With AI-driven tools like Fluency’s Brand Desire Engine and Total Experience intelligence (TXi) platform, the agency is pioneering an approach that integrates machine learning with deep audience insights to deliver hyper-personalised campaigns at scale. The key? Using AI as a means to unlock new creative possibilities rather than dictate them.
For brands, speed is crucial, but so is authenticity. Speaking to LBB, Amar Vyas, CDTO Fluency M&C Saatchi, breaks down how the agency leverages AI to accelerate the journey from concept to execution while ensuring that campaigns retain originality. AI-driven efficiency is not about churning out mass-produced content, as he says; it’s about freeing creative teams to focus on what they do best – storytelling, strategy, and innovation.
Yet, AI’s growing role in creativity raises important ethical and sustainability questions. Can brands harness AI while staying true to their sustainability commitments? How do agencies ensure AI-generated content remains inclusive and bias-free? Amar sheds light on Fluency’s approach to responsible AI use, from transparent implementation to minimising environmental impact, and more. For Fluency, the question is no longer whether AI belongs in creativity, but how far it can take us.
LBB> How do you define the relationship between data and creativity in today’s landscape? In what ways has generative AI reshaped this relationship?
Amar> In the current landscape, data and creativity are deeply interconnected. Data offers actionable insights that inform and inspire creative endeavours, ensuring they resonate with target audiences. Generative AI has transformed this relationship by enabling rapid ideation and prototyping, allowing creative teams to move swiftly from concept to execution. At Fluency, we utilise our advanced AI ecosystem to support this process, ensuring that data serves as a catalyst for creativity rather than a constraint. Our approach empowers creative professionals to focus on originality and storytelling, with data providing the foundation for informed decision-making.
LBB> And more specifically, how does Fluency leverage data through AI to inform and optimise creative strategies?
Amar> At Fluency, we integrate AI-driven analytics into every stage of the creative process. Data informs our understanding of audience behaviours, preferences, and engagement trends, enabling us to tailor strategies that resonate deeply with target demographics. Our total experience intelligence (TXi) platform exemplifies this approach by capturing the full spectrum of brand touchpoints – communications, behaviours, perceptions, interactions, and decisions. By analysing vast volumes of data from diverse sources, TXi pinpoints where a brand is winning or losing against its competition and guides next best actions with key audiences in focus. This comprehensive analysis allows us to continuously refine and optimise campaigns, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.
LBB> With generative AI assisting in the creative process, how do you ensure that human intuition and originality remain a key part of the final output?
Amar> Generative AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity. We maintain the balance by positioning AI as a co-creator – supporting and enhancing the creative process rather than dominating it.
It’s important to note that human intuition drives the conceptual stage, with AI providing the means to iterate and experiment quickly. By fostering a collaborative relationship between human creators and AI, we ensure that every campaign retains its unique voice and purpose, underpinned by the authenticity that only humans can provide. Our approach ensures that AI-generated content aligns with the brand’s tone and vision, maintaining the originality and uniqueness of each campaign.
LBB> AI allows for scaling creative projects through content replication and consistency. How do you at Fluency help clients balance efficiency with maintaining the originality and uniqueness of their campaigns?
Amar> Efficiency and originality aren’t mutually exclusive. Fluency achieves this balance by leveraging AI to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up creative teams to focus on strategic thinking and ideation. For instance, while AI might generate variations of content, human oversight ensures that these align with the brand’s tone and vision. We also establish clear frameworks and creative guidelines that safeguard the uniqueness of campaigns while benefiting from the efficiencies AI provides. Our Living Segmentation product exemplifies this approach by providing refreshable, fully integrated, and data-diverse audience segmentations that keep pace with changing audiences and organisations, thereby informing creative strategies that are both efficient and unique.
LBB> Speed is crucial in today’s competitive environment. How does Fluency help clients use generative AI to accelerate the journey from concept to delivery while retaining quality?
Amar> Generative AI enables rapid prototyping and content generation as previously mentioned, significantly reducing time to market. At Fluency, we embed quality checks throughout the process – leveraging AI to ensure consistency while human teams oversee the final outputs. This approach not only accelerates delivery but also upholds the high standards our clients expect, ensuring that speed never comes at the cost of excellence. For example, our brand experience tracking service blends diverse data from across category brand experiences, pinpointing exactly where to invest to drive business outcomes, streamlining the journey from concept to delivery.
LBB> There’s often concern about AI ‘overstepping’ into areas traditionally reserved for human creativity. How do you address this concern when integrating generative AI into client projects?
Amar> This concern is valid and requires careful navigation. We approach AI integration with transparency, clearly defining its role as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. By involving clients in the process and showcasing the collaborative potential of AI through tools like our Brand Desire Engine, we demonstrate how AI can enhance rather than overshadow human creativity. This approach dispels fears and highlights AI’s value in amplifying human ingenuity
LBB> What ethical considerations come into play when using generative AI in creative development? How does Fluency ensure the responsible use of these technologies?
Amar> Ethical considerations include transparency, data privacy, and avoiding unintended biases in AI outputs. Fluency adheres to strict ethical guidelines, ensuring that AI-generated content is fair, inclusive, and respectful of diverse audiences. We prioritise human oversight, recognising that accountability remains a human responsibility, even when leveraging advanced technologies. Our commitment to ethical practices ensures that our use of AI aligns with societal values and client expectations.
LBB> Do you believe that brands are prepared to offset the usage of generative and operational AI, in order to continue meeting the promises they made on sustainability?
Amar> The adoption of AI presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainability. While it can reduce resource consumption through automation, it also raises concerns about energy use and environmental impact. Fluency works with brands to adopt sustainable AI practices, such as optimising energy efficiency and aligning AI usage with broader sustainability goals, ensuring that innovation doesn’t come at the expense of the planet. Simple yet impactful examples include selecting appropriately sized services for tasks to minimise energy consumption, turning off cloud services when they are not in use, and prioritising vendors who share similar sustainability commitments. These practices, though basic, are essential steps towards being more environmentally conscious.
LBB> In what ways do you see AI sparking entirely new forms of creativity that weren’t possible before? Can you share any standout examples of innovative campaigns Fluency has been involved with?
Amar> AI opens doors to creative possibilities that were previously unimaginable. Our Brand Desire Engine, for example, uses AI to analyse a brand’s digital ecosystem and determine the optimal desire signature for a brand, enabling hyper-personalised campaigns tailored to individual preferences in real time. These innovations exemplify how AI can push the boundaries of what creativity can achieve.
LBB> How do you educate and guide clients who may be hesitant or unfamiliar with integrating generative AI into their creative processes?
Amar> Education is key especially when things are evolving at their current pace. We demystify AI by offering workshops and demonstrations that highlight its capabilities and limitations. By showcasing real-world examples and involving clients in pilot projects, we build confidence and trust in the technology. Our goal is to empower clients with the knowledge and tools they need to embrace AI as a partner in their creative journey.
LBB> As technology advances, where do you see the future of AI in creative development heading?
Amar> The future of AI in creative development lies in deepening collaboration between humans and technology to unlock new possibilities. As AI evolves, it will transition from being a tool for efficiency, to an active partner in inspiring and co-creating ideas. As a group, we see AI becoming seamlessly embedded into creative workflows, enabling teams to generate tailored concepts, visual prototypes, or even dynamic video content in real-time. This not only accelerates the creative process but also empowers human teams to focus on originality and storytelling while leveraging AI’s data-driven insights to refine and enhance outputs.
AI will also drive hyper-personalised campaigns that dynamically adapt to individual audience preferences, creating impactful, tailored experiences at scale. Tools like Fluency’s Brand Desire Engine exemplify how brands can amplify specific emotional drivers to engage their audiences meaningfully. Additionally, advancements in generative design will unlock entirely new storytelling formats, from immersive virtual experiences to adaptive content. As AI democratises creativity, empowering smaller brands and individuals to innovate, Fluency remains committed to ensuring its use aligns with ethical standards, transparency, and respect for data privacy. The future of AI in creative development is not about replacing humans but expanding the boundaries of what we can achieve together.
