Brands struggling to balance AI and human creativity, say a third of marketers
Around one in three (30%) marketers say their brand struggles to balance AI and human creativity, as the technology becomes more a part of everyday marketing work.
More than three-quarters (78%) of marketers say they plan to increase their use of generative AI in content for seasonal campaigns. Despite use increasing, there is a significant proportion of marketers who express serious issues with AI. Almost a quarter (24%) admit AI-generated decisions often lack human oversight in their business, while 16% say the output doesn’t match their brand’s tone of voice.
There is also discontent around the use of AI by marketers among consumers. Indeed, over half (56%) believe brands rely too heavily on AI. A similar proportion (57%) say content generated by AI feels “impersonal” and “repetitive”.
This feeling that AI is driving more detached content comes despite the appetite for increased personalisation, with more than four in five (84%) marketers stating that consumers now demand more personalisation than ever during campaigns.
While there are perceptions that AI drives impersonalised content, there is a willingness on consumers’ parts to receive this kind of content if it delivers. Almost half (46%) of consumers say that they are happy for AI to be used if it results in more relevant and personalised content.
Source: Optimizely
Over half of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to identify prospects
LinkedIn may be most commonly thought of as a social media site for networking, but research from Sopro suggests many marketers are using it to foster leads.
The research finds that more than half (53%) of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to identify prospects and source contact details. It’s perhaps no wonder given the growth in popularity of the network, with the number of companies on the site having nearly quadrupled since 2017.
Many of its users visit the site frequently, with two-fifths (40%) of active monthly users using LinkedIn on a daily basis. The most popular time to engage with the site is the middle of the working week (Tuesday to Thursday), according to the research.
Given the popularity of the platform, it is perhaps unsurprising that 85% of B2B marketers believe LinkedIn delivers the best value for their organisation compared to platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Source: Sopro
Consumer confidence shows slight improvement, despite headwinds
Consumer confidence has improved this month, providing some “welcome rays of sunshine” despite persistent pressures on the public’s wallets.
This is according to GfK’s Consumer Confidence Barometer, which recorded a three-point increase in its headline measure, which brings together different individual measures of consumer confidence. However, headline consumer confidence still remains firmly in negative territory at -20, up from -23 in April. This, however, remains below what it was in May 2024, when it was -17.
The individual measure that saw the most improvement was consumers’ perceptions of their own personal financial situation over the coming year. This future-facing measure improved by five points, up to two from -3 last month. Again, this remains below last year’s figure of seven. While all measures improved this month, this is the only measure to have a positive score.
Consumers’ views of the general economic situation over the next 12 months improved by four points to -33, while their retrospective view about the general economic situation over the last year improved by one point to -46. The major purchase index also improved, rising three points to -16.
The savings index, which is recorded but doesn’t count towards the overall index score, was the only measure GfK reports on to decline. This metric fell two points to 28 this month.
Source: GfK
Turnover of marketing leaders damages long-term brand performance
A chief marketing officer’s exit is almost guaranteed to have a big impact on the rest of the marketing team and wider business. However, the aftermath extends beyond internal disruption, with new research highlighting the short- and long-term damage to brand success.
Losing just one senior marketing leader can reduce a business’s brand buzz – a measure of short-term brand perception – by approximately 6.1%, according to academics from Northwestern, Liverpool and Toronto universities.
Long-term brand equity is also impacted by a 2.4% decline when a senior leader departs.
The study, ‘Marketing Employee Turnover and Brand Performance’, draws on YouGov BrandIndex data and employment records of 477 businesses between 2012 and 2020.
Turnover in mid-level marketing roles also had a negative impact on brand metrics. The departure of one mid-level manager correlates roughly with a 1.6% decline in brand buzz, and a 0.59% drop in brand equity.
Junior employee turnover has a “small, but significant” impact on brand buzz, but zero impact on long-term brand performance, the study finds.
Source: Ruizhi Zhu, Samsun Knight, Anatoli Colicev and Yakov Bart
Shoppers expect to cut back in retail despite improved consumer confidence
Consumers expect to spend less in retail shops going forward, despite improving confidence, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Consumer Sentiment Monitor.
The monitor echoes what was shown in the GfK figures, that May saw signs of improvement in consumer confidence. The BRC’s monitor shows expectations for the state of the economy over the next three months have improved to -36, up from -48 in April. Similarly, consumers’ outlook on their personal financial situation has risen to -12, compared to -16 the previous month.
However, spending indicators were less hopeful, with anticipated spending on retail declining to 0, down from three in April, while overall personal spending expectations remain steady at 10. This suggests consumers are still exercising caution in how they spend their cash, perhaps unsurprising given lingering uncertainties.
Personal saving expectations also dipped slightly to -5, from -4 in April.
Source: BRC-Opinium
