••• artificial intelligence
Canadians trust AI but worry about marketers’ use of it
While Canadians feel positive about artificial intelligence (AI) in the customer service space and 59 percent would feel comfortable with AI providing recommendations on what to purchase, they don’t blindly trust brands to respect their privacy and maintain security, according to research from the second annual Canadian Artificial Intelligence Tracker conducted by Sklar Wilton & Associates, a Toronto-based research firm.
People understand and want the benefits of artificial intelligence in their personal and work lives but they need marketers to implement it in a way that respects their privacy and maintains their security. In fact, 31 percent of people worry that companies might misuse AI to their own advantage and 41 percent believe companies using AI are focused on reducing costs at the expense of people.
Marketers must understand and clarify the role that AI can play in marketing. They need to understand consumer needs, unmet needs and pain points and communicate the company’s brand purpose and mission. Clarity around these areas will guide strategic briefs and subsequent development efforts. Marketers must understand the audience, focusing on early adopters who are aware of and experimenting with AI tools today. This group will ultimately determine the success or failure of AI initiatives. Brands that earn the trust and advocacy of early adopters will create a smooth path for laggards who will eventually follow.
••• sensory research
More whiffs = no lifetime on the hips?
Being surrounded by the scent of a burger or pizza for two minutes is enough to banish your cravings for junk food, new research claims. Smelling the aroma for less than 30 seconds will tantalize you and drive you to give in to temptation. But 90 seconds more will satisfy your senses, according to findings from a new study.
In the study, participants were exposed to the scent of either cookies and strawberries or pizza and apples. Those who sniffed the unhealthy options for less than 30 seconds were more likely to want them. But if the exposure lasted more than two minutes, they stopped finding them desirable and instead craved the fruit.
The findings, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, may lead to food-scented air fresheners and room sprays encouraging people to eat more healthily. “Ambient scent can be a powerful tool to resist cravings for indulgent foods,” says lead author Dipayan Biswas, marketing professor at the University of South Florida College of Business. “In fact, subtle sensory stimuli like scents can be more effective in influencing children’s and adults’ food choices than restrictive policies.” Thus, ambient scent could be a key to combatting the worldwide obesity epidemic because banning or taxing fatty and sugary treats is unlikely to work.