Building a Brighter Marketing Future: The Role of AI and Quality Content With Gaurav Gemini
As we stand on the threshold of a new era in marketing, it's fascinating to reflect on how the function has evolved. The past decade alone has seen a seismic transformation, as businesses transitioned from business-driven approaches to more consumer-centric strategies. The advent of data-driven insights has played a pivotal role in shaping this evolution, enabling companies to connect with their target audiences in once unimaginable ways.
Join Prateek Kalra Associate Director of Sales at Pepper Content and Gaurav Gemini, Head Of Integrated Brand Marketing & Media at Ozone Group as they discuss all this and more.
In this insightful conversation, they discuss the potent role of AI in this transformation, its potential, and its limitations. Additionally, they also examine the concept of ideal content in today's dynamic landscape and the steps required to set up an effective content strategy.
Here are some excerpts.
1. Tell us about your journey so far.
My journey in the world of marketing began around 15 years ago when I joined Dentsu as a trainee. Over time, I've grown alongside the industry, seizing opportunities to refine my skills and expertise. Throughout these years, I've had the privilege of working with various companies and organizations, spanning industries like BFSI, consumer durables, and luxury brands. Each experience has been a valuable learning opportunity, constantly challenging me to step out of the ordinary and seek ways to stand out.
In my current role at the Ozone Group, my focus is on making a business-to-business brand more relatable to its audience. It's truly rewarding to witness an Indian-grown brand like ours compete on a global scale, standing strong against multinational giants. Throughout my journey, I've celebrated successes while also embracing failures, recognizing that failures are stepping stones toward eventual success, as the saying goes.
2. How do you feel marketing as a function has evolved?
Over the past decade, the landscape of marketing has undergone a remarkable transformation. It's shifted from being primarily business-driven to becoming more consumer-centric. This evolution has been catalyzed by the extensive use of data to pinpoint target audiences and business needs. The power of data has allowed companies to craft compelling strategies and create captivating campaigns. This transformation, driven by data, has ushered in a wave of innovative solutions and technologies that have reshaped the way we approach marketing.
As professionals in this field, we're on a continuous learning journey, adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of data utilization.
To me, the future of marketing looks incredibly promising. The insights we can glean from data are unparalleled, enabling us to develop products and solutions that can be tailored to specific industries with a level of customization previously unimaginable.
This departure from the past, where standardized approaches were the norm, has led to the emergence of specialized solutions that cater to unique industry needs. This not only nurtures industries but also boosts the overall business landscape. Today, what companies aim to achieve in a decade or more can be realized within five years, thanks to the revolutionary impact of data on the marketing industry.
3. What are the common challenges that are haunting marketers today?
From my perspective, one of the prevailing challenges marketers face today is the pursuit of clarity. As a generation deeply involved in the transformative journey of marketing, we're continuously evolving and adapting. This ongoing learning process presents a significant hurdle. With a multitude of aspects demanding our attention during this journey, it becomes challenging to prioritize effectively. We can't merely focus on one element and expect a clear path forward. In this regard, marketers often require specialized tools, knowledge, and guidance to navigate in the right direction.
While everyone is grappling with the current shifts in their own ways, it's essential to acknowledge our human tendency to make mistakes.
Therefore, having a centralized hub of knowledge could greatly assist today's marketers when they encounter challenges, whether related to data, consumer dynamics, outpacing competitors, or operational hurdles.
Implementing innovative ideas can encounter roadblocks, requiring the right technology and strategy. While technology options are vast, the key lies in connecting the dots at the right moment. This is where a centralized knowledge repository becomes invaluable. It's a resource that can provide the guidance and support needed when we find ourselves stuck or in need of assistance. In our daily work, we often encounter situations where such guidance could bridge the gap and offer effective solutions. Thus, the need of the hour is to establish a platform that fulfills this role, supporting marketers with timely insights and direction.
4. How do you perceive AI's role in shaping the marketing industry?
I perceive AI as an incredibly powerful tool, and I'm wholeheartedly aligned with its technological evolution. I have a genuine affinity for AI because it has the potential to alleviate human effort. Looking toward the future, AI holds the promise of introducing positive transformations in the marketing industry and benefiting consumers. However, it's crucial to emphasize that AI alone cannot fully address the needs of our industry, which fundamentally revolves around human interaction and engagement. Even as technology advances, human intelligence and intervention should remain integral.
While AI can address issues like integration, I firmly believe that human insights and discernment are irreplaceable.
For instance, in content creation, there's a need to move beyond merely generating content and consider whether it holds value for a broader audience.
In the context of our country's economic landscape, where SMEs and MSMEs play a significant role, AI can have a profound impact. These smaller businesses often lack comprehensive marketing understanding and can benefit from AI-driven insights to make informed decisions. Unlike larger corporations that possess thein strategic intelligence, SMEs require assistance in attaining quality and efficiency in their operations.
This is where AI can truly shine by enabling these businesses to enhance their work and contribute to the nation's economic growth. From my perspective, AI's potential lies not just in executing tasks, but in elevating our roles to supervisors who oversee operations and ensure meaningful outcomes. This shift could empower us to focus on higher-value tasks while AI handles routine processes. Additionally, AI can accelerate the growth trajectories of companies, whether they're startups or emerging unicorns, allowing them to make better use of investments and drive progress more rapidly.
5. How do you perceive AI's role in shaping the marketing industry?
When it comes to ideal content, I view it as the entirety of what people consume—whether it's a digital banner, a television ad, an outdoor hoarding, or a YouTube video. Before establishing the right content strategy, it's essential to delve into consumer understanding.
As marketers, we need to comprehend how our target audience engages with different platforms and what their daily lives entail.
Capturing their attention is a coveted achievement, given everyone's busy schedules. So, a crucial aspect of the right content stack involves crafting easily digestible content that can be consumed on the go, tailored to the appropriate audience, and delivered at the right moment.
In my perspective, an effective content stack consists of several layers. Firstly, at the product or service level, it's crucial to offer snackable content that conveys essential information quickly. This content should cater to the audience's needs and preferences. Secondly, engagement is critical. Rather than pushing a direct sales pitch, the focus should be on integrating the product or service into relatable content. By seamlessly blending the brand message with what the audience seeks, marketers can establish a deeper connection. Integration is the linchpin of efficient content creation.
Thirdly, the content should foster a desire or create value. Brands must consider whether they're addressing a need or generating a longing to possess the product or service. Creating a sense of desire can significantly influence consumer behavior.
Finally, beyond the point of sale, content should continue to provide value by solving after-sales problems. Marketing, in my view, has evolved into a multidimensional role, encompassing service, sales, and even finance to some extent. By addressing post-sales issues through content, marketers can bridge a notable gap in the customer experience. To summarize, the most effective content stack encompasses understanding the consumer, engaging with relatable content, fostering desire, and ensuring post-sales support.