In case you haven’t noticed, the marketing world is changing fast, and technology is leading that change with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation as the vanguard. Companies that use AI are winning. Those that don't are falling behind. If you’re a business owner, CMO, or Marketing Director — you’ve got 12 months to integrate AI and automation into your marketing operations. And here’s why you need to act now.
Why 12 months? Well, the market is moving pretty rapidly. Every day, your competitors are adopting AI. Every day they gain a little more of an edge — reaching customers better and faster, saving costs, and making smarter choices. And the longer you wait, the more it’s ultimately going to cost you. If you miss this window, you risk falling so far behind that catching up is going to feel like trying to win a marathon in flip-flops.
AI is changing everything! Imagine knowing exactly what each customer wants. AI helps make it possible. It can analyze research and data, find patterns, and predict behavior. Having access to and knowing how to use this type of power will allow you to tailor messages and meet your customer’s needs precisely, leading to higher engagement and conversions.
AI also boosts efficiency. It can automate everything from data entry to segmentation to custom email campaigns, social media posts, and website content. This saves time and reduces errors, letting your team focus on strategy, higher-value outputs, and generating revenue rather than routine tasks.
However, despite the overwhelming evidence of what this technology can do for business, reluctance to adopt and integrate AI and automation into marketing operations largely stems from a fear-based mentality and not knowing what to do or how to do it.
Many companies fear being outpaced, and even replaced, by those who are adopting cutting-edge technology — and for good reason.
Kodak was a pioneer in photographic film but failed to embrace the digital photography revolution, despite inventing an early digital camera in 1975. The company was too fixated on its traditional film business and missed the opportunity to transition to digital imaging technology. Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Another common example is Blockbuster Video. Blockbuster failed to adapt to the rise of online streaming and mail-order DVD rental services like Netflix. Their resistance to new technology made their brick-and-mortar video rental stores obsolete, forcing Blockbuster into bankruptcy in 2010. They even had the chance to acquire Netflix for $50 million back in 2000 but dismissed the threat of digital disruption.
A common theme among these failures was resistance to change and an overreliance on existing successful business models. Companies like Kodak, Nokia, and Blockbuster were market leaders but couldn’t adapt quickly enough when disruptive new technologies emerged.
Conversely, AI can provide businesses that understand the importance of integrating the technology with significant competitive advantages.
Mastercard, for example, utilizes an AI system called the "Digital Engine" to analyze billions of online conversations in real-time to identify emerging micro-trends relevant to their brand. This allows their marketing team to strategically engage with trending topics before they peak by quickly creating and publishing relevant social media content.
The fears of Kodak and Blockbuster (and many others) about adopting new technologies — whether due to perceived high costs, lack of expertise, or doubts about profitability — allowed nimbler competitors to gain a foothold and eventually overtake them.
While the initial investment in AI might seem high, especially for smaller companies, the long-term cost savings and increased revenue potential make it worthwhile.
To illustrate this point, Mastercard, using its AI-powered Digital Engine, was able to realize a 37% increase in click-through rate, a 43% increase in engagement rate, a 29% decrease in cost per click, and a 32% decrease in cost per engagement.
Another great example is HubSpot agency partner Imagine Business Development. By leveraging the AI platform Seventh Sense to personalize and optimize email send times for each individual recipient, they doubled their email opens and click-through rates as well as increased total email conversions by 100%.
Harley-Davidson even credited 40% of their New York City sales to using the AI platform Albert which provided them insights into advertising effectiveness and optimization. Another retailer EVISU saw a 500% increase in e-commerce revenue after one year of using Albert. Five-hundred percent!
Perhaps most importantly, the cost of not investing now will be significantly higher in the future when trying to play catch-up. Scalable AI solutions exist for different budgets, so you can start small and grow.
Integrating AI and automation into, or with, your current operations might seem complex and disruptive but you don’t have to do it all at once. You can easily start with pilot projects for quick wins, find what works for you and what doesn’t, and scale up from there. You can think of it as a cost-effective and efficient way to test and learn.
For example, start by using affordable AI marketing tools such as Mailchimp’s AI-powered recommendations for email campaigns or HubSpot’s AI-driven analytics. These tools provide small- and medium-sized businesses with powerful AI capabilities at a fraction of the cost of developing in-house solutions.
These tools are not silver bullet solutions so use caution when generating content within these platforms. If you’re not familiar with prompt engineering or you lack a strategy going in, you may end up making your content and campaigns feel AI-generated and get the reverse effect you were looking for.
To familiarize yourself with how to get the most out of AI generation tools, you should read our article on why AI is bad at writing and how to master it.
You can also implement AI tools like ChatGPT or Copy.ai for creating web content or social media posts. These tools can produce content quickly, freeing up your team to focus on improving content rather than starting from scratch. You can also look into AI tools that offer scalable pricing models. For example, Salesforce’s Einstein AI provides a suite of AI tools for customer relationship management (CRM) that scales with your business needs and budget.
AI isn’t necessarily new technology, but its recent democratization has made it far more accessible and powerful. Unless you were an early adopter, you and/or your company might lack the necessary AI expertise and even face resistance from employees who fear they may lose their jobs to machines. There is a common saying in the industry — AI will not replace you, but someone who is AI-skilled might.
The first step to overcoming these challenges is to empower your team. By investing in training programs, you can upskill your existing workforce giving your team a vital skill that will help future-proof your business. Offer AI training courses through platforms like Coursera, Udacity, or LinkedIn Learning. These platforms provide courses that can help your employees understand and work with AI technologies. For example, IBM offers AI training specifically designed for business professionals, covering everything from AI basics to advanced machine learning techniques. Google, Microsoft, Harvard (and many more) are offering FREE AI courses with no payment required.
If all this seems a little daunting or too much to handle, you should consider partnering with a new era marketing agency that specializes in leveraging AI such as Braive. Agencies like Braive have the expertise and experience to make the transition to AI smoother. Traditional marketing agencies, including digital-first agencies, often struggle with AI integration due to outdated processes, lack of technical experience, and older technology stacks. In contrast, specialized agencies like Braive can provide tailored solutions that align with your business goals. They can handle the technical aspects of AI integration, allowing you and your team to focus on strategic initiatives and growing your business.
A lot of companies are hesitant to invest in AI because they’re unsure of its longevity and relevance. Concerns about rapid technological advancements and the fear of investing in technologies that may quickly become obsolete are indeed valid. However, these concerns can be mitigated by understanding AI's current trajectory and its foundational role in the future of marketing and business operations.
AI is not a fleeting trend — it’s a transformative technology that is reshaping industries. Someone once said that AI is the greatest invention since salt. A 2023 McKinsey study found that 55% of companies have adopted AI in at least one business function. This widespread adoption underscores AI's long-term relevance and its critical role in delivering a new way to work. AI and automation technologies continue to evolve and become more sophisticated and integrated into everyday business processes.
One of AI's most significant strengths is its adaptability. AI systems can be updated and improved upon continuously, ensuring that they remain at the cutting edge of technology. One of the primary challenges businesses face is not the adaptability of the AI but the speed at which it changes. Keeping up with, let alone staying ahead of, advancements in AI and all the different tools and platforms available is pretty much a full-time job.
It’s safe to say that AI is not just a passing phase. It’s here to stay. The adaptability and wide-ranging applicability of AI ensure its relevance for the foreseeable future. By understanding AI's potential and investing in it strategically, businesses can overcome uncertainty and position themselves for long-term success.
Starting with pilot programs can help businesses understand AI's potential without committing to large-scale investments right away. These programs allow companies to experiment with AI applications in a more controlled way, gather data, and refine their approaches based on real-world results. Successful pilot projects can then be scaled up while more programs can be introduced, tested, and optimized.
Better yet, partnering with AI experts and specialized agencies like Braive can provide the know-how and support needed to jump-start the AI adoption engine immediately and even handle most of the work for you. These partnerships can help businesses stay ahead of technological changes and ensure they leverage the latest advancements in AI and automation effectively.
At Braive, we not only help you integrate AI, we can handle all the marketing work that comes with it by leveraging advanced AI tools to deliver better quality results, faster and more efficiently.
Contact us today and book a free consultation.