Balancing Technology And Creative Simplicity To Revive The Future Of Marketing

Musharrat Shahin Aug 29, 2024

Industry leaders delve into the complexities around the use of tech as it can be both, an enabler and a potential stifler of creativity, impacting some of the big marketing outcomes

In today's rapidly evolving marketing landscape, the intersection of technology and creativity presents both opportunities and challenges. According to a 2023 report by Gartner, companies that effectively integrate technology with creativity see a 25 per cent higher engagement rate in their digital campaigns. Technology can be both an enabler and a potential stifler of creativity, depending on how it is leveraged.

Technology Amplifies Creativity

Technology supports and leverages itself to create more new and efficient solutions for businesses. It can provide personalised solution delivery, analytics, and customer engagement mediums.

Rohit Talwar, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Castrol India asserts that technology is an enhancer or an amplifier of creativity. He emphasises that the core idea or insight must come first, and technology can then be used to scale and amplify that idea. Talwar cites Mondelez's recent campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan, which used data-driven insights to personalise advertising for small businesses. This approach is a powerful example of how brands can integrate technology without compromising on creative impact.

Technology Remains Fundamental

Research from Adobe in 2024 found that 73 per cent of marketers believe that creative judgement is essential to avoid generic outcomes in technology-driven campaigns. 

Sriram Padmanabhan, Marketing Director at Danone India supports Talwar’s sentiments and stresses that the core idea should always drive the use of technology, using an example of a social listening tool to generate concepts. However, he also warns that relying solely on technology can lead to a lowest common denominator approach, which may dilute the original creative vision. Creativity is about judgement, he says, emphasising the need for human insight in making final decisions.

A 2024 McKinsey survey revealed that 62 per cent of consumers prefer brands that offer a simple user experience, even in highly data-driven environments.

Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer at Air India Express addresses the tension between the simplicity of ideas and the complexity introduced by data and AI. He argues that while data can provide valuable insights, it can also overwhelm and detract from the simplicity that makes ideas resonate with consumers. Butalia explains through a story about re-launching the airline’s website with a focus on fast bookings and fantastic value, a strategy that led to record-breaking booking speeds. This emphasis on simplicity ensures that the brand's core proposition was not lost amid the data-driven optimisations.

Ipshita Chowdhury, Chief Marketing Officer at Valvoline Cummins highlights the risk of technology stifling creativity. She notes that the growing reliance on templates and generative AI can lead to a homogenisation of content, where the uniqueness of the creative idea is lost. Chowdhury emphasises that while technology should enable creativity, it should never replace the foundational insight that drives effective marketing.

Gen AI And Marketing

85 per cent of customer interactions will be managed without human intervention by 2025, according to a Gartner report. However, the same report emphasises the importance of maintaining human oversight to ensure creativity and personalisation.

Talwar reflects on the emerging role of generative AI in marketing. While acknowledging the potential for increased efficiency—Castrol India saw a 70 per cent improvement in productivity in a recent AI-driven social media campaign—he cautioned that the truly transformative impact of Gen AI is still in its early stages. 

Himanshu Khanna, Director of Enterprise Business (India and South Asia), HCL Software also mentions the importance of balancing technology with creativity in marketing. He shares that while technology offers powerful tools for amplifying ideas and reaching audiences at scale, the essence of effective marketing lies in the simplicity and relevance of the creative concept. “As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, brands must navigate this balance carefully to ensure that technology is a true enabler of creativity, rather than a shortcut to outcomes”, he adds.

*The speakers were present at the BW Festival of Marketing 2024