If you’ve seen this post’s titular film, you know it portrays a ragtag group fighting against a dystopian AI-controlled future. I’m not worried about AI cloning our children or mastering teenage mind control via social media doom scrolling (well, maybe a little!). But I’ve already seen brands use AI to accelerate bad marketing and destroy trust with disconnected promotions. Martech vendors are fueling the idea-to-orchestration concept with tools that optimize productivity and operational efficiency without enough focus on customer outcomes and business impact.

Good Marketing Aligns With CX And Business Goals

At a recent martech event, a keynote presentation derided Skechers for a seemingly missed opportunity. Power forward OG Anunoby wore Skechers while helping the New York Knicks win their first NBA championship in over 50 years. You could feel the collective FOMO as conference attendees viewed a flashy Skechers promo that never happened. How dare they not use AI to launch a promo immediately?

Personally, I admired Skechers’ restraint. A big sports splash would feel more Nike-ish than authentic to a brand I wear for comfort. Skechers did launch a line of shoes with Anunoby days after the NBA Finals. The ads were more practical than glitzy — aligned with both the brand and his low-key personality. One could argue they should have launched more quickly. But the shoes were not available, and aggressive promotions may have frustrated potential new customers. Alternatively, Skechers established a pre-order system and announced launch activities for mid-October.

I shared my views with other brands at the event. A marketer for a fast-casual restaurant chain said her team would have launched the ad. They don’t answer to the business, and if they want to promote milkshakes, they just do it. Perhaps that works for a multi-billion-dollar brand with over 2,000 locations in more than 25 countries. But surely alignment with regional demand, supply chain logistics, unique franchisee requirements, and local delivery capabilities must come into play at some point.

Look Beyond Martech Tools That Boost Productivity

At another event, a martech vendor showed what AI could do for one of its customers: Formula 1. The presenter (acting as an F1 marketer) announced, “It’s a month before the British Grand Prix, and we need to sell some tickets.” The demo team showed how F1 could build a campaign in 10 minutes and send it to 350,000 people in the UK (for ticket sales), Australia (for content associated with an Aussie driver), and the US (for streaming via media partners).

A better use of AI would involve F1 planning its sales campaigns and media promotions across all 24 Gran Prix weekends. Marketing could then work with the business if ticket sales lag for a particular race. And it would help connect the dots. The British Grand Prix uses a former WWII RAF airfield in Silverstone, in a rural setting 60 miles Northwest of London. It’s a four-day weekend race with single-pass tickets for under $100 that quickly climb to $500 or even $5,000 for a premium experience. Accommodation ranges from woodland camping to local hotels to luxury resorts and spas. There’s a big difference between individual tickets and corporate hospitality packages.

It’s difficult to imagine an effective campaign that does not consider these logistical variables. And this year’s event coincided with fourth-of-July weekend celebrations in the US, obviously impacting promotions to US fans. Using AI to manage all that complexity goes well beyond sending better/faster emails.

Connect Digital Marketing To Real-World Experiences

Yet another conference and a final example that holds particular relevance to me as a frequent traveler: Marriott. A martech vendor used the brand (as its customer) to demonstrate AI that immediately capitalizes on a market opportunity. In this case, the French Riviera was trending on social media thanks to a reality TV show. On behalf of Marriott, the vendor team created a campaign to promote the destination to Bonvoy members and even routed it to a European manager for approval, since it was after hours in the US.

But this was at the height of several global conflicts, with daily increases in fuel prices and airfares. Not to mention that flights to Nice operate seasonally, so people often fly to Paris with quick-hop flights or high-speed trains to the coast. Yet there was no alignment with airline, train, rental car, or other travel partners. There was no mention of how Marriott’s properties in the region span top-tier, mid-tier, lifestyle, and economy brands. Or that many operate as franchises. It was unclear how this promotion would align with local hotel plans or holiday schedules. AI can’t untangle all of that on its own, but it would be great to see it applied to workflows beyond creative design.

Focus On Total Experience

It doesn’t have to be like this. After the Skechers keynote, a lifecycle marketer from smart home audio brand Sonos considerably brightened my outlook. She said, “Don’t sacrifice brand authenticity for scale and speed” — sage advice. I’d further recommend that you focus on your brand’s total experience. Consider not only brand experience, but customer experience and employee experience, too. That’s the best way to ensure that brand promotions align with customer expectations that the business can successfully fulfill.

In our new report, we explore how you can build a customer-obsessed roadmap for total experience. You’ll have to think beyond AI tools that speed up campaign production or boost marketing-specific goals. Instead, you’ll need a cross-functional plan that considers AI within your broader investments in people, processes, and technology. (We dive deeper into all three with separate linked reports.) It may seem like a step backward to view AI through such a tried-and-true lens, but that’s exactly why it works. It’s solid business practice. You just need to adapt your mindset and pivot your approach to people, processes, and technology in the face of evolving AI capabilities.

Using AI to bolster or hyperpersonalize promotions may not be a life-or-death situation. At the same time, I wouldn’t bet my brand on it without solid customer and business insights. If you’d like to evolve your ability to better connect marketing with your total experience strategy, please get in touch to set up a guidance session.

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