AI in marketing: How marketers are actually using AI (beyond the hype)

So what exactly is AI in marketing? 

Think of it as a data scientist, creative assistant and strategist all rolled into one. By tapping into machine learning, natural language processing and predictive analytics, AI gives you a much deeper understanding of your customers. It automates repetitive tasks and delivers personalised experiences. That means you can make data-driven decisions in real time instead of relying on gut instinct.

That’s not about replacing creativity, it’s about amplifying it. AI helps you move faster, work smarter and craft more effective strategies. It also supports continuous learning and optimisation. As it processes more data, it adapts, refines its recommendations and keeps you ahead of trends and customer preferences. That ability to evolve over time makes AI a game-changer. Your strategies stay relevant and effective in the fast-paced world of marketing because of it.

AI is changing how we create content (not replacing you)

Content creation is where AI really demonstrates its strength however, it hasn’t quite replaced us yet. Marketers are using AI to make the most of their time. By automating repetitive tasks, we’re able to focus on what matters most: our unique voice and creativity.

That’s where tools like Jasper, ChatGPT and Copy.ai come in. They speed up content production. You can use them to craft blog posts, write ad copy or generate email subject lines. Need several CTA variations in seconds? Done. Want to test headlines without endless brainstorming sessions? Simple. That means you can create at scale and spend more time refining and strategizing.

AI enhances creativity, rather than replacing it. It can generate content that meets the technical requirements but it does often falls short on emotional depth and cultural relevance. You’ll notice that AI text tends to lack a personality or it’s quite bland. That’s where you come in. You get 80% of the way there with AI, and then shape the final 20% with your creativity, insight and voice.

• Take KFC South Africa. They use AI-powered image generators to create new campaign assets quickly. But their marketing team is still at the core of that process, ensuring the visuals align with their brand and message.
• Coca-Cola’s Create Real Magic contest with OpenAI is another example. Participants used AI to generate artwork. Then, OpenAI’s strategic guidance and human decision-making made the final selection so impactful.
• Mattel uses AI to generate a variety of Hot Wheels product concepts more efficiently. But it’s the creative direction from their team that ensures the designs align with their brand vision and consumer preferences.
• Kellogg’s scans recipe trends with AI to identify opportunities for relevant social campaigns. AI uncovers patterns and insights. But it’s the marketing team’s strategy that turns those insights into successful campaigns.

AI is changing video production and 3D design too. It can now generate full videos, 3D models and animations from simple prompts. That’s where you come in again. You add context, storytelling and direction to the work. That’s where the magic happens.

AI is unlocking better personalisation without the manual labour

Personalisation isn’t a trend anymore, it’s an expectation from consumers. People are no longer satisfied with generic messages or one-size-fits-all offers. They expect marketing to speak directly to them, their interests and their unique needs. And that’s where AI comes in.

You’ve probably had Netflix recommend a show so spot on it feels like the platform knows you better than you know yourself. That’s AI in action, and it’s not just changing entertainment, it’s changing marketing too. Brands are using AI to deliver hyper-personalised content, recommendations and offers that feel like they were made specifically for each customer. And the result is higher engagement, deeper customer relationships and a steady increase in conversions.

In the past personalisation meant manual work with things like segmented email lists and carefully crafted offers for different groups. But now AI is doing the heavy lifting. By analysing customer behaviour, preferences and past interactions AI is serving up the right content at the right time without the manual labour.

• Adidas: By using AI to analyse customer behaviour Adidas is refining product recommendations based on past actions, making the shopping experience more relevant. This results in increased customer engagement, more conversions and a stronger brand connection. AI automates the personalisation process so customers see the right products at the right time improving the overall shopping journey.
  
  
• Vans: Vans is using AI to create personalised marketing journeys that adapt to individual customer preferences. This dynamic approach boosts engagement and loyalty by ensuring each customer experiences content and offers relevant to their interests. AI tracks user interactions and tailors the marketing experience from emails to on-site recommendations so the right message reaches the right customer.
  
  
• Michaels Stores: Michaels has increased the relevance of its personalised email campaigns from 20% to 95% using AI. This means emails are now highly targeted and relevant to each customer’s needs resulting in higher open rates and better customer retention. AI analyses past interactions and customer data to generate hyper-targeted email content, automating the personalisation process and improving campaign performance.
  
  
• Booking.com: Booking.com is using AI to tailor travel recommendations based on sustainability preferences so customers can make more environmentally conscious choices. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also encourages customers to pay more for sustainable options. AI curates personalised travel options by analysing past behaviour and preferences, dynamically adjusting recommendations to reflect sustainability focused choices.* Instacart: Instacart is using AI to suggest meal plans, recipes and smart shopping lists based on individual user behaviour. This personalised experience increases satisfaction and drives repeat purchases. AI tracks customer browsing and purchase behaviour and automatically generates suggestions that feel relevant and helpful, enhancing the shopping experience.
  
  
• Stitch Fix: AI helps Stitch Fix stylists interpret customer feedback more accurately and recommend clothing that fits individual tastes. This results in a more personalised shopping experience and higher retention and customer loyalty. AI analyses customer and stylist feedback, improving the accuracy of clothing recommendations and ensuring each customer’s unique style preferences are met.

AI is allowing marketing teams to move from a broad broadcast model to a more personal one-to-one connection with each customer. AI is at the heart of this change, allowing marketers to segment their audience with precision and deliver messaging that feels one-to-one. Personalised emails, tailored product recommendations and even dynamic content adjustments are all possible through AI, resulting in more engaging and effective campaigns.

Automation = more time for strategy

Marketers today are stretched thin and are constantly balancing campaign execution, content creation, customer engagement, and performance tracking, all while trying to stay ahead of industry trends. The to-do list never seems to end.

You open your inbox to a flood of unread emails, your campaign reports still need analysing, and you haven’t even scheduled this week’s social media posts. Those tasks aren’t tedious just because they’re time-consuming, they’re time thieves.

Automation powered by AI is changing that. It’s not just about working faster. It’s about eliminating the repetitive tasks that eat up your time. You spend hours scheduling emails, posting on social media, or manually analysing reports. Marketers can now focus on strategy, creativity and what really matters. That’s where the magic happens.

By giving marketers their time back, AI lets teams focus on launching innovative campaigns, refining brand messaging and building stronger customer relationships. Marketing is shifting from execution-heavy to strategy-driven. The brands that adopt AI to streamline workflows will move faster, adapt quicker and drive better results. And that competitive edge? It’s not just a productivity hack-it’s a key differentiator.

For years, businesses have relied on virtual assistants both human and digital to handle admin tasks. But today, AI is supercharging that efficiency. It’s taking over the heavy lifting so marketers can spend more time innovating. And innovating is where the real value lies.

• Take Crabtree & Evelyn. They use Albert-an AI-driven platform-to automate Facebook ad targeting, ad copy adjustments and budget allocation. That means their teams can focus on brand storytelling rather than tweaking campaign settings all day. Plaid uses Sprout Social to automate LinkedIn post scheduling, comment responses and sentiment monitoring. That frees up their social teams to focus on engagement strategy and community growth. Kasasa uses MarketMuse to automate competitor content analysis and SEO strategy recommendations. That means marketers can spend time crafting high-value content rather than manually tracking rankings.
  
  
• Starbucks uses Deep Brew-an AI-powered platform-to analyse loyalty program data and deliver personalised drink recommendations. That lets marketers optimise customer experiences rather than relying on guesswork.
  
  
• Plaid leverages Sprout Social to automate LinkedIn post scheduling, comment responses, and sentiment monitoring freeing up social teams to focus on engagement strategy and community growth.
  
  
• Kasasa uses MarketMuse to automate competitor content analysis and SEO strategy recommendations so marketers can spend time crafting high-value content rather than manually tracking rankings.

What AI is really doing is freeing marketers to focus on the work that moves the needle. Not replacing them. Instead of being buried in administrative tasks, teams now have the bandwidth to drive strategic growth, create compelling campaigns and build deeper customer relationships.

That’s where the real power of AI-powered marketing automation lies. It takes traditional rule-based automation and introduces data-driven insights, real-time decision-making and the ability to learn and optimise over time. That significantly reduces the burden of manual tasks on marketing teams. And that means marketers can focus on the initiatives and creative endeavors that drive real growth.

AI is your marketing analyst turning data into actionable insights

Marketing has never been short on data. What tends to be missing is clarity. Every campaign, every customer touchpoint, and every product launch generates insights, but making sense of it all? That’s the challenge. AI is changing that by turning scattered data into actionable strategy.

Traditional analytics required manual data aggregation and interpretation, but AI-powered tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Tableau now analyse vast amounts of data in real time, identifying trends and anomalies instantly. Predictive analytics models use machine learning to forecast customer behaviour, helping marketers anticipate purchasing patterns and personalise campaigns accordingly. AI also enhances attribution modeling, providing deeper insights into which marketing channels drive conversions, so you can allocate your budget smarter. Sentiment analysis tools powered by natural language processing (NLP) scan social media, reviews, and customer feedback to gauge public perception and inform marketing strategies. AI even helps with A/B testing by quickly analysing variations of ads, landing pages, and emails to determine the best messaging. By using AI-driven analytics, you can stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions that improve campaign performance, optimise ROI and drive long-term growth.

AI isn’t just about collecting data, it’s about understanding it. It spots patterns you’d never notice, predicts customer behaviour before it happens and helps you make smarter decisions without drowning in spreadsheets. Think about it: what if you knew exactly which customers were about to churn before they left? Or which products were about to blow up before the trend even started?

Instead of spending hours pulling reports, analysing spreadsheets and trying to figure out what’s working, AI does the heavy lifting. It spots patterns, predicts customer behaviour and helps marketers make informed decisions faster. The result? Less time spent on manual tasks, more time on strategy and creativity.

For years marketing has relied on gut instinct and historical trends. AI changes that by making real-time, data-driven decisions possible. AI consolidates campaign performance, engagement and conversion metrics to show where to invest time and budget. AI tools analyse competitor content, SEO strategies and customer sentiment to identify opportunities. AI dynamically adjusts bidding, targeting and timing to ensure every ad dollar is spent effectively. Brands are using AI today to identify customers likely to churn so they can act before they do, they’re uncovering competitor strategies using AI-driven analysis, and tracking real-time brand sentiment across social media and customer reviews.

• Global fashion retailers are using AI-driven insights to refine their email strategies, so they’re sending more relevant content to their audience. They’re also using AI-powered pricing adjustments, responding to competitor activity and market demand in real-time. Real-time optimisation like this drove a 20% increase in sales during a major promotional period, proving AI can drive revenue through smarter pricing.
  
  
• Function Growth’s marketing team saw a 30% increase in productivity after automating their reporting with Improvado’s AI-powered analytics. By getting rid of manual data management, they could focus on strategy and optimisation, and overall marketing efficiency improved.
  
  
• Northmill Bank used ThoughtSpot’s AI-driven analytics to analyse user data and found a segment of customers who were abandoning the sign up process. With those insights they optimised the onboarding flow and saw a 30% increase in conversion rates.
  
  
• Adlucent uses AI-driven insights in their marketing strategies so clients can make data-driven decisions. By using AI for big data analysis they can optimise campaigns, target better and deliver better marketing results.
  
  
• Ecom Nation’s M used ChatGPT’s Advanced Data Analysis to find correlations between different marketing channels and their impact on direct traffic. By training AI on specific client data sets they got tailored insights that refined marketing strategies and improved performance.

Instead of being stuck in reporting and admin, AI lets marketers focus on what really matters: building great campaigns, refining messaging and driving long-term growth. brands and marketing teams are actively embedding AI-powered analytics into their workflows. This means they can get faster and deeper insights from their marketing data, leading to better decision making and ultimately better marketing performance.