Originally Released On

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Contact:

Stagwell
Kara Gelber
PR@stagwellglobal.com

Code and Theory
Kenneth Hein
kenneth.hein@codeandtheory.com

Stagwell’s Code and Theory accelerates the content supply chain for brands, driving innovation across customer experience to digital experience platforms.

NEW YORK and LAS VEGAS, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In an era where AI is fundamentally reshaping digital experiences, Code and Theory is boldly redefining industry boundaries with its new Enterprise Experience Transformation practice. Led by Chief Transformation Officer Cory Haldeman, this strategic expansion represents more than a new service offering — it’s a comprehensive response to the market’s evolving needs. The practice will launch at Adobe Summit, during which Code and Theory will showcase its value realization solutions to accelerate GenAI’s transformative impact on customer experience.

Drawing on over two decades of digital innovation, Code and Theory pioneers solutions that translate AI’s possibilities into measurable business outcomes and extraordinary customer experiences.

At Adobe Summit (March 18-20), Code and Theory will showcase its Enterprise Experience System (EXS) framework through the lens of a new sports team, show how the new system unlocks experiences at scale that go beyond traditional engagement, and explore how they can help accelerate client’s investments in Content Supply Chain and Generative AI programs.

In Code and Theory’s booth at Adobe Summit, attendees will see:

1. Enterprise Experience Systems | The Foundation of Real Personalization: The EXS framework unlocks experiences at scale that go beyond transactional engagement.
2. Exposing the Personalization Gap | Moving Beyond Industry Hype: We’ll address the tendency for personalization to be oversold yet underdelivered, emphasizing deeper relevance by unifying brand identity, user needs and technology.
3. Foundational First | Uncover How Brand Identity & CX Feeds AI: Before adopting advanced tech solutions, brands must define their core identity and the “jobs to be done” before activating the AI strategy — ensuring meaningful personalization at scale.

Stagwell’s Code and Theory Network is a first-time Diamond sponsor at Adobe Summit and will bring the flavor of SPORT BEACH, the premiere sports business destination Stagwell built for brands, platforms and athletes to tap into the cultural zeitgeist of sport and explore the power of fandom. At the summit, Stagwell and Code and Theory will host Carmelo Anthony, 10-time NBA All-Star, entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Kelsey Plum, a WNBA champion, for a series of brand marketer meetings and a public session on how creativity and technology are revolutionizing the way brands connect with audiences.

While AI dissolves the traditional lines between consulting, systems integration and creative agencies, Code and Theory’s practice doesn’t just bridge these artificial silos — it replaces them with a unified approach that seamlessly integrates strategic vision, technical implementation and creative innovation.

Cory Haldeman, Chief Transformation Officer at Code and Theory, says: “Most companies use AI like an intelligent spellcheck — focused on making incremental improvements to existing processes. But true transformation requires reevaluating what’s possible. Adobe’s approach with Firefly exemplifies this mindset by democratizing creativity. At Code and Theory, we’re applying this same transformative thinking across the entire enterprise experience, not just enhancing existing systems but fundamentally redefining how brands connect with customers through AI-powered customer experience.”

Dan Gardner, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Code and Theory, says: “Our relationship with Adobe spans more than a decade, and we look forward to continuing client success through this partnership. As enterprises grapple with unprecedented complexity in their digital ecosystems, we’re combining our deep expertise in brand experience with Adobe’s powerful technology stack to help unlock the potential of our clients’ investment. This isn’t just about better creative tools or more efficient content delivery — it’s about reimagining how enterprises operate in an AI-powered world and building the foundation for experiences that just weren’t possible before.”

“Successful digital transformations aren’t just about implementing technology—they’re about reimagining how businesses create value for their customers,” said Hannah Elsakr, President of New Business at Adobe. “Code and Theory and the Stagwell network have holistic vision, combining strategic insight with technical and creative excellence. Their expanded focus perfectly complements Adobe’s mission to change the world through digital experiences, and we look forward to the continued evolution of our partnership.”

If you’ll be at Adobe Summit and wish to set up a meeting with Cory Haldeman, Chief Transformation Officer at Code and Theory, email meetings@codeandtheory.com.

About The Code and Theory Network
The Code and Theory Network is the only technology and creative network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers. Our unique makeup makes us the place where CMOs, CTOs and CIOs come together to drive results for their businesses. We partner with our clients to redefine what is possible to create lasting impact and drive long-term growth. Part of Stagwell, Code and Theory offers a global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entirety of the customer-facing journey, and implement the technology that powers it. The network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as Kettle, Instrument, Left Field Labs, Truelogic, Create. Group, Rhythm and Mediacurrent. Code and Theory clients include Amazon, JPMorganChase, Microsoft, NBC, NFL and Yeti. For more, visit codeandtheory.com

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.   

Contacts:

Stagwell
Kara Gelber
PR@stagwellglobal.com 

Code and Theory
Kenneth Hein
kenneth.hein@codeandtheory.com 

Originally Released On

PR Newswire

Contact:

Kenneth Hein
kenneth.hein@codeandtheory.com

The creative and technology network was honored twice based upon its transformational work for NBC, NFL, Minnesota Star Tribune and other top clients.

NEW YORK, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Code and Theory, part of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2025, twice. The only technology and creative network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers, Code and Theory partners with its clients to redefine what is possible to create lasting impact and drive long-term growth.

Code and Theory was honored within both Fast Company’s Design and Teamwork categories. Fast Company created the special Teamwork list this year to honor the most innovative companies that demonstrated a high degree of collaboration in developing new products, ideas and strategies, either by bringing together internal teams or partnering with outside organizations to realize their innovations. Code and Theory was recognized for its partnership with The Minnesota Star Tribune for transforming the news experience.

This recognition places Code and Theory among industry giants like Waymo, Nvidia, Duolingo — companies that are driving innovation, redefining industry standards and reaching remarkable milestones. 

Code and Theory is reshaping industries, including finance, publishing, sports and government, setting new standards for innovation. In 2024 alone, the network’s creative work drove bold, measurable results for its clients. For example, Code and Theory:

• Amid widespread misinformation, cyber threats and political polarization, Code and Theory rebuilt NBC’s Big Board from the ground up, ensuring it delivered meticulously verified, real-time election data and transformed complex statistics into clear, engaging narratives. The Big Board (and on-air data analyst Steve Kornacki) propelled MSNBC to its most viewers in network history surpassing rival CNN. See the case study.
• Transformed the NFL app from a static tool into a dynamic, fan-first experience that reflects the league’s energy and boldness. The relaunched app drives over 5 million weekly users, and fans streamed more than 2.3 billion minutes worth of games last year (that’s more than 10x the Netflix catalog). Explore the case study.
• In less than six months, Code and Theory delivered a comprehensive transformation for the Minnesota Star Tribune: a modern digital experience that’s more accessible for younger readers, created new premium opportunities for advertisers, and leveraged best-in-class technology to build the system so it can all flex for the future. Less than 24 hours after launch, The Minnesota Star Tribune hit 32% of its monthly subscriber goal. Read all about it here.
• Built, designed and launched YETI’s newest brand experience, Plan Your Wildest Year Yet. This interactive platform empowers adventure seekers everywhere to generate their very own custom calendar of global outdoor events to kick off 2025 right. The 28% “Add to Calendar” rate was 25% over the industry benchmark for campaign website engagement and made for hundreds of thousands of events added, proving YETI tapped into real outdoor demand. See the award-winning work.

Code and Theory continues to drive impact with the launch of its new Enterprise Experience Transformation (EXT) practice. Debuting at Adobe Summit today, this strategic initiative will solve a critically overlooked market challenge: the siloed consulting ecosystem, leaving businesses dangerously unprepared for AI disruption. Adriana Rubio, who built the world’s largest Adobe practice during her tenure at Accenture, joined Code and Theory as managing director of the EXT practice earlier this month.

Code and Theory Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Dan Gardner says, “Being recognized for our teamwork with the Minnesota Star Tribune is a particular honor. We’ve built Code and Theory around talent with different skill sets from Deloitte to Cosmopolitan to the White House. Our leaders thrive at bringing our clients’ entire C-suite together. This is the secret to our innovative culture, which is obsessively focused on solving for tomorrow’s opportunities.” 

Code and Theory was named Ad Age’s B2B Agency of the Year last week and has also been named Digiday’s Most Innovative Company among other honors.

Code and Theory CEO Michael Treff says, “Innovation isn’t just about the big ideas. It’s about executing them in ways that drive measurable impact. Our ability to merge design and technology has delivered tangible outcomes for our clients, helping them solve complex challenges and achieve long-term growth. By always focusing on the customer experience first, we can unlock innovation that drives business results.”

Fast Company Editor-in-Chief Brendan Vaughan says, “Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future. This year, we recognize companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.”

About The Code and Theory Network
The Code and Theory Network is the only technology and creative network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers. Our unique makeup makes us the place where CMOs, CTOs and CIOs come together to drive results for their businesses. We partner with our clients to redefine what is possible to create lasting impact and drive long-term growth. Part of Stagwell, Code and Theory offers a global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entirety of the customer-facing journey and implement the technology that powers it. The network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as Kettle, Instrument, Left Field Labs, Truelogic, Create. Group, Rhythm and Mediacurrent. Code and Theory clients include Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, NBC, NFL and Yeti. For more, visit codeandtheory.com

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

CONTACT:
Kenneth Hein
kenneth.hein@codeandtheory.com

Originally Released On

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Contact:

Brandon Dixon
brandondixon@dcspr.co  

From its beginnings as a three-person startup in Venice Beach, CA, to a 100+-strong global team, Left Field Labs has consistently pushed the boundaries of emerging technology, creativity, and brand strategy. Its work has driven transformation across industries—from pioneering 5G applications with Verizon, developing early electric vehicle prototypes with Ford, launching over 3,000 products and experiences with Google, and driving the first interactive genAI advertising campaign for a major global technology company in 2024. 

Now part of the Code and Theory Network, Stagwell’s digital transformation unit, Left Field Labs is accelerating. Left Field Labs closed 2024 with its strongest year yet—marking three consecutive years of double-digit growth and a 27 percent revenue increase. Long-standing partnerships with industry giants like Google, Amazon, and Meta were joined by a wave of new clients in 2024, including Salesforce, Qualcomm, Bloomberg, Oath Soil Life, Viasat, and myCOI. Today, Fortune 100 companies account for more than half of the firm’s revenue.

“Our growth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the lasting trust we build with our clients. More companies are moving away from traditional agencies and looking for true partners, and that’s a role we take seriously,” said Sarah Mehler, Founder and CEO of Left Field Labs. “Companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon come to us to solve complex challenges and deliver results. Every year, we push ourselves to go further – creatively and technically – to transform ambitious ideas into tangible solutions.”

Driving the Future of AI and Immersive Experiences

With decades of experience in emerging technologies and applied AI, Left Field Labs rapidly prototypes, scales and launches technology-driven experiences that enhance human connection—often within weeks. In recent years, Left Field Labs has led its clients in high-profile experiences and product innovation powered by AI and immersive technologies, some of which include:

• Qualcomm’s “Snapdragon City” – Left Field Labs made on-device AI tangible for Qualcomm at Snapdragon 2024 by blending physical and digital elements into an interactive storytelling experience. This was the first real-time implementation of Snapdragon’s on-device generative AI in an interactive XR environment, demonstrating next-generation computing technology can be both groundbreaking and approachable. 
• Hasbro’s “Toy of the Year” AR Experience – Reinventing a classic, Left Field Labs infused augmented reality and AI into Twister to create “Twister Air,” a fun new way for families to play and connect across generations. This innovation earned Twister Air the prestigious Game of the Year prize at the Toy Industry Awards.
• DNA3: Built to power personalized avatars across a network of Web3 experiences, DNA3 leverages generative AI to create diverse 2D and 3D digital assets with precision control and seamless customization. Its adaptability spans gaming, product interfaces, and beyond, allowing users to own their identity across a range of digital experiences.
• Aveda’s Retail Beauty Lab: Aveda has always been rooted in nature, but embracing machine learning opened a new chapter in immersive personalized beauty. Partnering with Left Field Labs, they launched their first ever digital-to-physical integrated experience in flagship stores, allowing users to get personalized hair assessments and product recommendations. 

Left Field Labs leveraged its deep expertise in applied AI, product innovation, experiential, and immersive technologies to deliver these groundbreaking experiences.

“Technology needs to go beyond just working properly – it should actually improve people’s lives,” said Eric Lee, Partner and CTO, LFL. “We’re grateful to work with partners who trust us to help them navigate the AI landscape and develop practical applications that genuinely enhance human capabilities. By strengthening our expertise in applied AI and immersive technologies, we’re helping our clients achieve results they hadn’t previously thought possible.”

Discover more of Left Field Labs’ groundbreaking innovations or explore partnership opportunities at www.leftfieldlabs.com

About Left Field Labs
Left Field Labs is a creative technology company that partners with the world’s most ambitious brands to build innovative digital experiences. With 17 years of expertise in emerging technologies, design, and strategy, the firm specializes in crafting transformative solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible. A proud member of the Stagwell network, Left Field Labs continues to lead at the intersection of creativity and technology. Learn more at https://www.leftfieldlabs.com/.

About The Code and Theory Network
The Code and Theory Network is the only technology and creative network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers. Our unique makeup makes us the place where CMOs, CTOs and CIOs come together to drive results for their businesses. We partner with our clients to redefine what is possible to create lasting impact and drive long-term growth. Part of Stagwell, Code and Theory offers a global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entirety of the customer-facing journey, and implement the technology that powers it. The network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as Kettle, Instrument, Left Field Labs, Truelogic, Create. Group, Rhythm and Mediacurrent. Code and Theory clients include Amazon, JPMorganChase, Microsoft, NBC, NFL and Yeti. For more, visit codeandtheory.com

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 40+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.  

Media Contact:
Brandon Dixon
brandondixon@dcspr.co  

ABOUT THE AGENCIES BEHIND THE WORK

Left Field Labs is a team of engineers, designers, strategists, information architects and creative technologists who thrive at the intersection of imagination and scientific rigor. Together we aim to inspire a more positive world by being a driving force for culture, innovation and invention.

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Left Field Labs partnered with Hasbro to bring the classic game of Twister into the digital age with Twister AIR, an AR-based game powered by AI, and built for iOS and Android.

Advanced AI and Machine Learning Integration

Skeletal and Color Tracking

Left Field Labs employed sophisticated AI and machine learning algorithms to enable reliable tracking of players’ movements and their colored bands in varied lighting conditions. This technology ensured accurate detection and response, regardless of skin tones and clothing variations. Its custom skeletal tracking monitors up to four players on a wide range of hardware, both Android and iOS devices, enhancing the versatility and accessibility of the game. 

AI-First UX Design

The app’s user experience was designed with an AI-first approach, focusing on players’ gestures, positions, and movements to create a smooth, intuitive interface. This design approach, which prioritizes AI driven interactions, enabled players to interact with the app and navigate game levels effortlessly, using natural motions for a more immersive and engaging experience.

Innovative AR gameplay experience

Gameplay mechanics

Players followed movement cues from the app, similar to games like Just Dance and Beat Saber. The game features 16 music tracks, including an original song “Twist in the Air,” and challenges players to match colored bands with on-screen dots, perform specific poses, and execute complex movements. The game also included a level editor to design levels synchronized with music, providing varying levels of difficulty and enhancing replay value.

User feedback

The innovative gameplay received positive reviews from both children and adults. “Twister Air is a great way to close those Apple Watch rings,” noted one user, highlighting the physical activity aspect of the game. The app also creates highlight reels of players’ key moments, making it easy to share social assets and elevate the social aspect of the game.

Modern twist on a classic game

Twister AIR reimagined the classic game of Twister for the digital age. The AR app transformed the traditional mat game into a dynamic, music-focused experience without being restricted to a surface. Players wear colored wrist and ankle bands, and the app uses the device’s camera to track their movements, creating an immersive and  interactive gameplay environment.

Industry recognition

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

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ABOUT GALE

GALE is a Business Agency. Founded in 2014, the agency currently has offices in New York, Singapore, Toronto, Denver, Los Angeles, London, Austin, Kansas City, and Bengaluru. GALE has received top industry awards including Ad Age’s A-List, Ad Age’s Data & Analytics Agency of the Year, Adweek’s Fastest Growing Agency, the Grand Effie and Adweek’s Breakthrough Media Agency of the Year. 

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Bomb Pop is the most popular ice pop that nobody can remember. GALE’s mission was simple: get tweens to remember the brand’s name. The team brought the favorite summertime snack into the virtual world of Restaurant Tycoon 2 in Roblox, where Roblox restaurant owners could serve eight virtual Bomb Pop flavors to their customers. Gamers served 48.5 million Bomb Pops — making it the #1 selling food item in Roblox history. 

Our Approach to Transformation

Introducing the Bomb Pop Update in Restaurant Tycoon 2. For two weeks, Roblox restaurant owners could serve virtual bomb pops to their hungry customers and earn limited edition gear to upgrade their restaurants – turning Restaurant Tycoon into a red, white, and blue bonanza, and making restaurant owners within the platform our very own virtual brand ambassadors, interior designers, and architects. In the process, using our limited-edition items, players completely transformed the restaurants into gaming lounges, family style buffets, and even high-end beach clubs with an average of 28 minutes engaged across the experience.  

Our Impact

Time spent was 133% beyond Roblox branded experience benchmarks. We also had over 500,000 unique users enlist as virtual bomb pop distributors who sold over 48.5 million bomb pops, making it the most sold food item in Roblox ever. Even more significantly, sales in the real world were also up with an immediate 28.6% increase. We proved that the virtual world can spur epic real world business results.

Wondering where to begin with immersive experience implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT COLLE MCVOY

Colle McVoy (CM) is a full-service creative agency that builds enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people. We believe this time of rapid change is filled with opportunities, so we constantly strive to push the boundaries of creativity, pressure-test best practices and create new brand futures. As a Certified B Corporation, we believe a better future means we have a responsibility to use our expertise as a force for good to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

Frontiers in Focus

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We’re sure you’ve heard about JOMO (the joy of missing out). Here’s the reality: It’s one thing to miss out, it’s an entirely different thing to find the joy in it. 

To reinforce La-Z-Boy’s new platform, Long Live the Lazy, Colle McVoy’s creative technology team designed and fabricated “The Decliner,” a first-of-its-kind recliner allowing owners to AI-generate a cancellation excuse via SMS simply by pulling the handle. 36,000+ people signed up for a chance to win their own Decliner just in time for National Lazy Day as part of the earned creative brand act. 

Our Approach to Transformation

For a chance to put their feet up with AI assistance and La-Z-Boy style, people were asked to submit the most creative excuses they’ve ever used to protect their JOMO. And, influencers created content to amplify attention to the contest. The innovation was a technological hack—with 225 lines of code directing the AI server and 344 lines for each fabricated chair. An indicator of sorts had to be fashioned to let people know requests were processing, which took the form of an LED-lined puck at the handle base. The tech choices needed to be as reliable as the chairs themselves and couldn’t disrupt La-Z-Boy’s comfort and durability standards.

Our Impact

Colle McVoy drove 1.1B media impressions across 317 placements in the likes of USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens, Architectural Digest and more. People definitely put their feet up, juicing La-Z-Boy’s website traffic by 200% and increasing brand sales by 50% during the first weekend of the campaign.

The La-Z-Boy Decliner has gone on to win several awards, including Best in Technology at the 2023 PRWeek Awards and Best in Research & Consumer Insights in MediaPost’s Planning & Buying Awards. Nearly 13,000 cancellations have been sent by Decliner owners, giddy with AI-assisted JOMO. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT LEFT FIELD LABS

Left Field Labs is a digital agency dedicated to solving our common challenges through uncommon creativity. Our team of over 100 designers, developers, and strategists has launched hundreds of digital products and experiences – from VR and websites to apps and experiential installations – for clients, such as Google, Discovery, Android, Estée Lauder, Uber, and Disney.  

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Google set out to create a 360° event-scale augmented reality (AR) experience at CES that would help attendees experience its presence in a whole new dimension. Google partnered with Left Field Labs to blend its physical booth location with a digital overlay, focused on bringing helpful and contextual information to attendees, as well as delightful moments.  

Our Approach to Transformation

LFL leveraged Google’s latest AR technologies in partnership with Adobe to inspire developers, creators, and brands at Google’s CES booth. The team aimed to demonstrate how AR has the potential to solve everyday challenges, whether orienting yourself around a busy environment, getting the scoop on more demos to see, finding transportation, or helping with decision making. 

First, LFL used Google’s Geospatial Creator, powered by ARCore and Google Maps Platform, in Adobe Aero to create an effective storyboard that integrated physical and digital elements seamlessly for the AR experience. LFL then built Google’s beloved Android Bot into the AR experience as a guiding figure with simple yet richly expressive interactions. Taking an agile approach, LFL iterated and tested on a wide range of Android and iOS mobile devices to ensure smooth performance for attendees.  

Our Impact

The AR guide to Google on Android at CES 2024 was a successful “show rather than tell” experience that helped attendees enjoy the space with immersive surprises along the way. The experience was activated nearly 9,000 times over the four-day event.  

Wondering where to begin with immersive experience implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

CONTACT

Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Stagwell
hello@stagwellglobal.com

Insights for the C-Suite

Enjoyed these insights? View more commentary from our global marketing, technology, and creative experts in Stagwell’s “C[x]O” series for the C-Suite. Click here to explore more.

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The Sky’s the Limit But Use Cases are the Target

At Google Next – and at several marketing and technology conference this year, including CES and SXSW – the clear challenge to attendees was the two-step from theoretical implementations of AI to hard use-cases that provide value to consumers (and reasons for investment). It’s no wonder companies in attendance debuted over 101 real-world use cases for generative AI, spanning applications to consumer experiences, back-end-operations, insights, and more.  

Some common themes emerged as to where AI is providing the most immediate value:  

• AI to accelerate the curation of essential business insights: AI21 Labs showcased how they use a BigQuery integration called Contextual Answers to allow users to query data across their businesses conversationally.  
• AI to put the power of storytelling in everyone’s fingertips. Google unveiled Google Vids, a new AI-powered video creation app in its Workspace suite that can do everything from generate a storyboard, piece together first drafts of videos from stock multimedia, and do voiceovers.  
• AI to bring real-time tracking to the customer experience: UPS is constructing a digital twin of its entire distribution network that will enable customers to see where their packages are at any time.

AI Will Mean a Rewriting of Every Customer Interface – Here’s Where to Begin

Artificial intelligence represents a quantum leap for creativity and productivity.  As a network on the beat of marketing, we know that AI’s rise will mean a rewriting of almost all customer interfaces as companies race to deliver consumers the personalized experiences they’ve desired since the dawn of the internet. At Google Next, Stagwell CTO Merrill Raman and Stagwell Marketing Cloud CTO Mansoor Basha emphasized that the first step brands should take to reap the benefits of AI should be assessing their organization’s data infrastructure to ensure it is primed for AI.  

Tactically, that may mean deep clean-up of existing first party data sources using data science best practices to get the information organized in a manner that AI can extract useful insights from. Or it may mean partnering with a third-party data provider who can supplement your view of existing and prospective consumers. 

AI Can Be the Bedrock for Trust, When Implemented Appropriately

As Left Field Labs CEO Sarah Mehler shared at Google Next: with growth in AI utilization, a critical question to consider is how do we build trust with audiences when considering AI implementation? Striking the right tone in AI-enabled communications is a primary step. And remember that communication that reflects cultural and demographic nuances is what ultimately resonates with audiences and builds trust in new systems. Well-practiced organizations will apply sentiment analysis to better understand the emotions of a user and provide appropriate responses (thus driving traction and building more successful outcomes).  

Attention to detail is also crucial for building trust in AI implementations. A “Chain of Verification” is one of several methods that can be employed to enhance the accuracy of information provided by AI systems. This process involves multiple steps to validate information before it is conveyed to the user. For instance, after our language model generates a response, we can employ a separate validation model to scrutinize the facts within that response. This secondary check helps to identify and correct any inaccuracies or ‘hallucinations’—instances where the model generates false or misleading information. By systematically verifying data through multiple layers, we can provide more reliable and trustworthy outputs. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

CONTACT

hello@stagwellglobal.com

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We’re going strong after Cannes LIONS 2023 – even after hosting more than 5,000 people at SPORT BEACH. The emerging themes still on our minds: 

1. The consensus at Cannes was that generative AI is no passing fad. But brands and marketers need to understand how to use (and not use) AI to truly realize its potential.

    

2. Brands need to understand the risks of embracing polarizing issues. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t stand for something.

    

3. Fandom is even more valuable than you think. How else could a dish soap company like Dawn have more fans than tech and entertainment giants?  

Get ready, because we’re diving deep into all three … 

How AI and AR Will Transform Sports 

The Intersection of Sport and Sustainability  

What Turns Customers Into Fans

CONTACT

hello@stagwellglobal.com

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Beyond the Stage

Stagwell talked to C-suite marketers, sports luminaries, and other innovators at SPORT BEACH and the Palais. You’ll find fresh, insightful videos on our YouTube page from every day of Cannes LIONS. 

On the sand at SPORT BEACH, Anton Vincent, President, Mars Wrigley, North America, talked to the NFL’s Mack Hollins and Damaune Journey, Global Chief Growth Officer, 72andSunny, about treating business like sports, sustainable growth, and the importance of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA).