{"id":3382,"date":"2026-05-06T14:28:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T13:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogg.notabene.se\/?p=3382"},"modified":"2026-05-06T14:28:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T13:28:57","slug":"creativity-ai-and-hi-are-the-building-blocks-of-future-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogg.notabene.se\/?p=3382","title":{"rendered":"Creativity, AI and HI are the building blocks of future success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cCreativity must make a comeback. We need to revive the fundamentals of marketing. And it is we, the marketers, who must understand that,\u201d said Stephan Loerke<\/strong>, CEO of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), in his opening speech at the Global Marketers Conference at the Peoples House in Stockholm a few days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the speakers I listened to at the conference pointed to the central role of creativity in brand development and marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many in the marketing industry interpret the word \u201ccreativity\u201d very narrowly\u2014as something that only relates to advertising. Of course, creativity is absolutely essential for communication to achieve its objectives. But creativity is needed in every part of marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Global Marketers Conference, organised by the Swedish Advertisers\u2019 Association and WFA, attention was also given to more than just Promotion in the marketing mix. Even if creative advertising featured prominently\u2014and Andrew Tindall<\/strong> from System1 focused specifically on that (I wrote more about his presentation here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TECHNOLOGY IN THE SERVICE OF CREATIVITY <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, AI has been high on the agenda in many contexts. The most intense hype now seems to have subsided somewhat, and more people are beginning to see AI as a valuable tool rather than a solution to everything\u2014or a threat to most things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephan Loerke noted that AI has its place and its uses, but added:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget HI\u2014Human Intelligence!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two of the speakers I listened to came from some of the world\u2019s largest and most successful FMCG companies, and they provided several examples of the combination of creativity and technology\u2014while emphasising that people must remain at the centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taide Guajardo<\/strong> from Procter & Gamble spoke on the theme \u201cHow do we transform the transformation?\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that a great deal has happened in the 189 years since candle maker William Procter <\/strong>and soap maker James Gamble<\/strong> founded the company that is now the world\u2019s 25th largest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then as now, much of the opportunity for growth lies in identifying unmet consumer needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a much calmer world when I studied marketing and later began working in it, quite some time ago. Today, purchase decisions are made in seven seconds\u2014and you need to be top of mind,\u201d she said, explaining that Procter & Gamble therefore works with what they call their \u201cThree Anchors\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE FIRST ANCHOR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First and foremost, it is about truly understanding people\u2019s everyday lives. Here, AI can be a great help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInsights have changed over time. In the past, when we conducted market research, consumers told us what they thought we wanted to hear. Today, we may not need to ask them\u2014we can see the answers in their behaviour,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P&G has, among other things, the ability (and permission) to follow a number of consumers in their homes and film their daily routines. This has provided insights that are much closer to reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, they discovered that many people do not put pots or oven dishes into the dishwasher without first soaking them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This led to the development of a cleaning\/rinsing spray under the Fairy (Yes) brand, called \u201cSkip the Soak\u201d. By spraying the dirty cookware, soaking could be replaced quickly and easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Worldpanel by Numerator, it became the most successful new product launch of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another insight that led to product development was the difficulty of drying laundry in rainy regions. Clothes dried indoors do not feel or smell as fresh as those dried outdoors. This led to the idea of a fabric softener with a \u201cfresh air\u201d scent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that men are increasingly less likely to wear ties\u2014and many have stopped shaving\u2014became the basis for the campaign theme \u201cSingalong with me\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

British singer-songwriter Tom Grennan<\/strong> recorded a new version of Gillette\u2019s jingle \u201cThe Best a Man Can Get\u201d in 2024. This became the foundation of a campaign featuring Grennan and football legend Ian Wright<\/strong>, which quickly went viral, particularly among Generation Z.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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