8 CMOs on how AI is changing brand marketing

Different brands are at different stages of their AI journeys. While some are being inspired, some are piloting and others are expanding AI’s role across functions. Many are developing structured programmes for enhancing their capabilities. In partnership with The Drum, WFA asked eight CMOs how they are looking at AI. 

“We are already using some AI capabilities to do pilots but we are not yet at scale. For me, the main thing we need to focus [on] is that AI is an enabler but we really need to make sure that we are embedding this as a part of our transformation and we understand the benefits of this and not just the technology but the benefit of this,” said Nuria Ribe, Global CMO, Laundry & HomeCare, marketing transformation & sustainability lead at Henkel Consumer Brands.

Rafael Narvaez, Global CMO at Mutti, is in a similar position: “So far we are using it very tactically to refine concepts within innovation and for me the big take-away from Cannes is to go back next week and really apply AI in every single specialty of marketing and collectively learn how much we want to lean in or stay away by specialty. It's a really transformational moment I would say.”

At P&G, the application of AI to creativity is already benefiting the business. “I would say one of my favourite pieces has been creativity. The power of the creativity that we have unleashed because of the ability to bounce ideas and to get stimuli much faster to different ideas so that we can really elevate the connection of our concepts and our marketing is probably the most business impactful ability that were getting out of AI,” said Taide Guajardo, chief brand officer, senior vice president brand - Europe, Procter & Gamble.

At some multinationals, a very structured approach has been developed. Jane Wakely, EVP, chief consumer and marketing officer and chief growth officer international foods, says PepsiCo is looking at three elements: Spark, Structure and Safety Net.

“The spark is really envisaging the future-backed scenarios with AI: what in our wildest dreams could be possible in terms of amplifying creativity, increasing our business analytics and insight, productivity we're imagining the future. Structure is developing a very structured approach to learning in this area with partners, with use cases that are designed to accelerate us up the learning curve,” she says.

It's a similar process at Lenovo, with a governance council involving peers in the legal department, security department and all of the other organizations to really think about what the right policies and guardrails are. “The second part has really been anchored to upskilling our employees and helping people understand what AI is, and how to use it. We are marketing AI PC's and phones and so in order to be able to market them we have to understand the technology ourselves,” says Emily Ketchen, SVP & CMO, intelligent devices group and international markets, Lenovo.

But there is also recognition that this is the start of something big, not an instant transformation. “AI has already changed a lot and it's not just about marketing, it's about all functions. I think people, and especially curious people, have really embraced it. I think that nevertheless the AI transformation it will take many years so we are just at the start of something here,” said Jérôme Amouyal, global media and marketing effectiveness director at AXA.

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