Where to start? How about we reject the notion that we either need to be for or against the use of artificial intelligence (AI). There are countless think pieces out there already—and most feel compelled to take a firm stance. Here at Strategic Media, from our perspective, the stance to take is not one marked by hysteria or worship, but by diligence. We need to take the long view on this.  

One of the more pervasive myths on humanity, likely dating back to the dawn of advertising during the Industrial Revolution, is that we are limited, inefficient, and prone to disobedience. This, of course, is true. However, in many instances, these qualities are either overexaggerated or they can become advantages. Swap out the word disobedience with disruption and you’ve got every VC backed tech startup’s mission statement. 

And then there is creativity. The super power that is always taken for granted. And on cue, the robots arrived. Now marketers, CEOs, and life coaches label the human creative process as “painfully slow.” Not only slow, but painfully so! 

Looking back on our 25 years in business, we can see that this is simply not true. Perhaps we’ve been lucky with our particular team (many of them have been here for well over a decade) but we have ample evidence of the swiftness, dedication, and tenacity that has resulted in profits and respect from our clients. 

If you are working with creatives who are professional and experienced, you can move fast and produce higher quality content that connects authentically to users and customers. 

Experience, as in the kind of know-how that comes from a mix of backgrounds, education, and gained insights is not entirely teachable to AI (yet). For example: our Creative Team not only has a combined experience of over 40 years in advertising but also brings with them dense knowledge of seemingly random topics, like grief and obscure billiards rules. All of which enhances curiosity and instinct; key ingredients in the creative process.  

Creatives naturally have a deep understanding of the human experience—which is invaluable when it comes to understanding audience motivation.  

And let’s not forget: that audience isn’t AI, so the creative process cannot be directed or dictated by it. The closer we can come to nailing the experiences and emotions of our audience, the better our conversion rates and returns will be. That’s the very simple equation underlying advertising since the ancient Egyptians started plastering posters on their walls. 

AI will continue to evolve and improve, providing us with opportunities to streamline, cure diseases, and idealistically, prevent war. But when it comes to creativity, our flaws, our hopes, the precise fibers of who we are will always be the best fodder for creativity. 

This is not David (humans) vs. Goliath (AI). AI is the slingshot, a tool to defeat a great enemy, which could be a number of things: pressure to create content at a breakneck speed, improve efficiency, and eliminate mistakes, etc. 

Here at SMI, our goal is to grow the businesses of our clients by writing and producing compelling ads that motivate listeners to buy what you’re selling—and for that, we are armed and ready. 

Are you!? Let us turn your marketing budget into profit. Contact us today!