Science fiction writers have long predicted the arrival of human alternates.
The human alternate in the form of a robot has found use in repetitive business roles humans’ don´t want or are likely to make errors in. Our world is increasingly automated, programmed, robotized.
What started in manufacturing and services has arrived in marketing. The robot in the marketing department isn´t human in appearance but an algorithm.
It helps find things, display choices, book orders, ask for feedback, analyze interests and intent to suggest alternatives.
It serves desire creating messages to us based on who we are, where we are and what we want to be. It is growing globally, including in India, where people dependent service is notoriously unreliable and automation facilitates scale.
It would be attractive for biggies like Google, Amazon having robots managing their brands in different parts of the world and managing all their functions effortlessly.
But will these robots endanger the existence of our wordsmiths, image crafters, deal negotiators and social media manipulators? Marketing does need a human touch. It’s a blend of science and art.
The science is about measurable aspects, such as sales, product development and media and about data led decisions and the art is all about intuition and talent that directs non numerical aspects such as design and aesthetics.
There is flexibility in marketing, an adaptability to bend and customize to a customer´s need, an instinct to pitch emotion when logic is running out or vice versa. In short, there can be no marketing without people.
