As a marketing agency, we have a responsibility to provide excellent service and advice to our clients. Embracing AI in marketing allows us to leverage time- and labor-saving tools, enhancing efficiency and strategy. However, we also guide our clients on when AI can be a distraction—helping them avoid tools that take time away from direct audience engagement and meaningful interactions.

As we enter 2025, there are more options than ever to create content thanks to the proliferation of AI and LLM (Large Language Model) tools. But just creating content isn’t enough. You need great content to break through and get noticed in a crowded market. AI doesn’t help here and, in fact, makes our job harder. More people are using AI to create junk content making our search engine optimization job harder. Most AI output still looks like exactly what it is – computer generated, generic copy, rife with factual errors, hallucinations, and just plain awkwardness. 

This approach runs counter to the very reason our clients hired us in the first place — our human values. Unique attributes and voice put your brand on the map. Looking like everyone else doesn’t allow you to stand out. Using AI tools that provide copy based on what already exists doesn’t either. 

Meanwhile, AI suggestions and tools are everywhere, and it is hard to resist the lure of the fast fix. Embedded AI-powered suggestions are now included in most tools. Where does the person end and the machine begin?  

There are other issues with AI tools — ethical issues. These tools crawl the entire web for their answers, and often data is pulled into LLMs without the original author’s permission. Also, this approach goes against so much of what we teach our clients about “that human touch,” something that can put your brand on the map. 

Here are some of the ways we at CPRM have responsibly incorporated, or eliminated AI tools in our PR and Marketing work: 

Ways we don’t use AI:  

•  Generating client-facing copy 

•  Generating public-facing copy 

•  Creating articles, press releases or blogs  

•  Creating final art or graphics 

Ways we do use AI: 

• Time Savings: “Create a list that includes X, Y, and Z.” 

• Iterations: “Give me 20 variations of a tagline that include L, M, or N.” 

• Design variations:  Using custom-built prompts, we can utilize AI to generate options before we invest time in creating a finished image. (For example, this year we used AI to quickly generate images to match our ideas for our holiday card – some were so odd they made us laugh. Looking at several AI generated images allowed us to eliminate some and zero in on one idea. Then our designers used real photos and design tools to create a finished product.) 

• Brainstorming: AI works great as a brainstorming partner. These tools can help you explore the Who, What, When, Why, and How of your projects. 

Whether your team goes all in on AI, or rolls it out slowly, just know that the options to utilize these LLM tools are everywhere. Treating these like a complement, and not a replacement, for generating content is going to produce higher quality outcomes and get you the real engagement you want. 

Stand out and stay human! 

The Carlton PR and Marketing Team