Why does generative AI for advertising and media strategy matter right now?

There’s an early mover advantage in generative AI (genAI) for advertising and media strategy. A Duke University/Deloitte survey of marketing leaders conducted in Q1 found that genAI was used only 7% of the time in marketing activities. But respondents reported that the technology had already boosted sales productivity by an average of 5.1%, improved customer satisfaction by an average of 6.1%, and reduced marketing costs by an average of 7.0%. Those who adopt genAI strategically stand to gain faster generation of insights, more agile strategy iteration, and adaptable marketing processes.

GenAI is reshaping advertising and media planning landscapes. Three-quarters of marketers surveyed by Salesforce in Q1 were experimenting with or fully implementing AI. Salesforce also reported that high-performing organizations were 2.5 times more likely to have fully integrated AI into their operations in 2024. The correlation between AI adoption and organizational performance suggests that the technology can deliver solid results in advertising and media strategy, though more research is necessary to prove causality.

The challenge is to overcome implementation hurdles. A July 2024 Gartner survey found that 80% of CMOs expect a positive impact from AI investments this year, but that 30% of genAI projects are likely to be abandoned by the end of 2025. Marketers who know how to prioritize use cases and get value out of genAI can avoid wasting resources.

Read the full report, Generative AI for Advertising and Media Strategy.