AI to take center stage at Possible conference this week

MMA Global, the industry association that aims to educate marketers on modern methods of getting the word out, is a major backer of Possible, and is using the event to introduce its AI leadership coalition, made up of more than 300 marketers from more than 160 marketing-driven companies, to advance AI in the industry. 

The need for marketers to sift through the BS around AI right now is essential if they’re going to make proper use of its abilities, said MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart (who is a co-founder of Possible along with Christian Muche, who founded Dmexco back in the early 2000s).

“We are looking to advance marketers’ application of AI to their marketing as aggressively as possible,” said Stuart. “That includes developing a series of guides to help them move more quickly, and to do experimental research that identifies for them where the gold is and how to get there.”

On the latter effort, MMA will unveil several studies and experiments it ran using machine learning, even though it’s not necessarily a new innovation. Stuart noted all forms of AI, including ones that have been in use but didn’t capture the same attention as generative AI in the last year. The goal was to test unsupervised machine learning when optimizing placement of digital advertising.

Brands that took part in the research included General Motors, Bayer, MLB and Shell, among others. The experiments yielded an average 149% increase in digital marketing impact. 

“That’s crazy numbers,” said Stuart. “I’ve been doing measurement kind of stuff like this and experimental things for 20 years, and I have never seen those kinds of gains.”

Several brands, from Hershey to Colgate Palmolive to Mars to Progressive insurance to Mastercard, will present at various panels over the course of the event.

Possible (Editor’s Note: Digiday is its exclusive media partner) expects to host 3,000 attendees this year who are there to absorb a mix of marketing, media, tech and cultural expertise and conversation. The event throws in a dash of celebrity that includes the likes of Janelle Monáe, Pitbull and Ashanti.