Published in ANA: Nora Bafus on Navigating AI as a Creative

*The following is a summary of an article originally published by ANA on November 7th, 2023.

SEATTLE, WA - In a world where the integration of AI in creative processes is a hot topic, performance marketers find themselves grappling with the implications for the future of work and the risks associated with the largely open-source nature of current AI landscapes. Nora Bafus, our VP of Creative, dives into this discussion in her recent piece for ANA, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence.

“Amid the bright shiny AI wave, it's vital to own and take your position as the curator – or better yet: the mixologist, who just happens to have a robot at the bar learning the ropes. You've got six juices, 15 liquors and 18 garnishes, and you're going to set the robot loose to conjure the cocktails. But you set the creative rules and inputs – the recipes. You drive context and taste. You set the variants so that all the combos make sense, and they land with your customers.”

Here are some of Nora’s key takeaways:

Iteration Is Dead, Sort Of:

• Traditional iteration isn't enough; we need bigger, bolder approaches.
• While AI provides volume, the human touch remains crucial for standout campaigns

A Smarter Way for the Day-to-Day:

• AI tools can provide a fast pass to volume, particularly in content creation for SEO and SEM.
• Embrace the role of a curator, set creative rules and inputs for AI to follow.
• Maintaining control is vital; utilizing AI while remaining in the driver’s seat is indispensable for data-driven creativity to thrive and scale.

In the midst of the AI wave, Nora emphasizes the need for marketers to strike a delicate balance between automation and the human touch. While AI tools offer a jet engine for volume, the key is to use them judiciously, particularly in content creation. Marketers must act as the ultimate curators, setting the creative rules and inputs to ensure that the combinations make sense and resonate with the audience.

Dive into Nora's insightful article on ANA's website here.

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The ANA is the U.S. advertising industry's oldest and largest trade association. Originally known as the Association of National Advertising Managers, it was established to promote cooperative relationships between regional and national advertising industries, manufacturers and dealers, and advertisers and agencies.

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