Dentsu Creative Launches Playbook for Building Brands in AI Era
As artificial intelligence transforms how people discover, evaluate and choose brands, Dentsu Creative has launched a new strategic playbook designed to help marketers navigate one of the most significant shifts in consumer behaviour since the rise of the internet.
The report, Word of Mouth. Word of Machine: A Brand Playbook for an AI Future, explores how brands can win in a world where AI increasingly influences what gets seen, considered and purchased.
Developed by Dentsu Creative in collaboration with experts from across media, technology and innovation, the report argues that traditional approaches to brand building must evolve as search becomes conversational and conversation increasingly becomes delegation.
The agency's latest thought leadership identifies a growing challenge for marketers: ensuring brands are both understood by machines and meaningful to people.
While many organisations are focused on AI's impact on productivity and content creation, Dentsu Creative believes the bigger opportunity lies in rethinking how brands build visibility, trust and relevance in an AI-mediated world.
The report introduces five principles for future-fit brand building, covering brand clarity, machine readability, creative consistency, human referenceability and authority.
Chris McKibbin, chief strategy officer, Dentsu Creative UK, said, "At Dentsu Creative, our ambition is to build brands for what's next. Right now, every conversation with clients ultimately arrives at the same place: AI. The challenge isn't simply how brands use AI. It's how brands grow when AI sits between consumers and decision making."
"Many marketers are asking whether they need to build brands for humans or machines. We believe that's the wrong question. The relationship is symbiotic. Machines influence people and people influence machines. The brands that win will be those that successfully combine machine readability with human relevance."
Drawing on perspectives from the Financial Times, Reddit, futurist Tracey Follows and specialists from across the dentsu network, the report challenges the notion that AI diminishes the importance of creativity.
Instead, it concludes that creativity becomes even more valuable as AI systems increasingly aggregate, summarise and recommend.
Jessica Tamsedge, CEO, Dentsu Creative UK, said, "As AI transforms discovery, brand visibility will be vital but not sufficient. The future won't belong to brands that simply optimise for algorithms. It will belong to brands that create experiences worth talking about, communities worth belonging to and stories worth remembering."
"The brands that thrive in the next era will be those that can speak fluently to machines while meaning something to people. That's why creativity remains the competitive advantage."
The launch reflects Dentsu Creative's continued focus on helping clients navigate emerging shifts in technology, media and culture, equipping brands with the tools, capabilities and strategic frameworks needed to build sustainable growth in a rapidly changing landscape.
The report will also form the basis of Dentsu Creative's Cannes Lions discussion, where Jessica Tamsedge will host senior marketing leaders from BT, Adobe, IKEA and Reddit to explore the future of brand building in an AI-powered world.
Word of Mouth. Word of Machine: A Brand Playbook for an AI Future is available to download now.
