Faris Yakob

We all know AI is moving faster than anything we have seen before. I read a daily, curated update called "The Rundown AI" which has so much in it, I barely have time to scroll through the headlines (and it's a good curation!) If AI is going to be doing so many tasks that humans are doing today, what are the skills which humans will need to be great at? In other words - how will you earn your salary in 5 years time? Will it be increasing, or decreasing? A lot, or a little? I've thought a lot about this (and read everything currently available!). I have a clear point of view, built from logic, insight and intuition. The thing is, we need to be developing the skills that will future-proof our human future value. Whether that is year 2 of scaled AI, or year 8 We need to know this now, so we have a runway to change. Because taking cost out of organisations is always an objective. Building workplace value as humans needs to be ours. I can show you how. If this is interesting to you, please come to my session at SWSW on Monday at 2.45pm. Let's evolve human workplace value, and thrive with the exponential change that is here. My session details are here. https://lnkd.in/gnBwQBAk #futuresalary #skills. #capability #SWSWSydney David Morgan Nina Christian

9

2 Comments

We all know AI is moving faster than anything we have seen before.     I read a daily, curated update called "The Rundown AI" which has so much in it, I barely have time to scroll through the headlines (and it's a great curation!).    If AI is going to be doing so many tasks that humans are doing today, what then will humans do?   In other words - how will you earn your salary in 3 years time?   Will it be increasing, or decreasing? A lot, or a little?   I've thought a lot about this.    The thing is, the more "AI augmented" our day-to-day lives become, the more valuable our humanity will be.   With more time to: - Listen and harness diverse perspectives - Collaborate and co-create innovations - Connect and build new partnerships    The AI genie is fully out of the bottle - it's not going away.     AI will automate or replace tasks currently DONE by people. But NOT people.    In fact, AI will free up time for people to be more human. To explore their own beliefs, inner diversities, and potential. To engage in ethics, new challenges and solve complex, difficult problems.    To consciously choose and cultivate how they will contribute to this emerging world. Human skills will become more valuable, but they are also HARD skills to master (it's why AI algorithms can't replicate them). And being human DOES NOT MEAN you are good at Human Skills. But you can learn. If you want to get ahead, please come along to my FREE webinar next Friday November 8, 12-1pm AEST.   Technology evolves.  So must we.  Now is the time. https://lnkd.in/gqTQP7UP #uncomfortablegrowthcapability David Morgan

9

8 Comments

Ellis Verdi brilliantly captures the creative heartbeat of advertising, reminding us that data alone can’t replace the magic of great ideas. His insights on the industry’s shift from genuine creativity to data-driven conformity resonate deeply. As Verdi notes, when creativity is sidelined, brands pay the price. It’s a call to reintegrate imagination into our strategies for lasting impact. Kudos to Ellis for championing creativity’s role in making brands not just seen, but unforgettable. https://lnkd.in/eeK-ASFJ

4

2 Comments

Good episode of 'Search Off The Record' covering a confusing topic for site owners and SEOs -- hreflang and internationalization. Includes... LDCP - 'Language demotion, country promotion', the lang attribute in html (and if Google cares about it), when and how to use x-default, the 'hreflang magic trick' (which I have written about several times), how only canonicals are reported in GSC (and why that can be frustrating for site owners/SEOs), why hreflang can work faster when provided via html (versus sitemaps), learn if hreflang used for discovery, and more. #google #seo

28

3 Comments

In the world of marketing, facts and statistics are important, but they rarely stick in people’s minds. Why? Because facts alone don’t create emotional connections. That’s where storytelling comes in. The most effective brands take those facts and wrap them in a narrative that resonates. Instead of just listing features, focus on the why behind them. Tell a story that frames your product or service as the solution to a problem your audience faces. Once people feel an emotional connection with your story, they’re more likely to become loyal customers. Remember, it's the narrative that gets remembered, not the numbers. Link in comments. #CustomerLoyalty #BrandStorytelling #EmotionalMarketing #MarketingTips

2

1 Comment

Most marketing teams could cut back on their publishing frequency and nothing would change. They could then spend that extra time extracting insights, perspectives, and observations from the content they *are* publishing for unique angles across other mediums and *everything* would change. They'd build an actual audience, start dialogues (DMs, email replies, etc.), actually collaborate with their audience, etc. There’s an opportunity cost to staying on the content hamster wheel. 

205

38 Comments

I read about one branding agency that at the beginning of every project asks AI for ideas, and then says "That's what we won't do. We have to go beyond what AI would." Marc S. Pritchard, the head of brand at Procter & Gamble, says that regardless of the technology, the creative will always come from the people and the heart, and I completely agree. The latest AI tools for designs, writing, etc., are extraordinary, and can act as assistants, but by their very nature they will rely on what came before. When I see the videos and audio, etc., that they produce they have high production values but are predictable. Only a human will have a breakthrough, unique creative idea that connects with other people. https://lnkd.in/erVzFxDy

2

For profit margins and speed it is indeed a powerful tool for companies to deploy. I’m seeing these short term benefits every day. I equally feel for those incredibly talented creators every day, and sad to see many serendipitous moments lost in this new way of working. And it does leave me wondering… what will the next generation of leaders look like? Today many of those at the top of the iceberg have risen up from below the waterline giving them a rich understanding of the benefits of what happens below. With that, they also perhaps have a great understanding of what to prompt AI for to get the results they’re looking for. How might the next generation of leaders gain this deep understanding in order to get the results they’ll need to stay ahead? It sure will be interesting to see how it all evolves.

SXSW chose "Hoodwinked" for a book talk. This is such a bucket list moment for me! Here's the talk: Is Everything a Cult? Date: March 8 (tentatively) Cults used to be defined by charismatic leaders and remote compounds. Not anymore. Today we think of cults as brands like Apple or Fenty, influencers like MrBeast or Jessie Lee Ward, conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones, or MLMs like LulaRoe and doTerra. In her new book, "Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults," Dr. Mara Einstein explains how social media and digital technologies have made us vulnerable to cult tactics, and why marketers are driven to implement these approaches in order to grab our attention and “create community.” If you don't want to wait until March, you can pre-order Hoodwinked now wherever you buy books, and come check me out on TikTok.

30

3 Comments

I want to address all media organizations, publishers, and content creators: what is the value you place on your work, the years of journalism, of the first-party data you have honed, the audience you have created? Just like with content syndication, the data you produce is often used to train AI, effectively automating processes that once relied on traditional methods. This is akin to a publisher having decades of content taken without compensation for an AI model to learn from. It’s time to recognize the value of your creations and monetize them for your own benefit—not just for the big platforms. Academics are getting things stolen to: https://lnkd.in/gmZNU4wG

16

We are taking a stand! There are so many good reasons why marketing groups should have their own AI Ethics policies. Here are just a few: - marketers collect, store, and use data differently than other groups in a typical company - AI has changed the way we interact with customers - the advent of new technology and software has blurred the rules of engagement There are many more reasons, but you'll have to check out the latest issue of AI Marketing Ethics Digest to find out. (While you're there, don't forget to subscribe. It's free!) If you're a business or marketing leader, don't miss this one. And I'm not saying that just because I wrote it...😂

3

The future of television.....looks a lot like the past it was meant to leave behind. Comcast, a US based cable TV giant, is rolling out streaming bundles for subscribers. Apple TV, Netflix Basic and others are being offered for significantly lower costs than separate subscriptions would permit. The writing's been on the wall for a long time. Streaming has become an unfriendly experience, with rising costs attached to watching a handful of shows, having to remember where your favourite stories reside, renewing and cancelling subscriptions like a juggling act. People want the experience of choosing between and watching a show to be easier, no matter how high/low the quality of said content claims to be. And ads? Turns out they're tolerable when they're subsiding access, as they always do. India's already got a lot of subscriptions on offer as freebies. I expect to see more bundling that resembles cable, sooner rather than later. No one can make the argument that cable was great - but it was familiar and convenient in ways many of us miss. The more some things change, the more they stay the same (the link to the article is in the comments). #streaming #viewing #watching #bundling #consumerbehaviour

6

1 Comment

SSPs have become a powerhouse of innovation. Some time ago, pre the pandemic at least, I said there were too many SSPs and they had become a commodity. I think at the time I was right but actually rather than needing consolidation the space went for innovation. Curation is the most obvious feature. Potentially the saviour of open display. Allowing groups to take responsibility for curating inventory quality, data and more. It's a mainstay of scaled retail media in the US and is only going to grow as cookies crumble (sigh. when will that happen. sigh). Identity features. Pre bid integrations. Log level data for analytics. CTV. In Game. Retail Media. These are just some of the innovations and developments doing the rounds. AI powered features are on the horizon (cue someone telling me AI is already a huge part. Yes sure but the scale of what is to come makes what exists now a rain drop in an ocean). The big opportunity though is GAM. Google is busy neutering what used to be called DoubleClick. CM 360 has lost so many vital data features now (this is a different post). As for GAM, DOJ pressure, Cookieless considerations and the evolution of Googles priorities put its long term future in doubt for the first time in decades. GAM has already been rendered obsolete in retail media. Which SSPs cab pick up that crown?? That's a 100 billion dollar question. The future of open web advertising may rest with it.

92

23 Comments

As a strategist, I am a firm believer in the art of the framework- the ability to neatly package complex ideas into compelling visualizations. A great framework not only organizes, it also inspires. So here is my semi-annual roundup of some of the most interesting frameworks I've come across. https://lnkd.in/gP94yMbT

30

7 Comments

Too many agencies think growth means adding more people. But here’s the truth: more people doesn’t always mean more productivity. At Forest City Digital, we’ve mastered a smarter approach. Instead of throwing bodies at a problem, we leverage over 30 AI-driven tools to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently. Our experts in SEO, strategy, automation, and lead generation use cutting-edge solutions like Alli AI, Loomly, and Fireflies AI to maximize results without bloating headcount. While others are stuck in their old ways, we’re scaling the right way – through efficiency and technology. If your agency isn't evolving, you’re already falling behind. If you ever want to talk about how your agency can leverage AI, contact me! #AI #DigitalMarketing #GrowthHacks #AgencyLife #LeadGeneration #Automation #Productivity

20

Sharing the entire case of Frontify's new brand strategy, voice, and messaging! https://lnkd.in/eh7_8A_q Rarely do we get to peek into the enigmatic world of brand strategy processes and outcomes. But today is the day, my friends! If you are an all-things-brand-lover, just starting your journey in the wild wild west of strategy, or are curious about what your peers are up to – this article is for you! Buckle up as we take a deep dive into the process, key insights, and then the whole shablam (=delivery). On a side note, it feels like I’m about to strip naked. Revealing something to the internet (in such great detail) also means it’s free to be picked apart by whoever wants to, and it doesn’t come without feeling a bit 🥴. At least not when you are a freelance solo rider who is a real human being with emotions and not a corporate entity. This video is also fucking dorky to post, but it feels refreshing. Who needs ice baths when we have LinkedIn? 🥶 It only took 4 mins to film and 8 hours into the night to edit (not an exaggeration). In the spirits of sharing learnings, here is what I picked up during those 8hours: - don’t film in cinematic mode; it’ll make you look like you use a filter - don’t film in the auto-setting ”spatial Video for Apple Vision pro”; it’ll make the colours go berzerk  - film in Apple pro res, encoding SDR; you find this under camera formats in your settings - flip the camera around so A) you don’t have to see yourself do the deed, and B) you use the good camera on your iPhone 🫠  - ask a brilliant friend for help earlier, thank you Noel 🫶🏻 I’m publishing this article on my new Substack Cam’s Corner. It’s the place where I will keep posting things that interest me in the hopes it might be of interest to someone else. I plan on making it my cozy corner of the internet. Subscribe if you want to be on CC: 😏 Thanks to Digge Zetterberg Odh, Hugo Timm, Robert Cary, Aika Zikibayeva, and Sebastian Degenhart.

87

17 Comments

Our latest free issue of our AI Marketing Ethics Digest, written by co-editor Brianna Blacet is out. It asks whether organizations need an AI ethics policy specific to marketing. What's your opinion? #AIethics #marketing #AImarketingethics

2