By Liam McCarten, VP of Sales APAC at StackAdapt
One of the things I’ve observed since I started my career in marketing is the gradual (and sometimes rapid) increase in the complexity of the landscape. Never before have we seen such a proliferation of channels in the advertising realm and marketers increasingly need to have a hand on every lever.
On top of this – certainly from the conversations I have been having – there are fewer classically trained marketers these days as businesses look to slim down their operations. The upshot is that those who are tasked with leading these departments have extremely full plates.
The solution to this challenge is the harnessing of nascent AI technology, which can provide the support marketers and brands require. The benefits are many, but the most obvious include completing tasks in minutes or hours that historically would have taken days, and allowing informed, data-supported decisions to be made at speed.
Liam Carten
We are now seeing significant advances in large language modules and AI agents. From creating media plans, analysing complex data sets, to creating efficiencies in processes, marketers are now technologically enabled to refocus their efforts on higher yield areas.
Equally important are the efficiencies in overheads that can be realised. Vastly improved predictive analytics on specific customer audiences mean that the cost of conversion for businesses can be greatly reduced.
There are also really exciting gains being made in optimising creative in real time. This means potential customers are increasingly being served highly relevant ad creative that aligns with their interests and the environment they are in.
Given the gains that this technology enables, as a starting point, a key question I’d pose to any overburdened marketer is this: what are the innovations in this competitive landscape that would really make your life easier?
Answering that one and then taking the time to gain the knowledge of platforms or partners who can help deliver on your set goals represents a huge leap forward.
If that’s the task marketers should set themselves, then it’s dependent on those who provide services for them to uphold their end of the bargain. Which means offering a unified view of all channels that gives a strong line of sight to performance. In short, making data analysis incredibly straightforward.
As we settle into 2025, here is my primary observation: marketers are, overwhelmingly, stretched. And channel complexity is only increasing. But AI-powered technology is primed to relieve much of the pressure. Which is why I am convinced that marketers who engage with what’s on the table won’t just keep up – they’ll put themselves ahead of the pack.