Tom Goodwin: A Contrarian Take on Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Nov 21, 2023
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Tom Goodwin, former head of innovation at Publicis, Zenith, and Havas, discusses the role of generative AI and its potential in tasks. He shares his contrarian take on AI, emphasizing the importance of originality and creativity. Goodwin also explores the evolution of digital advertising, the impact of AI on small companies, and predictions on environmental movements.
Generative AI is often overhyped and should be seen as mostly pointless, except for specific tasks like creating graphics or writing derivative copy.
AI can be a useful tool for tasks that don't require new or original ideas, acting as filler or background music rather than something revolutionary.
Deep dives
The Hype Around AI: A Contrarian View
The guest challenges the prevailing hype around artificial intelligence (AI) and argues that it is often blow overblown. They suggest that many people say a lot of nonsense about AI and that their own views are based on an understanding of how the real world works. They caution against putting too much faith in generative AI, seeing it as mostly pointless, except for certain specific applications like creating graphics or writing derivative copy. They emphasize the importance of focusing on adding value and doing something unique rather than relying on AI to do the work.
AI's Impact on Marketing and Innovation
The guest discusses how AI is being used in marketing and innovation. They posit that the technology has great potential in writing code and doing tasks that don't require new or original ideas. However, they argue that AI should not be seen as a tool for producing extraordinary or remarkable work, as that comes from human creativity and passion. They suggest that AI can be a useful tool for tasks that don't need to provide anything new or original, acting as filler or background music rather than something revolutionary. They also express skepticism about the idea that AI will improve with more data, likening it to adding more black and white paint to a palette and expecting different colors.
Challenges in the Tech Industry
The guest highlights the challenges faced by the tech industry, especially the pressure to be disruptive and achieve tech-like success. They argue that many tech companies strive for IPOs and billionaire status, rather than focusing on sustainable growth and adding real value. They discuss the importance of medium-sized businesses that focus on providing quality and value, rather than aiming for massive scale. They also stress the need for marketers to gain the trust of boards and CEOs to make decisions aligned with customers' needs, instead of chasing tech trends. They emphasize the enduring importance of consistency, empathy, powerful ideas, and premium imagery in marketing.
The Future of Advertising and Environmental Issues
The guest predicts a shift in the conversation around environmental issues and advertising. They foresee a reaction against greenwashing, where companies make empty gestures towards sustainability without meaningful action. They believe there will be a more nuanced and pragmatic approach to environmental movements, with a focus on identifying actionable changes that make a real difference. They also highlight the democratization of marketing, with small companies having access to digital channels, and suggest that the quality of advertising from these smaller businesses will become more significant. They encourage marketers to stay true to the fundamentals of marketing, while leveraging the possibilities of new technology.
A CMO Confidential interview with Tom Goodwin, author, speaker and former head of innovation at Publicis, Zenith and Havas. Tom shares thoughts on why generative AI is "A lot like having a million, really cocky, 16-year old interns working for you", how "The Internet has made advertising really bad," and and how "Everyone who understood technology has triumphed over people that actually knew what they were doing." Key discussion topics include why AI will take root in things that don't have to be done well, why it takes extraordinary innovation to create real value, and his belief that even though there have been data and media revolutions, marketing principles are still the same. Listen in to hear him explain the headline "Uber Finally Makes a Profit - World wonders if Pigs Can Fly."
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