Media and marketing have always been closely linked to technological progress. From Gutenberg’s printing press to the advent of television and the Internet, each new technology has dramatically changed the rules of the game. Today, we are at a time when artificial intelligence, big data, automation and new communication formats are literally rewriting the laws of the industry.
But whereas in the past innovations came gradually, now changes are occurring rapidly. Companies are forced not just to follow trends, but to constantly adapt in order not to lose contact with their audience.
Artificial intelligence: a new starting point
It was artificial intelligence that became the frontier after which the media and marketing industry began to develop not evolutionarily, but revolutionarily, changing the very nature of content and ways of interacting with the audience.
Content on autopilot
Today, AI is capable of generating text, selecting visuals, and even creating videos. Journalists and marketers use tools like ChatGPT, Jasper or MidJourney to speed up their work. Of course, it doesn’t completely replace humans, but it allows them to perform routine tasks many times faster.
For example, local media use AI to automatically prepare news stories about sports or the weather. And marketing agencies create dozens of versions of an advertising slogan and test which one works best for the target audience.
Behavior analytics and prediction
AI systems analyze user behavior and can predict what a particular person will be interested in. This not only saves companies’ resources, but also makes communication as accurate as possible.
Instead of mass mailings at random, brands send relevant offers to each subscriber. If you’ve searched for sneakers on the site, there’s a good chance you’ll receive a discount on athletic shoes, not clothing.
Personalization as the new standard
Personalization is no longer a bonus – it’s now a prerequisite for brand survival. The more data companies collect, the more accurately they can customize marketing.
Streaming services are a classic example. Netflix or Spotify analyze the habits of viewers and listeners, offering playlists or movie selections that match the interests of a particular user. For marketing, this opens up tremendous opportunities for attention retention.
Infrastructure for AI
Media companies are creating entire ecosystems where AI manages processes from content creation to distribution. Such systems can optimize budgets, reduce production time, and even plan publication schedules.
Agency transformation: a challenge or an opportunity?
Marketing agencies, which not so long ago seemed indispensable intermediaries between brands and consumers, are now in a difficult situation.
- In-house AI platforms and agents
Large agencies are developing their own AI platforms. For example, WPP is testing solutions that allow it to generate advertising in real time. It is enough to describe the task in words – the system itself will select images, write text and even suggest a placement channel.
- Competing with technology giants
The market is also changing because Google, Meta or Amazon offer their own advertising tools that allow businesses to launch campaigns on their own. This is convenient and profitable for small and medium-sized businesses – why go to an agency when you can do everything right in your Google Ads office?
- Consolidation for the sake of technology
In response, agencies are merging to consolidate their positions and create stronger AI solutions. An example was the merger of Omnicom and IPG, a move that showed that only those players willing to invest in the technology back-end can survive.
New formats of promotion
The development of technology has not only accelerated the processes of content creation, but has also given impetus to the emergence of fundamentally new ways of promotion, which change the usual models of interaction between brands and audiences.
Video commerce and social media
Today, a large part of internet traffic is taken up by videos. TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Reels have turned short videos into the main promotional tool. At the same time, social networks are actively introducing built-in stores where purchases are made without leaving the application.
This is how “social commerce” appears – a format where users can immediately buy goods seen in a video. This changes the logic of marketing: now it is important not just to show advertising, but to build it into the usual format of content consumption.
The return of offline media
Interestingly, the opposite process is taking place in parallel – the growth of interest in print media. People are tired of the endless digital stream and are beginning to appreciate the physical format. Magazines and newspapers are becoming niche, but at the same time more “premium”.
It’s a chance for brands to stand out. The print issue is limited, it seems more valuable. Many companies use offline media as an image tool.
Ethical and organizational issues
The rapid adoption of technology in media and marketing raises not only questions of efficiency, but also serious dilemmas related to trust, transparency and corporate responsibility to society.
The boundary of trust
As technology advances, there is a risk of loss of trust. Deep fakes and synthetic influencers can give the impression that reality is distorted. The user is confronted with content that looks believable but is created entirely by an algorithm.
This opens up new horizons for creativity, but it also threatens trust in media and brands. If people begin to doubt the authenticity of messages, the effectiveness of marketing can be dramatically reduced.
Human control
Even the most advanced technology cannot replace strategic thinking. Algorithms help, but the key decisions remain with the individual:
- Correctness of data handling – compliance with laws and ethics.
- Defining boundaries – what is acceptable in terms of values and reputation.
- Strategy – choosing development directions and communication channels.
- Creativity – unique ideas are born in the human mind.
- Responsibility – the company, not the machine, is always responsible for the consequences.
Technology speeds up processes, but it is the person who sets the meaning and direction.
Conclusion
Technology has made media and marketing faster, more accurate, and more personalized. But along with the benefits have come new challenges: how to maintain audience trust, how not to lose human control and how to adapt to the speed of change.
Companies that can use AI properly, while keeping values and ethics in mind, will have a huge advantage. The rest will either have to learn quickly or give way to more agile players.
The future of media and marketing is a symbiosis between technology and humans. And it is the balance of these two factors that will determine how sustainable the business models of tomorrow will be.
