When to USE AI for Marketing?

TO AI OR NOT TO AI

WHAT CONTENT SHOULD BE AUTOMATED AND WHAT CONTENT SHOULDN’T

By now, we’ve all come across AI-generated content in our feeds. What was your first reaction? What was your first impression? It’s amazing that we live in a time when you can type a few sentences into a chat field and have a robot generate a blog, social media calendar, visuals, branding strategy, media plan, even poetry… but is it actually effective?

"Susan from marketing can get applause in a boardroom by showing she saved the corporation 13% by replacing humans with AI... but Susan will one day realise the system’s glitching."

AI absolutely has its place. Use it to automate repetitive tasks, simplify workflows, and make things more efficient. But please—hire an AI specialist who actually knows what they’re doing. Certain types of content can and should be created by AI, but deciding where and which ones requires real strategy.

The content framework

Most companies just make content and hope for the best. There is no vision, no structure. To use AI effectively, you have to understand exactly what role your content is playing in the user journey. Let’s break it down:

Awareness & Impact TYPE 01

This is the first touchpoint. The split-second scroll-stopper on Instagram or the unskippable YouTube ad. Your goal here is simple: earn attention. In a world of noise, maybe 3% will move to the next step. The other 97% need to at least feel something so your brand sticks.

If you think a generic LLM can generate a message powerful enough to pierce the apathy of a modern consumer, you've drunk the Kool-Aid. This is where you need storytellers, innovative thinkers, and creative geniuses.

Verdict: Definitely no AI

Trust & Consideration TYPE 02

By some miracle, they clicked. Now you have a 6% chance of a sale. The other 94% are looking for a reason to leave. This "Momentum Content" is prime real estate where you convince the user that your brand is the solution to their problem. AI can assist here with data and drafts, but it shouldn't lead.

Verdict: AI only to increase efficiency

Utility & Compliance TYPE 03

This is the "Functional" content. Legally required specs, technical data, and enthusiast-level detail. It is the core info that helps us realise the product benefits and USPs. Since this is data-heavy and repetitive, it is the perfect playground for automation.

Verdict: Definitely use AI and automated workflows

Creatives vs Clients

The Client Prompt "make me a visual of a sneakerhead taking a picture of a Nike shoe on a TV screen"

The Creative Prompt "Generate an image where someone is taking a photo of what’s on their TV screen with a purple iPhone 14. On the TV, we see a Nike Air Jordan worn by someone mid-jump on a rustic wooden basketball court. On the phone screen, there’s a close-up of the shoe. The person taking the photo is a Gen Z sneakerhead (male, early 20s) in a modern, slightly messy living room. A bowl of crisps sits on the table beside a remote, a few crisps scattered. The image should look like it was captured with a disposable Fujifilm camera using a 35 mm lens."

AI is an incredible tool, but it still requires a human brain to steer it. Stop assuming you’re an AI master just because you ask ChatGPT to write your emails. Use it to scale, not to replace the soul of your brand.

Would you like me to share some useful prompts for content creation? Let me know in the comments. Cheers!

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