GenAI in Marketing: A Comprehensive Perspective

The event opened with an inspiring keynote by representatives from Google, who offered a well-grounded overview of the GenAI landscape, highlighting the latest developments and presenting compelling real-world use cases. Their contribution laid the foundation for a deeper exploration of the potential and limitations of generative AI in modern marketing.

In his presentation "On Rails Through the GenAI Landscape: Opportunities and Pitfalls in Marketing", Dr Clemens Ammann then took the audience on a metaphorical train journey through the world of GenAI. Right from the start, he painted a vivid picture of the current landscape: the market for GenAI applications resembles a confusing train station – filled with tool inflation, a lack of transparency, and an overwhelming number of options, but also promising directions.

Dr Ammann recommended a clear focus on the use-case perspective as the key to successful GenAI implementation. Rather than chasing every new tool, companies should first analyse which applications could deliver the greatest value. This strategic approach helps allocate resources efficiently and ensures that GenAI achieves practical relevance.

Creative and Hands-On Examples

To keep the session engaging, participants were treated to a series of creative, hands-on examples: talking avatars, an original SBB-themed song, and an interactive quiz in the style of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? provided entertaining and illustrative insights into the possibilities of GenAI in marketing.

Serious topics also found their place, such as the presentation of a current Delphi study on the applications of GenAI in market research. The findings revealed significant potential, especially in qualitative data analysis, sentiment analysis, and as a sparring partner for tasks like questionnaire formulation. At the same time, it became evident that market research experts approach synthetic personas and participants with greater skepticism.

Practical Tips for Everyday Use

Dr Clemens Ammann also shared hands-on, pragmatic tips for using GenAI in daily marketing work. One key takeaway was the recommendation to leverage GenAI’s multimodal capabilities to support creative processes or simplify complex tasks.

When it comes to prompting, he advised treating the machine like an assistant and asking yourself:

“If this were a human colleague, what kind of feedback or instructions would I give?”
This mindset encourages clearer, more effective interactions – and ultimately, better results.

Pitfalls on the GenAI Journey

Dr Ammann also addressed common stumbling blocks in the practical use of GenAI. A striking example came from Coca-Cola’s holiday campaign “The Holiday Magic is Coming”, launched on 24 November 2024.

The ad, built on the long-standing emotional legacy of the Coca-Cola Christmas truck, was created using generative AI. Despite its technical sophistication, the campaign raised a crucial question:

Just because something is technologically possible – does that mean we should do it?

Widespread negative feedback underscored the difficulty of recreating deep emotional storytelling through AI alone. It illustrated the limitations of GenAI, and the importance of human nuance and empathy for long-term brand success.

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Switching Tracks: Anchoring GenAI Organisationally

To conclude, Dr Ammann emphasised the need to embed GenAI deeply into organisational processes. Success requires clearly defined objectives – not only aiming to reduce the cost of thinking and improve efficiency, but also to foster creativity, enhance personalisation, and elevate the customer experience across multiple touchpoints.

Key success factors for embedding GenAI:

• Open communication
  Employees should be informed about the use of AI tools and involved in understanding their value.
• Supportive corporate culture
  A culture of collaboration with AI helps prevent unauthorised usage and strengthens positive outcomes.
• Training and guidelines
  Clear policies, structured training, and peer exchange are essential for safe and effective application.
• Leadership as role models
  Leaders should actively embrace technology to set a tone of innovation and openness.
• Process-oriented thinking
  Generative AI should be seen not merely as a tool, but as part of an ongoing, evolving process.

Let’s Put Your Organisation on the Right Track

Clemens Ammann’s expertise made it clear: GenAI is more than a trend – it’s a strategic advantage when applied correctly.

If you're ready to set your organisation on the rails toward successful GenAI integration, we look forward to hearing from you!

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