Adobe's senior strategic business development manager on artificial intelligence and integrating data sets
Artificial Intelligence will unlock the potential of data within communication implementation says Adobe’s Creative Cloud Enterprise senior strategic business development manager, Chris Duffey.
Chris Duffey on artificial intelligence and integrating data sets
Having begun his position at Adobe over a month ago, Duffey leads the agency partnership vertical within the company, focusing on partnership opportunities within them and the creative agencies. He believes that the B2B is leading the way and that integrating data sets is the next step in communicating more effectively.
What do you think are the key B2B trends right now?
Over the years it has gotten quite sophisticated in the sense that I think there has been a mind shift in the realization that professionals are people too. Physicians, bankers, educators, yes, they are experts in their field but they're ultimately all human and I think that the industry realized that the communication and marketing got a lot more effective and kind of personal.
What is the current mood of the B2B industry?
It's very exciting because in many ways B2B is leading the way. They are doing very progressive pioneering things. In B2B, the majority of the time the target audience is very well defined and focused, which allows for personalization and not only acquisition funnel but also a retention strategy. I think that's where they are really pioneering, relationship marketing and personalization and targeting.
Where do you see B2B heading in the next 12 months?
We are really excited about artificial intelligence (AI). It's going to really unlock the potential of data that will implement communication, creative and open up the flood gates of innovation.
B2B marketers are using data to target buyers but they still find it a big problem to personalize. What are your thoughts on that?
It ultimately starts with the business problem and your data sets. From there, it's what you want to achieve, not just personalizing content for personalizing sake. What's the true business objectives that you're trying to achieve? And that's where it gets more utility and effectiveness.
What is innovating B2B right now?
We can see hints of it the world of IOT, connecting systems. That's happening in the B2B world as well. There are these silos of data; there's product data, audience data, online data and when we start to be able to link these data sets together with these systems and integrate them, that's where I think the communication will get more effective.
What are Adobe doing that is unique/innovate in B2B right now?
We're all in on making it an experience. It's not just a push out a message. It's more of an experience pull, which really impacts this end to end experience for the audience and for the agencies that are creating these experiences.
What’s next for Creative Cloud?
We are very excited about Adobe Sensei. it's in a number of products already and regarding personalization, we are focused on how we can start to get into predictive creation and cognitive creativity.
What are your thoughts on the return of Google Glass?
We're excited about augmented reality. It has been around for a few years and now that the friction level has gone down in the sense that, you don't need to download an app anymore, or a barrier on your face, it's now going to be embedded into the OS of mobile phones and that, I think will have profound effects on experiences and will become very utilitarian.
Where do you think wearable technology is going next?
It's interesting but it's not so much about the technology, it's about how can innovative thinking solve problems in unexpected ways. Technology is the most impactive when it's almost ambient and invisible, that is where it becomes more meaningful.
Within B2B, who do you think are the key players in pushing AI, machine learning, digital health?
In B2B it's very early on. This reminds me of the mid to late 90s, where internet and online marketing was really in its infancy and I think that's where we are with AI, although it's been around since 1956 from the first summit and there were a series of burst and bust cycles but I think it's really coming into its own in terms of really leveraging the technology and mindset that we can now solve problems in truly different ways. AI starts with eating data for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It starts with the data set and what you want to do with that data and what we can learn from it.
As a judge for The Drum B2B Brave Awards, what would you like to see from this year’s entrants?
I'm really excited to see how brands, companies and businesses are trying to really personalize their messaging and conversations with its audience. I think that's where it becomes meaningful to the audience. We are beyond that one-way messaging, it's now about trying to create an ongoing meaningful relationship. They learn from that relationship as they get that feedback and they can then enhance that conversation.
How important do you think these are awards are to the industry?
The Drum B2B Brave Awards are this guidepost/lighthouse for innovation within business to business and it's going to provide inspiration for what can and should be done.
Duffey is a judge for The Drum B2B Brave Awards. The deadline for entries is Friday August 4, apply now and celebrate rewarding the best of B2Bs marketing campaigns and strategies.
Sponsors for the awards are: 4A’s, ThinkLA and Stein IAS.