Why marketers must align strategies with evolving consumer norms and values in 2024

As we reflect on 2023, it's nearly impossible to quantify the magnitude of disruption it brought. In the annals of technological revolutions, the advent of electricity, the birth of computers and the explosion of the internet each marked a paradigm shift. Yet, these pale in comparison to the generative AI phenomenon. This wasn’t just a swell in the ocean of tech, but a seismic sea change. Like me, millions took the bait and we’re still on the hook. ChatGPT in particular is as much about access as technology. Capability that once cost a fortune now borders on free. Low-code, no-code AI platforms are everywhere, offering democratized mobile-first digital creation at our fingertips. I furiously tested all the platforms—ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Google Bard and now Gemini—and wrote nearly 500 birthday raps on UberDuck. Opus CLIP made video creation not just easy, but insanely fun, and I rejoiced in the simplicity of generative AI on top of Adobe Express, Canva and Shopify. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs I channeled Picasso and artistic masters on Midjourney and Dalle until graphic capability folded seamlessly into ChatGTP4.0. I launched an Instagram called SkiDoggie.AI dedicated entirely to AI-generated images of Pax, our family golden doodle, in Swiss ski environments. I created a game called “PromptQuest” to help business leaders train to reverse engineer prompts based on future scenarios. While the ad industry obsessed on cheaper, faster content production, I couldn't shake pondering whether AI might change the math of inclusion. Put another way, is this latest wave of #AI "the greater equalizer." I knew something big was in the works when we built 60 chatbots in about an hour and a half as part of tech skilling for 30 minority small businesses here in Cincinnati. To kick off the year I wrote in Ad Age that generative AI is the ultimate BS detector: “How AI’s digital memory can debunk brand narratives.” After 10,000 searches, my conviction stands. Every chief marketing officer should heed this: AI will rigorously fact-check and scrutinize every brand claim, green pledge and product performance boast. Skeptical? Just ask an AI search engine about your brand's carbon footprint. In another column, I translated the Cannes Lions judging criteria into AI prompts and used them to rank the top award winners of the last two decades. “How AI would judge Cannes Lions entries.” This wasn't just an experiment—it was a revelation about how AI could reshape our understanding and evaluation of industry benchmarks ... and along the way threaten the world's best (and sun-drenched) boondoggle. The year beyond AI Despite the magic of AI, some headaches held ground. Email spam and unsolicited calls got worse—this after 25 years and millions of CMO speeches about friction-free consumer empowerment. My relationship with cable TV and online content added more needless clutter. It was like a digital Jenga tower wobbling under its own weight. Too many subscriptions. Too much content. Too many hidden charges. To make things even more unbearable, I continually ran out of storage space on my computer. The metaverse ambled on, like a reveler the morning after a rave, holding onto the echoes of crypto's big bash. Gamers remained the metaverse's truest knights. Then again, blockchain technology found new uses in 2023, from enhancing supply chain transparency to securing digital identities. Its expansion beyond cryptocurrency highlighted its potential in various sectors. Social media was a mixed bag for me. LinkedIn grabbed share while my thumb got sore flipping through mindless Facebook videos of old Johnny Carson monologues and home improvement time-lapses. Twitter felt like trying to stay upright in a digital twister—this while advertisers retracted into the shadows. Despite all the political swirl around TikTok, I credit the platform for more laughs in 2023 than the entire Saturday Night Live archive. The year saw AR and VR technologies create immersive experiences beyond gaming, from educational applications to retail innovations. Telemedicine became an even stronger cornerstone of health care in 2023, with apps offering remote consultations and wearable tech providing real-time health monitoring. Driven by youthful urgency and hefty federal incentives, climate tech accelerated notably. The EV market thrived, and brands, echoing this shift with bold statements at COP28, began to act. My highlight was an April day brainstorming circularity and zero waste with Amazon, P&G, Kroger and Rumpke Waste & Recycling. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Physical cash played a negligible role in my transactions this year, amounting to barely $100. Digital payment methods became the norm, transforming how I handled everything from everyday purchases to parking and sports ticketing. The efficiency of mobile apps in these processes not only made life easier but also gifted me back valuable time. The crossroads of 2024 In this new year, we find ourselves at a critical crossroads in technology, media and advertising. The future is one where algorithms significantly influence brand identity, reputation and performance. In this landscape, trust becomes an even more vital currency and a value we cannot afford to overlook. Consumers, increasingly savvy and discerning, will seek content that upholds authenticity and integrity. Accustomed to the sophistication and ad-free experience of AI-driven search engines, they'll demand less clutter and more seamless interactions. As marketers, adapting to these expectations is imperative. This insight comes not just from industry analysis, but from experiencing the consumer journey firsthand. We're all consumers, after all. As we navigate the intricate dance with algorithms, it's essential to align our strategies with these evolving consumer norms and values. Let's get it right in 2024—for the industry, for consumers and for the integrity of our brands. See our Year in Review stories here

Why marketers must align strategies with evolving consumer norms and values in 2024

Featured Stories