"Consumers are still unsure about brands using AI, especially in advertising. Brands should focus on using AI on social media where it offers clear, practical benefits, such as improving customer service and product discoverability."
Rebecca McGrath, Associate Director for Media and Technology
60% of UK social media users prefer brands that don’t use AI in advertising, highlighting ongoing concerns about authenticity and trust. In a crowded digital space, proving ‘realness’ is becoming a key way for brands to stand out.
Brands are operating in a challenging environment, as cost-of-living pressures force consumers to be more cautious in their spending. Brands need to provide empathetic, value-led messaging on social media, alongside greater transparency in how they use data and AI. New regulations, such as the Online Safety Act, are increasing compliance demands and costs for social media platforms, but should result in a more brand safe environment for advertisers.
Looking ahead, the biggest opportunity for brands on social media lies in using AI where it adds clear practical value, particularly in customer service, personalisation and product discoverability. Boosting convenience and providing a smoother shopping experiences, will make audiences more open to AI. Shoppable live streams have become popular with younger social media users, but there is a lot of untapped interest in the format.
However, the biggest risk is reputational damage from AI. Poor use of AI in creative can quickly erode trust, and be off-putting. Success will depend on keeping advertising content authentic, using AI carefully, and being transparent with viewers.
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We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
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