That’s what works in a 2024 environment, not just following the playbook of what the architecture of what a 30-second spot should be.
—Kaylen McNamara, chief business officer, VaynerX
BENlabs research discovered that four out of five marketers felt that AI would prove important when it came to their company promotion decisions, with the technology being used to predict results when exploring new channels to adopt.
“The biggest challenge brands have faced in product placement is inherent human bias and subjectivity,” explained Ricky Ray Butler, the CEO of BENlabs, as brands vie to appear in the biggest audience engagement opportunities.
Butler’s organization has created AI technology and data systems to support brands as they aim to overcome the challenges of ad avoidance and decentralization in media consumption habits.
“By leveraging predictive AI models, brands can optimize for ROI, getting inside content before they become hits, when the cost to partner increases exponentially,” he explained.
In the age of the creator, product placement and branded entertainment are no longer the sole domain of media companies, with individuals able to agree to major brand endorsement deals to showcase products within their content and further amplify existing integrations.
“The newest creator on the block is creating the most virality because they understand the platform,” claimed Kaylen McNamara, chief business officer at VaynerX. “They may not have the experience in brand building or in coming up with big ideas, but they intimately understand the behaviors happening on the platform. And that’s what works in a 2024 environment, not just following the playbook of what the architecture of what a 30-second spot should be.”
McNamara added that product integration deals can also be amplified alongside creators with behind-the-scenes content now being filmed on set during production involving the actors. Creators can also research, test and explore the audiences that already have an affinity with the brand.
She cited a TikTok post for the sandwich chain Jimmy John’s, the response to which led to the development of a three-minute spoof of the reality series The Batchelor, using red velvet cookies instead of roses.
