“Courage in advertising is making choices”

How will artificial intelligence (AI) disrupt the advertising industry?

Mercedes Erra : For the past ten years, we have experienced a lot of turmoil, but my feeling is that it is a little too hectic. And it lacks rationality. As always when things are moving, they must be analyzed in multiple ways. AI is not going to change the world. Besides, that is not what consumers want. They are not spinning tops. At BETC, we have campaigns that have been running for over 20 years. And every time I want to change something, clients are alarmed. So, change is not as fast on the consumer side. Even if, of course, AI is an opening. The revolution is a given among young people. At the agency, we train everyone without knowing what it will bring to each person. But we are going for it. By calling on a legal armada, because for the moment, we have to check everything, the images, the content… I believe a lot in working calmly, looking at the adaptations service by service… But we already have quite a few uses.

How do you think the market is evolving?

M. E. : I learned that the world has not been calm since the Internet revolution and the acceleration linked to digital. It has completely changed our lives, but not always in a good way. When I started this job, 40 years ago, I produced eight assets per campaign when, today, it takes 550. In my opinion, there are 400 that can be thrown in the trash. Advertising agencies have too much pressure and this intersects with another subject that is very important: that of sobriety and ecology. I think that we should prioritize the quality of contact rather than the quantity of contact. However, in advertising, memory and recollection count. We analyze very well the value of intention that there is in TV, in a poster or on digital, etc. And this is not to the benefit of the net. On the other hand, the whole CRM aspect of the net, which is quite fascinating, has not always been highlighted. We talk about customization, but there is very little of it in reality.

How do advertisers approach AI in their campaigns?

M. E. : They are very agitated. They are convinced that thanks to artificial intelligence, campaigns will cost less. It has become an obsession. Even major accounts want to save money. However, most agencies are SMEs. This profession is paid less and less, yet creation is fundamental and must be paid. You have to lock down the basics and produce quality creation to live up to the result.

“There is nothing more brilliant than humans. Artificial intelligence is just an instrument.”

And then in advertising creation, you also have to be connected with reality…

M. E. : Reality is something complicated, including in advertising. It is subjective. So looking at, analyzing social phenomena is something fundamental to reach a form of truth somewhere. The most difficult thing is to make choices, not to be afraid to support an idea. There is a lot of rationality in our profession, it is a human science. We must analyze the levers, but also take into account certain consumer blockages. We do tests, quantitative and qualitative studies in which I love to participate, but it is very difficult to predict whether an ad will work or not. For the Evian campaign, the Ipsos institute advised me not to release the one with the babies…

What are the opportunities related to AI?

M. E. : I believe that there is nothing more brilliant than humans. AI is an instrument, like any instrument, it can be very useful to produce faster and invent more interesting jobs. In advertising, a copywriter can, for example, speed up the number of signatures. Depending on the skill of the prompt he sends, this can be effective. When you have a series of sentences, before you come across ““Make the sky the most beautiful place on Earth” (Air France) or “What he does on the inside shows on the outside.” (Activia) or even “Little by little, we become less small” (Danone Kid), it can take a while, but it can happen that in the middle, there is a brilliant sentence. The problem with our job is to decide what is brilliant. This is one of the things that I can explain endlessly to my clients. The problem with advertisers is that they can’t always choose. Where they expect me is in the consulting dimension to identify the levers of persuasion. And courage is choice. So, for a great creative, it’s the same. Courage is going to be choice. And it’s so fragile. The characteristic of an idea is not to resist torture. The only word that marks is the one that is strong, that results from a choice, including a collective one. At BETC, we are open, we don’t offend the future, we are not afraid. AI is not going to eat us all at once.

What risks do you identify?

M. E. : They are quite clear, in line with the problems encountered in the relationship of young people with digital technology and in particular with information and “fake news”. I am quite worried about the younger generation, honestly. AI is great if you are a little bit structured. You are told stories, but where is the truth and the real? We must be vigilant.

How is the agency organizing itself to integrate this new culture?

M. E. : Today, we make mockups. We realize that by making mockups on AI, it is effective. In production, the use of AI is like a video game, it is a new mode of animation. We have fun. But the emotion of the artist is missing. Thanks to artificial intelligence, strategic planners, for example, will look for somewhat surprising encounters, particularly in ideation. It is super interesting, but if there is no talent of someone who knows what a brand is, where it is, what will suit it, it is complicated to make choices. But that is the whole subject. Creation is courage and people to allow the realization of a beautiful and interesting campaign. However, faced with an advertiser who is afraid of everything, it is over. And all this will continue, AI or not.