We are pleased to share our contribution to dentsu’s The Gen Z Effect: Shaping the Year of Impact, a special edition Media Trends report that examines the evolving media landscape through the perspective of Gen Z. This report brings together expert insights and first-hand accounts from those shaping the future of content consumption including Nikho Vera, Client Executive – Sponsorship and Consultancy, MKTG.
In Missy’s article, she explores key insights into the trends transforming how brands engage with their audiences. To read the full report, click here.
Artificial intelligence is shaking up the media landscape, and by 2025, we’re expecting a wave of new AI-driven solutions that will change how brands approach their campaigns. While marketers have started to explore generative AI through tools like Meta Advantage+ and Google Performance Max, many are still facing challenges integrating these technologies across their organizations.
In 2025, we’ll see brands taking charge, looking beyond platform specific tools to tap into AI’s full potential throughout the media value chain. This includes smarter budgeting, leveraging data for predictive insights, and optimizing campaigns in real time. AI can enhance both the baseline and the upper limits of creativity in media, but brands need to focus on practical applications that improve efficiency, cost savings, or sales effectiveness.
Data governance will be crucial, ensuring transparency and accountability as brands harness AI. With this strategic approach, marketers will gain clearer insights and more agility in decision making, setting the stage for impactful campaigns.
Gen Z will define the future of AI-human collaboration, with AI set to impact 60% of jobs in advanced economies.
Stat source: International Monetary Fund, 2024 Jan (link)
“AI and human insight don’t have to be at odds. Instead, they should coexist, complementing each other to create something greater than either could achieve alone.”
Balancing AI with Human Insight
By Nikho Rudah, Strategist, dentsu
Age 27, South Africa
When it comes to work, AI has become an invaluable tool. What excites me most is how it overlays with existing data, insights, and audience tools. It gives us the ability to explore different outcomes, imagine possibilities, and solve complex problems. At dentsu South Africa, we’ve built a dashboard called Pulse, which consolidates all relevant brand and category data. We often combine this with Gen CX, an AI tool, to generate insights and recommendations on the best ways to approach media planning based on those data points.
But here’s the thing: AI doesn’t always take into account the anecdotal elements that are crucial to what we do in advertising. It’s great for optimization, for sure, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why I see AI as a tool for consideration - an enhancement that can guide decisions but shouldn’t be the final word. It’s there to support, not replace, the human insights that make our work so powerful.
In my personal life, AI takes on a different role. As a consumer, I use it to save time, helping me quickly digest new information. It’s incredibly efficient at streamlining tasks, but transparency is key. I want to know where the information is coming from, and that’s an important part of my relationship with AI. When it comes to personalization, I’m pretty accepting - as long as I’m aware it’s being used.
However, there’s always a tension with AI, especially around the legitimacy of its data and how it integrates - or sometimes overlooks - the human experience. My hope for the future is that business leaders recognize there’s room for both. AI and human insights don’t have to be at odds. Instead, they should coexist, complementing each other to create something greater than either could achieve alone.
Ultimately, the value lies in striking that balance - leveraging the strengths of technology while never forgetting the unique perspective that only human experience can provide.
Want to explore more insights? Read The Gen Z Effect: Shaping the Year of Impact here.
