This is the time of year when marketing experts and commentators make recommendations on what you should be doing now and next year. You can expect the usual nudges to analyse your past year’s performance, set strategic goals or use up unallocated budget.  

While all these items are necessary, being able to adapt to changing conditions is of greater importance: nothing is predictable any more. Your marketing team needs to pivot at any given moment. What was true last year is no longer true this year. Being ready to go at the starting gate and take on unforeseen challenges is what counts most.   

Is artificial intelligence the answer? Well, it can help to react faster to change, it can speed up research (though you must check your sources) and it can help to serve up content to the right audience at the right time. As far as the nuance that content needs to support a brand, we’d say AI is not the answer.  

AI can assist you, but to stand apart from your competitors, being authentic is everything. And authenticity – you being you – is what will build the trust and belief in the minds of your customers that you need to win. That’s our recommendation for the coming year. 

From the Collective Content Podcast

Introducing our AI Policy 2.0

Almost exactly a year ago, we created our first set of AI guidelines that apply to our staff and freelancers. Within a few months, our AI working group was already finding new ways to improve and expand them. Tech changes fast, as we all know.  

After a few weeks of regular meetings, we set to work with drafting a new and improved version: our AI Policy 2.0.  

We’ve decided to make it publicly available, so if you’re curious, you can read it on our website. 

We like this

• Nora Fingscheidt – The Outrun

• BBC – Ludwig

• Kate Bush – Little Shrew (Snowflake)

Word of the Moment: Slop

Rubbish on the internet generated by AI.