke about the importance of balancing technology and creativity in marketing. He said that while technology provides a powerful tool to spread ideas and reach large audiences, the essence of effective marketing lies in the simplicity and relevance of the creative concept. “As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, brands need to strike this balance carefully to ensure that technology is a true enabler of creativity and not a shortcut to results,” he added.
*Speaker attended BW Marketing Festival 2024
