A particularly cheeky client (you know who you are) asked me what I was going to do once AI replaced the need for places like TGM. While I obviously gave Mr Funny a quick clip around the ears and a short lecture on my irreplaceability, I’d be lying (and not a particularly good business owner) if I said I hadn’t asked myself a variation of the same question.
In a world where AI can generate images, podcasts, reasoned arguments and realistic but entirely fake footage — what value do marketing agencies offer? Why use a professional if AI lets you do it all yourself?
The obvious, easy answer is in the question — for the same reasons you use professionals for a whole host of other things. You can sell your own house, but most of us still use a real estate agent (a good decision according the this recent data crunch).
AI is a tool. Strike that — AI powers a huge number of different tools. The quality and value of one can’t be judged by the quality and value of another. It’s the wild west or the dot com boom all over again. Everyone’s having a go. Some are producing awesome tools — others, junk.
Unfortunately that feeds into the binary, “Is AI good or bad?” debate. The answer is of course yes — AI is good and bad. Philosophical and ethical arguments aside, TGM is pro AI at work when it supports us to elevate what we do for you.
This isn’t new territory for us. We’ve been told print is dead for as long as we’ve been in business — but the presses keep rolling. Tools like Canva proved that while it’s easy to make something look pretty on a screen, the real test is how it behaves in the world. Does it connect with your audience? Say something about who you are and what it’s like to work with you? Will it hold up when tastes change?
In all probability, AI is going to reshape the world. How? No one really knows. We didn’t predict VCR beating BETA, or streaming seeing off Video Ezy (yes, I’m old — kids, ask your parents), so I won’t pretend to know what the TGM of 2050 will look like.
But here’s what I do believe.
Only people can connect with people. Great marketing is done by real artisans — skilled professionals who blend creativity, craft and a deep curiosity about (and love for) humanity. They’ll use whatever the day’s tools allow — quills and ink, ones and zeros, apps and who knows what in the future. But the magic lies in their humanness. Our power remains our humanness. If you agree it’s time the world discovered yours — let’s talk.
Got a follow-up question? Ask Andrea!
To prove there’s no such thing as a stupid question, we’re starting a new TGM tradition.
Every month our chief ringmaster and mischief maker will answer questions from clients and the curious public. If there’s an aspect of what we do or how we do it that’s always intrigued you, or you want the honest opinion of a seasoned professional who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, then drop us a line. There might even be a sweet treat in it for questions that get published! Patai mai now and Ask Andrea.
