A third of CMOs report little to no AI implementation in their organisations. Chris Daly's verdict? "You're gonna be history." In this episode, the CEO of the Chartered Institute of Marketing shares why marketing professionals must rapidly adapt or risk obsolescence. Drawing from his military background and leadership of this 113-year-old institution, Chris reveals how marketing can finally shed its "pens and t-shirts department" reputation to become the engine of business growth. We explore the critical balance between AI adoption and human creativity, examine WPP's 50% devaluation as a cautionary tale, and discover why some agencies now revise their AI policies every three months just to keep pace.
Topics covered
• Marketing's evolution from sales offshoot to business growth function.
• Why professional standards matter more than ever in the AI era.
• Four principles for ethical AI implementation in marketing.
• The hidden dangers of shadow AI when employees use personal licences.
• How bias in AI systems can damage customer relationships.
• WPP's challenges and what they signal for traditional agencies.
• Why CIM is considering traditional exams again, as AI can too easily complete assignments.
• The Global Professional Marketing Framework with 207 competency aspects.
• How treating AI as a colleague rather than a barrier preserves customer connection.
• Why continuous learning is the only survival strategy for marketers.
Timestamps
00:00:34 CIM's 113-year journey from sales to chartered status
00:02:44 From military values to marketing leadership
00:05:29 Professional qualifications: university to C-suite journey
00:14:00 The AI changes in marketing education
00:17:35 Four principles for ethical AI: integrity, quality, transparency, awareness
00:21:00 Breaking free from the "pens and t-shirts department" perception
00:26:00 Five brand risks of generative AI adoption
00:29:55 Shadow AI: when employees go rogue with personal licences
00:33:41 Global Professional Marketing Framework for organisations
00:37:16 WPP's value loss and agency changes
00:41:14 One habit every marketer needs: staying current
Guest bio
Chris Daly is CEO of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the world's largest professional body for marketing with over 30,000 members globally. A former military officer, Chris brings principles of trust, ethics and professionalism from his service background to marketing leadership. He champions marketing as a business growth function and leads CIM's mission to professionalise an industry navigating AI changes.
Resources mentioned
• Chartered Institute of Marketing - newly redesigned website with qualifications, training and frameworks
• Gartner CMO research February 2024 study on AI adoption
• EU AI Act passed March 2024
• WPP investor information context on recent valuation changes
• IBM partnership for AI training (via CIM website)
• Global Professional Marketing Framework launching November 2024 at World Marketing Forum
• CIM's four principles for ethical AI use in marketing
• Marketing Cloud, CIM's bridge programme between university and first career
Related episodes
• Episode 68: AI changes in enterprise marketing
• Episode 71: Building ethical frameworks for business AI adoption
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Transcript
A full transcript of this episode is available below for accessibility and reference.
This episode was recorded in July 2024. AI developments and statistics may have evolved since recording.