Finalists showcase AI applications, bold innovation and creative collaboration

Source: © The Bookmarks Bookmarks The second IAB South Africa Bookmark Awards finalists showcase explored artificial intelligence (AI), bold innovation and creative collaboration, hosted by host Ann Nurock

Ann Nurock, host and presenter of ShopriteX the Showcase, Ster Kinekor, trend-spotter of the creative community at Cannes Lions and partner at Relationship Audits, with support from Google, Nielsen and Rainmaker Media.

Nurock delivered a keynote speech on trends at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Following Nurock’s talk, the exhibition featured three panels exploring topics such as fostering a culture of creativity, reintroducing bold ideas in advertising, and the dynamic relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence.

Artificial intelligence remains a hot topic

Although only 2% of the Cannes entries used AI technology, AI has become a major topic.

“The whole message of Cannes is that we need to be humane because AI is just a technology and an enabler,” said Nuroke.

Using Pedigree Can be used and Michelob Ultra F1 event as a case study, she further noted that the jury of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity believed that human creativity, humor and skills were most important for works that utilized artificial intelligence.

95% of business leaders are afraid to use humor, yet brands with humorous ads attract 80% of consumers to buy their products.

Cannes’ craft-led resurgence has brought illustration, stop-motion animation and even embroidery, giving brands the ability to tell stories and create stronger images, like Spotify’s Spread the Beat Activity.

Business Community Marketing and Media Editor Danette Breitenbach, Accenture Song Director Nimay Parekh, and Joe Public Digital and Integrated Executive Director Brandon Govender spoke on the topic “The Human Component: AI Needs Humans.”

All three agreed that because AI lacks empathy, humans will be needed to bring that insight into the workplace.

All panelists agreed that the introduction of AI into digital media and marketing is positive and agencies, creatives and brands must learn to embrace it and use it to create better work.

Be bold? Yes.

Does the industry dare to be different?

This was the question posed to Alex Goldberg, creative partner at Ogilvy South Africa, Sithabile (Star) Kachisa, head of marketing at Spotify, and Deshnie Govender, head of marketing for Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok.

The answer is yes, with panellists pointing to Vodacom, Castle Lite and KFC, who made this year’s Bookmarks list, as great examples of brands (and agencies) daring to be different.

“Don’t be afraid to disrupt things,” Goldberg said. “The biggest part of being bold is initiative, and you can’t be bold if you’re afraid of failure.”

The relationship and trust between agency and brand is also very important, and as Govender and Kachisa mentioned, taking the time to develop that relationship can create great work that has impact.

Collaboration through conversation

While agency tenure allows brands to create ideas that are beneficial to them, the two women further noted that it is important to bridge the gap between small, young agencies and established agencies, as well as between media agencies and creative agencies.

This was reinforced by SAB VP Marketing Vaughan Croeser, Jellyfish Paid Search Director Lerato Modisakeng and Dentsu Creative SSA Chief Creative Officer Nkanyezi Masango.

Croeser specifically spoke about how SAB and AB InBev can get the best results from their agency partners.

The company uses an internal creativity scale to conduct objective discussions with the creatives responsible for its brands.

Creative work is also evaluated by an external panel. This open source model enables the company to have a good dialogue and improve processes.

The Bookmarks Finalist Showcase provides an opportunity for thought-provoking discussions around the finalists’ case studies and local and global trends in digital media and marketing.

The IAB South African Bookmark Awards are generously supported by naming rights partner Mark1, with further support from DStv Media Sales, South African Breweries (SAB), Google, Rainmaker Media, ShopriteX, Vodacom Media, Tractor Outdoor and Accenture Song.

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