Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzzword in adland, but is it going to replace creativity? Perhaps not. For Dale Imerman, VP Immersive Technology & AI at WPP, AI is an innovation tool. Creativity involves complex human elements like intuition, emotional intelligence and cultural understanding, which AI cannot replicate.

On the side-lines of e4m TechManch 2024, Imerman discussed how AI will transform agencies into efficient powerhouses, optimize campaigns, and personalize content, all while emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human creativity. Imerman also touched upon successful AI-led campaigns, WPP’s overall AI strategy, its focus on collaboration between humans and machines and more.

Edited excerpts

Could you comment on the future of marketing and advertising agencies as AI becomes more ingrained into business and creative operations, given the undeniable efficiencies, and cost and speed capabilities of AI?

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into business and creative operations, marketing and

advertising agencies will transform into more agile and efficient entities, leveraging AI’s capabilities to streamline processes, enhance creativity and deliver highly personalized content.

The undeniable efficiencies, cost savings, and speed provided by AI, particularly as generative AI continues to evolve, will enable agencies to optimize media spend, derive actionable insights from vast data sets, and execute campaigns with unprecedented precision. However, the human element—creativity, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence—will remain indispensable, ensuring that AI augments rather than replaces human ingenuity. This synergistic approach will allow agencies to offer innovative, data-driven solutions while maintaining the unique value of human creativity and ethical oversight.

Are there any specific categories/brands that you think are doing a great job in using AI for their marketing communications/advertising?

Several brands are excelling in leveraging AI for their marketing communications and advertising. Coca-Cola, for instance, has utilized AI to innovate its auditory branding with Coke SoundZ, an AI-powered instrument that composes uplifting tunes from the brand’s iconic sounds. This not only enhances consumer engagement but also reinforces Coca-Cola’s position as a leader in innovative marketing. Similarly, Milka’s campaign with Dutch rapper Snelle uses AI to create personalized songs, leveraging AI engines for lyrics, voice cloning, and lifelike video, which aligns with their mission of ‘spreading tenderness’ and effectively engages Gen Z.

Virgin Voyages has also made significant strides by using AI to create personalized video

invitations with Jen AI, a digital twin of Jennifer Lopez. This campaign, which invited friends and family to celebrate milestones aboard their cruises, became a viral sensation, significantly boosting web traffic and bookings. These examples showcase how brands are not just adopting AI but are using it creatively to connect with consumers on a deeper level, enhance engagement, and drive business results.

The success of these campaigns is reflected in the recognition WPP and its clients received at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where WPP was named Creative Company of the Year and The Coca-Cola Company was named Creative Brand of the Year for the first time. These accolades underscore the transformational power of AI-driven creativity and the effective partnership between WPP’s agencies and their brand partners.

Given the diverse nature of the advertising and marketing ecosystem, where do you see AI providing the most benefit at present, and are there other areas where you see it becoming more widely used in the future?

At present, AI provides significant benefits in the advertising and marketing ecosystem by

streamlining content creation, enhancing personalization, and optimizing operational workflows. For example, WPP’s AI-powered Production Studio, developed in partnership with NVIDIA and part of WPP Open, enables advertisers to generate high-quality, brand-accurate content at scale by integrating 3D design and generative AI tools. This studio automates the creation of text, images, and videos, allowing advertisers to produce exponentially more content while maintaining high standards of quality and relevance. Additionally, AI-driven tools within the Production Studio provide real-time data insights and intelligent suggestions, making marketing campaigns more targeted and effective.

Looking to the future, AI’s role in marketing and advertising will expand into areas such as predictive analytics, consumer behaviour analysis, and interactive customer experiences. Advanced AI models will provide deeper insights into consumer preferences and emerging trends, enabling brands to make more informed decisions and anticipate market shifts. Additionally, AI’s integration with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will create new avenues for consumer interaction and brand storytelling, further enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing efforts.

What is WPP’s overall AI strategy and how do you plan to use it across your verticals and agencies?

Our overall AI strategy, announced at our Capital Markets Day earlier this year, is centered on innovation and leveraging the transformative potential of AI to drive growth and creative excellence across all our verticals and agencies. We are committed to leading through AI, data, and technology by capitalizing on our established position in the industry. This includes the strategic acquisition of Satalia in 2021, ongoing organic investments in AI and client technology, and deep partnerships with industry leaders such as Adobe, Google, IBM, Microsoft and NVIDIA.

We are delivering improved returns for our clients through a comprehensive suite of AI-enabled services and tools, all powered by our proprietary AI models and delivered via WPP Open, our Marketing Operating System. By integrating WPP’s proprietary data sets with client, platform, and market-level data, we enhance marketing performance and ensure our clients receive the best possible outcomes. With tens of thousands of users and adoption by key clients like Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and Nestlé, we are expanding the reach and impact of our AI services through WPP Open, ensuring our entire network benefits from these advanced capabilities.

As more creative and content gets generated and suggested by algorithms and machine learning, is art being in some ways replaced by math?

AI for me is not about replacing humans or art, but rather it will enhance their capabilities by automating routine tasks and providing new tools for innovation. Creativity involves complex human elements like intuition, emotional intelligence, and cultural understanding, which AI cannot replicate. At WPP, we see AI as a collaborator that augments human creativity, enabling our teams to focus on higher-level strategic thinking and more sophisticated creative work. By leveraging AI, we can streamline processes, gain deeper insights, and ultimately deliver more impactful and personalized experiences for our clients.