AI can crunch data, but can it truly create magic? Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM Australia, urges brands to use it wisely—or risk fading into the noise.
Australian marketing professor Mark Ritson once said, “AI will make us all masters of efficiency, but slaves to mediocrity. The more we automate, the harder it becomes to stand out.”
So, let’s look beyond the hype and focus on the real opportunity. Business leaders and marketers who rely solely on AI for targeting and activation risk falling into a trap: Campaigns that may be efficient but fail to resonate deeply. The real power lies in a hybrid approach—one where AI handles the heavy lifting of data crunching while human intelligence drives creativity, emotion, and brand differentiation.
But mediocrity, or blandness—in films, literature, art, advertising, or media—can creep up insidiously and silently. It’s why Hollywood is saturated with prequels, sequels, and remakes. It’s also why advertising is littered with globally repurposed campaigns that swap in a local voice-over but fail to spark genuine engagement with today’s discerning consumer.
Read more on Campaign Asia.
