AI in Marketing & PR: The Winning Formula

On November 8, the American Chamber of Commerce Japan (ACCJ) hosted an exclusive presentation on the topic of “AI in Marketing & PR: The Winning Formula”. The event featured Andrew Ogura, the founder of The Research Group, who shared his insights on how AI can transform marketing and PR as a secure and easily deployable technology that offers cost-effectiveness, assistance, problem-solving, and more.

The session began with an exploration on how AI can enhance various aspects of marketing and PR, including performance, strategies, outcomes, and operations. Andrew highlighted the various tasks and applications AI can assist professionals with, such as communication guidance, sentiment analysis, campaign optimization, customer segmentation, brand reputation, crisis management, and analytics.

Andrew also discussed the benefits and challenges of AI, such as communication and engagement improvement, cost reduction, data quality maintenance, bias and discrimination prevention, and security management. He then stressed the importance of adhering to best practices, such as defining goals, selecting the right tools, gathering data, consulting experts, and complying with ethical standards.

Finally, Andrew illustrated how AI can benefit businesses and employees with the presentation of three real-life cases. The cases discussed were: head office information overload, advanced marketing automation, and handling tricky investor relations.

• Business Case One: Head Office Information Overload
  Information overload is a common challenge for head offices, as they receive too much data from different sources. This can affect their efficiency and quality of decision-making. AI can help them overcome this challenge by automating data processing and reporting tasks. Kenja Rooms is an example of an AI engine that integrates with a secure and personalized platform for users to access information based on their interests.

• Business Case Two: Advanced Marketing Automation
  AI can streamline and improve tasks such as data analysis, content creation, channel optimization, lead scoring, predictive analytics, and email automation. With regards to communications, AI can analyze texts (e.g. emails) and infer the senders’ emotions then provide suggestions according to the responders’ intention. In the example given, the level of response recommended (i.e. apology, direct communication, explanation, compensation/remediation, future prevention, and timeliness) was based on the customer’s value to the company and the company’s customer satisfaction standard.

• Business Case Three: Handling Tricky Investor Relations
  AI can help improve investor relations by performing sentiment analysis, automating investor communications, and providing predictive analytics. Sentiment analysis can detect negative opinions about the company from online sources. AI-powered chatbots can handle routine investor queries and requests. Predictive analytics can identify and group potential investors based on their behavior patterns. All of these combined can help investor relations teams work faster, solve more issues, and optimize strategies.

Andrew then discussed the effects of integrating AI, mainly its ability to automate various tasks and therefore significantly displace many existing jobs. More precisely, a paper by the Global Economics Analyst estimates that 40% of jobs in 80% of industries will be automated. That is, 25% of work tasks in the US and Europe and 18% of work tasks globally could potentially be automated by AI.

However, displacement could also create new opportunities for innovation and efficiency if businesses can help their employees see AI as an ally rather than a threat. This can be done by giving employees time to learn and use AI as a collaborative tool that helps them reskill, innovate, and develop products. Or by simply teaching their employees how to work alongside AI to enhance work productivity. Doing so will ensure employee retention and value while reducing business costs.

AI is an incredibly innovative tool that offers many advantages for both businesses and employees. While there are also clear drawbacks and challenges to adopting AI, it is important to note that they can be mitigated or turned into opportunities if handled properly. Moreover, as the ACCJ website points out, “Ground-breaking technologies such as (AI) are revolutionizing industries worldwide. The change represents not just a shift in technology but in sound business strategy. Enterprises that embrace AI can gain significant return on investment. Those who don’t risk (falling) behind (the competition).”

Andrew Ogura

Andrew Ogura is the general manager of technology innovation and strategy at Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group and founder of The Research Group. He has eight AI patents pending and is a member of the Japanese Digital Agency’s AI working group for applications of AI cognitive and emotional intelligence. He has more than 28 years of experience in IT and has worked for companies such as Oracle and PwC. Ogura is pursuing a PhD in organizational psychology, and has a keen interest in quantum computing, specifically entangled photon multistate qudit applications.

ACCJ

The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan is a non-profit organization that represents the interests of American businesses and individuals in Japan. It was founded in 1948 and has over 3,000 members from various sectors and regions, including Kenja Founder Ted Katagi who is the Marketing and Public Relations Committee Chair. The ACCJ aims to promote the economic relationship between Japan and the US, support its members’ activities, and improve the international business environment in Japan.

Learn more about the ACCJ on their website.