Mindful Marketing
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • Mindful Meter & Matrix
    • Leadership
  • Mindful Matters Blog
  • Engage Your Mind
    • Mindful Ads? Vote Your Mind!
  • Expand Your Mind
  • Contact

When AI Goes After Your Job

2/26/2023

3 Comments

 
Picture

by David Hagenbuch - professor of marketing at Messiah University -
​author of 
Honorable Influence - founder of Mindful Marketing 

Competition is an inevitable part of life:  Each day people contend for everything from parking spaces to produce, but perhaps the most intense competition occurs when one’s livelihood is on the line.  It’s hard enough to get and keep a job versus talented humans, so what happens when AI comes calling on our careers?  That just happened to me!
 
With marketing and PR firms increasingly turning to AI to create images and write content, I shouldn’t have been surprised when a friend who reads my writing made a request of ChatGPT that hit close to home:  He asked the bot to write a Mindful Marketing article.
 
I’d recently written a couple of pieces about AI and ethics based on some extended conversations I’d had with ChatGPT.  In those discussions I probed the bot’s moral mind, asking it almost any ethical question I could conceive.  I stopped short, though, of asking the AI to explain if a particular marketing tactic was both effective and ethical, i.e., to apply the concept of Mindful Marketing.
 
Part of the reason for not making such a request may have been fear – concern about how good the bot’s answer might be.  If it could write a compelling Mindful Marketing piece, who would need me?
 
However, I also was eager to see how ChatGPT would respond since I’m always interested in Mindful Marketing applications, whoever makes them.  My friend created the good prompt below, which is followed by the bot’s detailed response:
 
Write a blog post about the mindfulness of Pepsi advertising, using the "Mindful Matrix" criteria established by the website www.mindfulmarketing.org/mindful-meter--matrix.html. Provide an assessment on whether their marketing is Mindless, Single-Minded, Simple-Minded, or Mindful.
 
Picture
Picture
 
“In today's world, advertising has become a critical tool in promoting products and services. Pepsi, one of the world's leading soft drink brands, has adopted different advertising strategies to promote their products. But how mindful are they in their advertising? In this post, we'll assess the mindfulness of Pepsi advertising using the mindful matrix criteria established by mindfulmarketing.org.”
 
“The Mindful Matrix is a tool that assesses how mindful an advertisement is, based on four categories: mindless, single-minded, simple-minded, and mindful. Let's examine how Pepsi performs in each category.”
 
“Mindless: Mindless advertisements lack any mindfulness or intentionality, and their sole purpose is to sell products without any regard for the consequences of their actions. Pepsi's advertisements do not fit this category since they are designed to promote their products, but not to the point of being entirely mindless.”
 
“Single-minded: Single-minded advertisements concentrate on a single idea, concept, or message. They have a clear and direct message, which can be easily understood. Pepsi's advertisements, such as their Super Bowl commercials, focus on a particular theme or message. For example, their 2021 Super Bowl commercial emphasizes the idea of bringing people together and celebrating the joy of the moment. This single-mindedness helps to make their advertisement more impactful and memorable.”
 
“Simple-minded: Simple-minded advertisements focus on one central idea, but their message is too basic or too straightforward. Pepsi's advertisements do not fall into this category since they typically have a unique storyline or message that stands out. The company's campaigns, such as the Pepsi Generations campaign, emphasizes the company's historical connection and the evolution of the brand over time.”
 
“Mindful: Mindful advertising is intentional, purposeful, and mindful of its impact on society. It seeks to connect with people on an emotional level and offers a positive message that resonates with them. Pepsi's advertisements often include cultural and societal themes, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, that demonstrate a social conscience. Additionally, Pepsi's "For the Love of It" campaign aims to provide a positive and uplifting message that resonates with consumers on an emotional level.”
 
“Overall, based on the Mindful Matrix, Pepsi's advertising is mainly single-minded and mindful. The company's advertisements are engaging, meaningful, and mindful of their impact on society. They often use storytelling and cultural themes to resonate with their audience, making them a more mindful brand. By understanding the Mindful Matrix, Pepsi and other brands can make more intentional and impactful decisions with their advertising efforts.”  [end]
 
At first glance, ChatGPT’s response seemed pretty good.  The bot had a decent sense of Pepsi’s advertising to which it methodically applied each quadrant of the Mindful Matrix.  However, a closer reading revealed significant deficiencies, which I described to my friend:
​
Picture
 
The bot’s answers kind of remind me of how some less-than-well-prepared students answer essay questions:  They unnecessarily rephrase the question and regurgitate some readily available definitions of terms, but they provide very little in terms of thoughtful analysis that answers how and why.

It’s nice that ChatGPT tackled each quadrant of the Matrix in responding to the Pepsi prompt, but on whole the applications are rather weak and incomplete, for instance:
  • Mindless: What specific evidence is there that Pepsi’s ads have “regard for the consequences of their actions”?  The assertion sounds good, but is their specific support for it?  Furthermore, assessing consequences is just one facet of ethics.  Arguably more important are moral principles, which should lead to the question of whether specific Pepsi ads uphold universal values like decency, honesty, and fairness.
  • Single-Minded:  ChatGPT really misinterpreted the nature of this category, which doesn’t mean to “concentrate on a single, idea, concept or message”; rather, Single-Minded means to focus on marketing success to the exclusion of ethics.  The bot says that Pepsi’s ads have emphasized the idea of “bringing people together and celebrating the joy of the moment,” which is good in that the support is a little more specific; however, it’s actually the opposite of Single-Minded and is more in keeping with Mindful Marketing.
  • Simple-Minded: Again, ChatGPT doesn’t appear to understand the nature of the category, as “one central idea” isn’t the idea:  Simple-Minded means neither effective nor ethical.  In contrast, “Basic” and “straightforward” are good things that often make marketing tactics effective.  To its credit, the bot does provide somewhat specific support here in referencing the Pepsi Generations campaign, but it’s an old reference that I believe first dates back to the 1960s and was last rebooted five years ago in 2018.  What about  Pepsi’s Super Bowl ads that aired a few days ago, featuring Steve Martin and Ben Stiller?
  • Mindful:  ChatGPT does well at affirming the definition of this aspirational category of the quadrant – at first – but then it adds elements that don’t necessarily mean Mindful, for instance, connecting with people “on an emotional level” may be good but also might be immoral if it means playing on their emotions in a manipulative way, such as a salesperson feigning friendship in order to get a sale.  Likewise, demonstrating a social conscious can be great, provided that it’s genuine.  Interestingly, Pepsi was skewered for the wokeness of its 2017 ad featuring Kendall Jenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwvAgDCOdU4
​
Picture
 
​In sum, ChatGPT’s analysis lacks depth, currency, and in some cases, accuracy.  Granted, the prompt was somewhat general, but the bot doesn’t do much in the way of drilling down into specific ads’ content and using those words and images to support why certain elements are ethical or unethical.

So, if I were grading ChatGPT’s analysis, I’d give probably give it a “C.”  It’s a nice effort with some marginally good applications, but the misinterpretation of several matrix quadrants wouldn’t be acceptable.

My friend then shared my reply with ChatGPT, which offered another very interesting response.  Note that ChatGPT refers to itself in the third person:
 
“Thank you for sharing your thorough assessment of ChatGPT's responses to the mindful marketing prompt and the assessment of Pepsi's advertising using the Mindful Matrix. I agree that while the bot's responses may seem decent at first glance, they do lack depth, currency, and accuracy.”
 
“I appreciate your breakdown of the issues with ChatGPT's analysis in each quadrant of the Mindful Matrix. Specifically, I agree that the bot's assessment of Pepsi's advertising as having "regard for the consequences of their actions" in the Mindless category needs more specific evidence to support its assertion. Additionally, the bot's understanding of the Single-Minded and Simple-Minded categories needs clarification.”
 
“Regarding the Mindful category, I agree that ChatGPT does a good job of affirming the definition but falls short in providing examples that demonstrate genuine social consciousness. The criticism of Pepsi's 2017 ad featuring Kendall Jenner is an excellent example of how companies can be criticized for their attempts at mindful marketing that come off as tone-deaf and insincere.”
 
“In conclusion, your assessment provides valuable insights into the limitations of AI-powered chatbots in providing in-depth analysis and specific examples in response to a prompt about mindful marketing. While the technology is improving, it still has room for growth in its ability to understand complex ethical issues and provide nuanced analysis.”  [end]
 
ChatGPT’s response to my critique of its Mindful Marketing article is impressive!  At a time when intellectual debates often devolve into reckless disregard for truth and personal attacks, the bot offers a masterclass in civil dialogue by:
  • Genuinely listening:  It repeatedly and accurately references specific points of my critique.
  • Thinking logically:  It offers a well-organized and rational reply.
  • Demonstrating humility:  It acknowledges more than once, deferentially, that it didn’t get things right and it needs to do better.
 
So, does AI have the potential to take my job or yours?  It certainly does.  It’s already replacing some human work-hours, and this Mindful Marketing has offered further evidence of its capabilities, including the three competencies just outlined.
 
However, AI also has a few Achilles heels that give motivated human job candidates who prioritize four things more than a fighting chance:
  • Accuracy:  Beyond what this exercise found, I’ve often heard others bemoan chatbots for playing loose with facts.  No person can compete with AI in terms of pure information processing, but people are capable of exercising better judgment.
  • Depth:  In keeping with the last point, AI seems to value information quantity over quality.  An array of superficial data is not helpful when what’s really needed is a deep, analytical dive in a specific area of analysis.
  • Currency:  AI trains on information that is always dated to some extent, so even though it’s constantly learning, it can never quite make it into the present and take into account data that’s not yet been digitized, as humans can.
  • Context:  Just as AI is unable to use the most current information, it also can’t read the room, meaning, it can’t take into account things like organizational culture, individuals’ personalities, social dynamics, or how these and many subtle situational factors are affecting the climate of the moment.
 
Throughout history, technological innovations often have replaced human labor, usually in ways that have helped people work more effectively and efficiently.  As AI continues to evolve, we all must adapt our competencies accordingly.  Right now, however, a belief that absolutely an occupation can be outsourced to AI is a foundation for “Simple-Minded Marketing.”
​
Picture
Subscribe to Mindful Matters blog.
Learn more about the Mindful Matrix.
Check out Mindful Marketing Ads
 and Vote your Mind!
3 Comments

Why So Many Super-Beer Ads?

2/12/2023

7 Comments

 
Picture

by David Hagenbuch - professor of marketing at Messiah University -
​author of 
Honorable Influence - founder of Mindful Marketing 


If last month was “Dry January,” this year’s alcohol-soaked Super Bowl ads might mean calling the current month Febrewery.  There always are ample spots for suds during the big game, but the latest contest was especially inundated with companies selling spirits. 
 
Parade Magazine offers those interested in Super Bowl commercials the opportunity to “watch every ad.”  At the time of this writing, the publication had cataloged two dozen spots, and close to half of those ads, 10 of 24, or 41.7% were for alcohol:
  • Bud Light – 1
  • Budweiser – 2
  • Busch – 1
  • Royal Crown – 1
  • Michelob Ultra – 4
  • Samuel Adams – 1
 
Granted, these were only the ads that sponsors released early – many more air during the actual game.  Still, the number of intoxicating spots already has increased substantially from last year.
 
During the 2022 game, there were 80 ads, only seven of which were for alcohol.  So, even if no more alcohol commercials aired than those listed above, four additional ads equal an increase of 42.9%
 
It’s understandable that marketers of alcoholic and other mass-consumed products are drawn to the Super Bowl since its ads reach consumers in party situations, e.g., when they’re kicking back, eating nachos, and drinking beer with others.  Even though by game-time, most people have already purchased all the refreshments they need, the Super Bowl’s strong association with food and drink may make those ads memorable later when purchasing the same products for future use.
 
Of course, the size of the Super Bowl audience also makes alcohol companies salivate.  Over the last decade, between 91.6 million and 114 million Americans have watched the game, making it an unmatched medium for reaching in one fell swoop a very wide swath of the population.  Last year, viewers totaled 99.18 million, or about 30% of the current U.S. population of 333 million.
 
Such a large portion of the population naturally means audience members ranging from four to 94, and every age in between.  Moreover, a substantial number of viewers are undoubtedly under the age of 21 – it’s hard to know exactly how many, but given that those younger than 18 represent 22% of the population, is reasonable to believe that the number of viewers younger than 21 is above 20 million (99.18 million x .22 = 21.81 million).
 
So, somewhere around 20 million young people who cannot lawfully consume alcohol will watch the Super Bowl, where they’ll see 10 or more ads for alcohol – is such exposure legal?
 
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stipulates that “no more than 28.4% of the audience for an [alcohol] ad may consist of people under 21, based on reliable audience data.”  It’s unlikely that those under 21 comprise 28.4% or more of all Super Bowl viewers, but as estimated above, the percentage is still high.  Furthermore, even a small percentage of all Super Bowl viewers is a very large number of people.
 
The FTC also warns that “ad content should not appeal primarily to people under 21,” which is an even more subjective judgment. The ten ads listed above don’t contain bright colors, cartoon characters, or other elements that would appeal to preschool and elementary age kids, but they’re not the main concern for the alcohol ads’ possible youth appeal: It’s more likely those age 15 to 20.
 
Although Michelob Ultra’s Dynamic Duo ad featuring white-haired actor Brian Cox and tennis legend Serena Williams playing golf probably does not have great appeal to this demographic, some others may:
 
  • Budweiser’s Six Degrees of Bud spot contains a sequence of young basketball players grabbing some beers after a pick-up game, before transitioning to what seems like a hip hop recording session.
  • Busch’ Survival Skills spot parodies those heart-wrenching animal rescue ads, representing the same kind of irreverent humor that companies increasingly use to appeal to Gen Zs.
  • Michelob’s Cinderella Story commercial is also a parody, this one of a famous Bill Murray scene in Caddyshack.  Those age 15 to 20 were not yet born when the movie debuted in 1980, but they are likely drawn in by the ad’s irreverent humor courtesy of former NFL quarterback and popular CBS football broadcaster Tony Romo.

Picture
 
Do these three ads appeal “primarily to people under 21”?  It’s hard to say without conducting empirical research, such as an attitude survey.  The commercials likely appeal to those 21 and older too, but it’s possible that the younger segment likes them more.
 
Regardless, there’s a psychological phenomenon, key to learning and critical to advertising, that the FTC guidelines inexplicably overlook: repetition.
 
The more often we see or hear something, the more likely we are to remember it, which is why television commercials rarely air just one time.  Instead, they run on specific schedules and at particular intervals, which over time serves to affix their messages in consumers’ minds.
 
With four Super Bowl ads, Michelob Ultra has achieved some significant repetition for its brand.  Taking all the game’s alcohol ads together, ten-plus spots during a single television event also has likely increased awareness, influenced perceptions, and impacted intent to consume alcohol for many in the viewing audience, including those under the age of 21.  
 
Can the abundance of alcohol ads and their potential to encourage underage drinking be pinned on any single Super Bowl sponsor?  No. The cumulative impact of so many ads is mainly the responsibility of the game’s broadcaster, which this year was Fox.
 
Fox sold out all of the ad inventory for this year’s contest; in fact, 95% of the available slots were gone by last September, with some 30-second spots selling for more than $7 million.  The network did hit some speed bumps, however, when the economy slowed and cryptocurrencies faltered, causing some committed advertisers to ask for relief.
 
Fortunately for Fox, it was able to rebound, thanks in part to certain existing advertisers’ willingness to buy even more time – maybe that’s what happened with Budweiser and Michelob.  So, perhaps Fox didn’t intend to increase alcohol advertising in this year’s Super Bowl by 43%, but it did allow it.
 
To be fair, 10 or 12 ads for alcohol is still a relatively small number compared to 80 or so total Super Bowl commercials.  But what if the proportion continues to creep upward to or beyond 20 ads, making them one-fourth or more of the total?  Given the recent growth of hard seltzers and now canned cocktails, more advertising demand from adult beverage makers is likely coming.
 
At the same time, there doesn’t appear to be any FTC regulation against such alcohol ad creep.  The two provisos listed above (no more than 28.4% of the audience under 21 and the ads not primarily appealing to the younger demographic) seem to be the only stipulations.
 
Of course, the reason for discussing this promotion is that too much alcohol can tragically alter and end lives, especially for young people who are not used to its potency and who tend to underestimate their own mortality.
 
Over the last decade, “Drink responsibly,” has become a helpful catchphrase for encouraging sensible alcohol consumption.  Firms that brew alcoholic beverages and networks that broadcast their ads should think more deeply about what it means to advertise responsibly.  Otherwise, an unabated rise in alcohol ads will lead to a stupor of “Single-Minded Marketing.”


Picture
Subscribe to Mindful Matters blog.
Learn more about the Mindful Matrix.
Check out Mindful Marketing Ads
 and Vote your Mind!
7 Comments
    Subscribe to receive this blog by email

    Editor

    David Hagenbuch,
    founder of
    Mindful Marketing    & author of Honorable Influence

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    + Decency
    + Fairness
    Honesty7883a9b09e
    * Mindful
    Mindless33703c5669
    > Place
    Price5d70aa2269
    > Product
    Promotion37eb4ea826
    Respect170bbeec51
    Simple Minded
    Single Minded2c3169a786
    + Stewardship

    RSS Feed

    Share this blog:

    Subscribe to
    Mindful Matters
    blog by email


    Illuminating
    ​Marketing Ethics ​

    Encouraging
    ​Ethical Marketing  ​


    Copyright 2020
    David Hagenbuch

Proudly powered by Weebly