Monthly Insights #1: AI and Advertising

For the first Explainable Insights Report we look at the collaborations, tools and strategies used by advertising giants in the battle to stay ahead of the pack with generative AI.

Generative AI has been the buzziest phrase around advertising for the past year but what are its current, and near-future, practical applications? In June, at Cannes Lions, reporters couldn’t move without getting positive, but ultimately vague, quotes from advertising execs about the possibilities offered by generative AI. Digiday is awarding a prize for “most effective use of AI by a brand, agency or publisher” for the first time this year in its annual awards. Any advert using generative AI, even tangentially, is almost guaranteed extra column inches. AI is, to use adspeak, driving conversations.

For AI within the industry, and this extends to publishing and social media platforms, there are two tracks belatedly converging. On track one, the tech and engagement nerds who have been hot on AI for years and know exactly how it is already helping drive eyeballs to content. On track two, the people from entry-level all the way up to C-suite who had a lightbulb moment when they first fired up ChatGPT. The track two people are going to be super-annoying to the track one folk! But at least everyone is having a similar conversation at last. 

For this report we break down generative AI-related projects from the “big six” - WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, Interpublic, Dentsu and Havas - explore creative versus engagement tools, and dip into some early wins from using AI.