Oct 07 2023

AI Revolution: Large Language Models (LLMs) Shaping the Future of Branding and Marketing

We are on a journey to discover how the Large Language Models (LLMs) powering generative AI for text, images and videos are already transforming the world of marketing, offering new possibilities and redefining brand, performance, media, commerce, and consumer strategies. This is the first in a series of Pierian blogs on how we see generative AI in action in the world of marketing, media, and brand.

AI Revolution: Large Language Models (LLMs) Shaping the Future of Branding and Marketing

We are on a journey to discover how the Large Language Models (LLMs) powering generative AI for text, images and videos are already transforming the world of marketing, offering new possibilities and redefining brand, performance, media, commerce, and consumer strategies.

This is the first in a series of Pierian blogs on how we see generative AI in action in the world of marketing, media, and brand.

In the ever-evolving world of marketing, a new era looms on the horizon. It's a future shaped by Large Language Models (LLMs). As the digital landscape becomes more complex, LLMs and AI are set to redefine the rules of the game, offering a whole new approach to marketing and branding.

I am a marketer! How do I make sense of  Large Language Models

When we talk about LLMs, we are discussing a type of artificial intelligence that can comprehend and generate human-like text. These AI systems are trained on enormous amounts of data, enabling them to produce responses that are not only coherent but also contextually relevant. This makes them invaluable for a broad range of tasks, from content creation to customer engagement.

Among the vast array of LLMs, OpenAI's GPT-3 and GPT-4 stand out due to their advanced capacities. They can write essays, draft emails, answer questions, and create written content and many more tasks. These capabilities have opened up a myriad of opportunities for businesses to innovate their marketing strategies.

At the time of writing, below are some of the Large Language Models (LLMs) that every Marketing and Branding enthusiast should know about:

The Potential of LLMs in Marketing

Incorporating LLMs into marketing strategies can yield a plethora of benefits. One of the most significant advantages lies in the automation and scaling of content creation. Businesses can generate more content at an accelerated pace with minimal human intervention, saving both time and resources.

LLMs shine when it comes to personalisation. They can customise content for each customer based on their behaviours, preferences, and interactions, significantly boosting customer engagement and loyalty.

Practical Applications of LLMs in Marketing

There are several ways that businesses can leverage LLMs in their marketing strategies:

  • Content creation and copywriting: LLMs can generate blogs, social media posts, and more, all tailored to your brand voice and audience.
  • Personalised marketing: From product recommendations to personalised emails, LLMs can help deliver a customised experience for each customer.
  • Customer service and engagement: LLMs can power chatbots for 24/7 customer support, answer FAQs, or engage customers on social media.
  • Social media management: LLMs can analyse trends, schedule posts, and even respond to comments and messages.
  • Market research, data and trend analysis: LLMs can sift through large volumes of data to identify emerging trends and consumer preferences, patterns and insights that can guide your marketing decisions, and help brands to stay ahead of the curve and position themselves effectively.
  • Brand Voice Development:
  • LLMs can help develop and maintain a consistent brand voice across various channels and content types. By inputting certain stylistic preferences, LLMs can generate content that resonates with a brand’s identity.
  • Social Media Engagement:
  • LLMs can be employed to automate responses and engage with users on social media platforms in real-time in the brand's tone of voice. This can enhance a brand’s responsiveness and presence online.
  • Customer Feedback Analysis:
  • LLMs can analyse customer feedback and reviews to extract insights on brand perception. This information can be used to make data-driven decisions and improve brand image.
  • Product Descriptions and Cataloging:
  • LLMs can generate detailed and enticing product descriptions, ensuring consistency in tone and style. This enhances the branding elements of a product catalogue.
  • Localised Content Generation:
  • For global brands, LLMs can create content in multiple languages that is culturally sensitive and relevant, ensuring the brand resonates with diverse audiences worldwide.
  • Creative Campaign Ideas:
  • Brands can use LLMs to brainstorm and generate creative marketing campaign ideas and slogans. This can help in producing unique and innovative branding materials.

The Integration of LLMs into Your Marketing Strategy

Integrating LLMs into your marketing strategy begins with a thorough evaluation of your current approach. Identify the areas where automation and personalisation could be beneficial. This could be anywhere from content creation to customer engagement.

Once you've identified potential areas for improvement, the next step is to decide which tasks you want to automate with LLMs. The implementation process will vary depending on your specific needs and the capabilities of the LLMs you choose to work with. It's worth considering consulting with AI developers or vendors to ensure a smooth transition.

The biggest value of generative AI technologies is to help you create rapid experimentation roadmaps working with your platform and agency partners.

Talk to one of our experts to create your 100-day generative AI experimentation roadmap!

Potential Challenges and Solutions with LLMs

Like any technology, LLMs are not without their challenges. One of the major concerns surrounding their use is ethical issues, such as the potential for misuse of the technology or privacy concerns. It's crucial to handle customer data responsibly and ensure the AI is used ethically.

Additionally, while LLMs are powerful, they're not perfect. They may sometimes generate content that's irrelevant or nonsensical. Regular monitoring and tweaking can help ensure the content produced meets the desired quality and relevance.

An untrained or poorly trained LLM can lead to a deviation from the brand voice, causing confusion among consumers and potentially damaging the brand's reputation. Therefore, investing time and resources into accurately training your AI should not be seen as an option but rather an indispensable part of your marketing strategy. This will not only ensure that your brand's voice remains uniform and recognisable but also enhances customer engagement through personalised and interactive communication.

It must be emphasised that it is best to combine the scalability and efficiency of AI with a human touch.

It is vital that the content is reviewed and guided by brand experts to maintain authenticity and alignment with the brand’s core values and identity.

What is Prompt Engineering? Why Do Marketers Need to Acquire This Skill?

Prompt engineering is a skill that marketers and branders must acquire in order to maximise the potential of LLMs. It requires an understanding of how to craft effective prompts that will generate texts and visuals that are tailored to a specific purpose. This involves analysing the target audience, their preferences, and the message that needs to be conveyed.

Bad prompt example for a text outcome:
Prompt: "Write a blog post about our new product that gives XYZ benefit to the consumer" Problems:

  • Too vague and lacks context.
  • Doesn't specify the topic, audience, or any key points to be covered in the blog post.

Good prompt example for a text outcome:
Prompt: "Draft a 500-word blog post for our website introducing our new eco-friendly product line to our millennial customers, highlighting the sustainability efforts and the benefits of these products as follows: X,Y,Z..."

Benefits:

  • Specifies the type and length of content needed (a 500-word blog post).
  • Provides a topic (the new eco-friendly product line) and audience (millennial customers).
  • Gives context and guidance on what needs to be emphasised (sustainability efforts and benefits).

Bad prompt example for an image outcome:
Prompt: a picture of a dog and a cat lying together

Problems:

  • Too vague and lacks context.
  • Doesn't specify the type of dog or cat, or the environment they are in
  • Doesn’t specify the shape of the image

Good prompt example for an image outcome:
Prompt: a macro photograph of a Labrador and a Russian blue cat under a fluffy blanket together light colours --ar 2314:1546

Benefits:

  • Specifies the type of photo (macro)
  • Specifies the breeds required (Labrador and Russian Blue)
  • Specifies the environment they are in (under a fluffy blanket)
  • Specifies the tone of the image (light colours)
  • Specifies the aspect ratio (2314:1546)

Looking to the Future: The Impact of LLMs on Marketing

As AI continues to evolve, so too will the capabilities of LLMs. They will become more accurate, more adaptable, and more nuanced in their understanding and generation of text. This will only increase their utility in marketing.

In the long term, we can expect LLMs to become a standard tool in the marketer's toolkit, just as social media or SEO is today. They have the potential to reshape the marketing industry, making it more efficient, personalised, and customer-centric.

Watch this Space!