Rory Sutherland: Why AI Fever Misses The Point

23 Feb, 2024

In his latest video for MAD//Insight, Rory Sutherland argues that marketers should embrace the journey of creating a great ad campaign rather than see AI as a convenient shortcut.

Barely a week goes by when I’m not asked my thoughts about AI so here’s a few musings to fuel the chatter…AI can and does make half decent ads. 

But I bet 98% of the people reading this post have never bothered to re-read their university essays. Why is this relevant? 

Because the real value isn’t in the content of the essay, it was in the painful and laborious process of writing them. Making ads is no different. The various byproducts of making an ad may be more valuable than the actual advert it when it finally emerges. Embrace the journey of getting from A to B, rather than think of AI as a shortcut.

If you respect the process, you might set out to make beer, only to stumble upon Marmite thanks to your inquisitive, experimental and adventurous mind!

USE YOUR HUMAN INTELLIGENCE - BOOK MAD//MASTERS FOR £1,295

HOW MAD//MASTERS BY RORY SUTHERLAND CAN BOOST CREATIVE EXPERIMENTATION

Featuring 10 lectures, monthly live drop in sessions with moi, an in-person meet-up at MAD//Fest London, an optional assessment (including a real brief from the NHS!) + bonus interviews to get your creative juices flowing, MAD//Masters By Rory Sutherland is packed with content to make you think, reassess and unleash creative experimentation and behavioural science on your business. Modules include:

• Should you trust data? Why we need to experiment + embrace discovery if we want to get lucky
• Dare to be different + annoying! The importance of creativity + diversity in elevating your offering
• How behavioural economics can help you speak to your board + help you become a better marketer
• Maximising your relationship with your consumers - why it pays to understand your customers
• Mind readers - How behavioural science can create better + more exciting innovation 

So if you want to embrace the (human, not machine) learning process and join groups of top brands and agencies from firms like Nestlé, Microsoft, Dyson, Specsavers and The Guardian, why not begin your journey of behavioural science and creative discovery today? 

REGISTER HERE for just £1295 + VAT and get a FREE MAD//Fest London ticket worth £650, where you get to join me on 4 July for a 'Lunch + Learn' session. You’ll also get a full year of access to monthly MAD//Masters drop-in sessions where you can ask me live online anything you like throughout the year!

Or contact my fantastic course lead Sam Benton on sam@madfestlondon.comfor more information and group rates.

RORY SUTHERLAND

Vice-chair, Ogilvy, Co-founder, MAD//Fest London