As Advertising Week kicks off in New York, the impact of artificial intelligence on the advertising profession will be the major topic of discussion. But what are we discussing? A new technology, a new player—or the fall of the industry?
As we brace for the real short- and long-term effects of AI, marketers should be mindful that we have been so focused on assisting clients with their brand reputations that, by continuing to call our profession “advertising,” we have neglected to evolve our own industry brand.
As marketers, we have always helped brands identify who they are and what they stand for. The time has come for us to turn the mirror on ourselves and overhaul our own brand identity—well beyond advertising—before the constantly evolving world of AI forces our hand and delivers what could be a knockout punch to the $300 billion marketing industry.
Losing our swagger, bravery and vision
The word “advertising” is too limiting. Smart marketers know it’s only one part of a constantly changing mix that now includes AI, influencer, digital, social and content marketing—and these are just the tip of the marketing iceberg.
The solution goes well beyond changing the name. The industry has lost its swagger, its creative bravery and its long-term vision. We’re so busy catering to the whims of clients that we’re not seeing the innovation wave before it crests. And once it does, we’re not grabbing our surfboards quickly enough to ride it.