The Role of AI in Marketing: Insights From a Wondr Nation VP

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in reshaping how brands interact with consumers, develop campaigns and make data-driven decisions. From predictive analytics that forecast customer behavior to optimizing social media posts for maximum engagement, AI is revolutionizing digital marketing. Marketing teams are increasingly turning to AI-driven solutions to stay competitive, enhance customer experiences and unlock the full potential of their data—ushering in a new era of smarter, more effective marketing.

According to research firm McKinsey, businesses worldwide are increasingly turning to AI to make more impactful decisions, improve efficiency and boost return on investment (ROI):¹

• Generative AI adoption: In 2024, 65% of organizations used generative AI, nearly double the percentage from 2023, highlighting its increasing business value.
• Surge in overall AI adoption: Global AI adoption rose from 50% to 72% from 2023 to 2024, with more than two-thirds of organizations across nearly all regions utilizing AI.
• Global and industry-wide growth: AI adoption is now widespread, with the most significant growth observed in the professional services industry.

At the forefront of this revolution is Dyani Marvel, vice president of marketing strategy at Wondr Nation, an online gaming entertainment company founded by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and adjunct lecturer at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications IMC Professional master’s program at top-ten nationally ranked Northwestern University.²

A distinguished double graduate of Medill, Marvel earned her undergraduate degree in journalism and her master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), offering her a unique, in-depth perspective on the evolving landscape of marketing.

AI in marketing refers to the use of AI-powered tools and technologies to enhance marketing strategies and drive results. Leveraging AI, businesses can analyze customer behavior, predict trends and optimize marketing programs. From programmatic advertising to content creation, AI marketing solutions improve customer engagement and streamline marketing automation processes.

Here is a closer look at the types of AI and their common applications:³

• Predictive AI: Uses historical data and machine learning to forecast future outcomes, helping with tasks like weather forecasting, consumer trend analysis and fraud detection.
• Prescriptive AI: Goes beyond prediction by recommending specific actions to achieve desired results and is often used in logistics, healthcare and autonomous vehicles.
• Generative AI: Focuses on creating original content, such as text, images and music, and is used in fields like product design, drug discovery and content creation.

While AI in marketing is powerful, human input will remain essential for the foreseeable future. Humans still excel where AI falls short in areas such as intuitive reasoning, emotional intelligence and creativity.⁴ Although AI processes data and patterns, it lacks context and emotional understanding. Humans, on the other hand, can imagine and create novel ideas driven by societal needs and nuances—key elements where marketing makes its greatest impact in driving sales.

When human ingenuity and creativity are supported by AI, the results are truly impressive. There are numerous platforms available for marketers, which include:

Claude is an AI language model developed by Anthropic, an artificial intelligence safety and research company that specializes in understanding complex queries, making it a valuable tool for competitive intelligence and advanced data analysis. It helps marketers predict customer behavior and tailor marketing solutions to strengthen customer relationships. Claude's ability to interpret historical data ensures campaigns are both strategic and effective.

Created by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research organization, ChatGPT excels in content creation and marketing automation, helping businesses craft engaging marketing content for a variety of platforms. By leveraging generative AI, marketers can enhance customer interaction, boost customer retention and improve customer service through personalized and consistent communication.

Google’s Bard focuses on real-time data analysis and AI-powered marketing, making it ideal for programmatic advertising and personalized marketing programs. Its insights into customer behavior allow businesses to refine marketing strategies, ensuring better customer engagement and increased efficiency in marketing campaigns.

In a recent Medill webinar, Marvel discussed in detail the implications and opportunities of AI in marketing. Her insights are included below.

"AI increases the efficiency of marketing when you have a tool where you’re able to produce at a low cost or sometimes no cost and at volume," Marvel says.

"You can get access to some base models for free or at no cost. And then, it’s accessible to everybody. This technology was brought to the marketplace, and they didn’t put it under lock and key. They made it available to everybody.”

Artificial intelligence has transformed marketing by enhancing efficiency and streamlining workflows, particularly in repetitive tasks.

One example is the creation of email subject lines. AI tools enable marketers to generate multiple variations rapidly, saving time while maintaining creativity and relevance.

“This practice of pooling AI-generated prompts has not only increased the team's productivity but has also inspired innovation through collaborative learning,” Marvel says.

Marvel also highlighted how the lessons learned in her professional setting influence her teaching approach, allowing students in the IMC Professional master's program—designed for working professionals—to experience the practical applications of AI in marketing as the industry faces unprecedented disruption and change.

"I take what I’m doing in the real world with marketing and apply it to the class and ask the students to incorporate it into their work," says Marvel.

Marvel uses free AI tools, which all students have access to, as well as paid tools. She also incorporates AI in the classroom judiciously, using it for some assignments but not others."It's very specific assignments that the tool is being used for, and also using it transparently—how that translates into the sharing of the prompts and sharing of the utilization of it."

By integrating these real-world policies into her curriculum, Marvel ensures students are equipped with a balanced perspective on how to effectively use AI tools while maintaining originality and strategic thought.

"What is important to me is to try to make sure that I’m taking what I’m learning in the workplace and applying that as something that the students can learn and apply in their workplaces," she says.

While AI undeniably saves time and boosts productivity, it also poses challenges such as maintaining originality and fostering critical thinking. Addressing these concerns, Marvel shared her proactive classroom strategy, an iterative process that involves testing, learning and refining strategies to continuously improve outcomes and adapt to change.

"I like to do a challenge every week in my IMC class,” she emphasized. “Whatever we are learning about that week, I tell the students, ‘Hey, this is your challenge to apply this next week at your job.’ And then, when they come to the next class, we do a challenge check-in to say, ‘Did you do this? Did you make ideas bigger? Did you exercise this type of creativity?’"

This innovative approach bridges the gap between theory and practice, reinforcing the importance of combining AI-driven efficiency with human ingenuity.

Marvel highlights a variety of innovative ways Wondr Nation integrates AI into its marketing strategies, enabling the team to optimize processes, enhance creativity, and stay ahead in the changing marketing landscape. The approach maintains creative integrity and compliance, demonstrating how AI can enhance marketing without compromising human creativity.

The team leverages advanced AI tools, such as natural language processing and deep learning, to drive results in several key areas:

• Email marketing optimization: Wondr Nation uses custom private generic pre-trained Transformer (GPTs) pre-programmed with brand-specific information to streamline email content creation. This AI integration helps the team quickly generate tailored email subject lines and subheads, maintaining creativity while increasing efficiency.
• Content creation and ideation: The team utilizes MidJourney, an AI-powered platform that generates images from text prompts, to create visually engaging content for email campaigns, websites and on-property signage, ensuring a polished and authentic look. AI is also used to draft content such as bios and podcast outlines, balancing speed with high-quality outputs.
• Data analysis and legal drafting: AI is applied in data analysis and legal compliance, reducing turnaround times. For example, instead of relying on legal counsel for all rules, Marvel’s company uses AI to generate initial drafts, streamlining workflows in non-creative areas.

In this new territory, Marvel's team is wisely making adjustments and adapting along the way. "We’re working on an AI policy that will outline what tools we use, how we use them, how we credit them."

These applications of AI support Wondr Nation in maintaining a balance of efficiency and human ingenuity while staying aligned with market trends and optimizing personalized content creation.

While AI offers many benefits, Marvel acknowledged the challenges in its adoption in two key areas: copyright infringement and balancing AI and human creativity.

• Copyright concerns: Wondr Nation ensures they never use AI-generated content verbatim, emphasizing the importance of modifying AI outputs to avoid potential legal and ethical issues.
• Balancing AI with human creativity: AI is used as a tool to spark ideas, but human judgment refines and personalizes the final output. Marvel ensures the AI-generated content remains aligned with the brand’s voice and objectives through manual edits and adjustments.

Two more concerns on Marvel’s radar? Accuracy and bias, for good reason.⁵

"Utilizing generative AI has risks and challenges,” Marvel notes. “There are biases built into these tools."

While business organizations are experiencing significant benefits from generative AI, with cost reductions and revenue increases in departments using the technology, users are concerned about inaccurate answers.⁶

"We have things like hallucinations: AI making up things—which is a characteristic of AI and generative AI that makes it creative but also risky,” says Marvel.

AI users must ensure more accurate and equitable outcomes by fact-checking responses and verifying information to prevent errors and biases—and to ensure ROI.

"If you're taking it and applying those layers of your strategy, your customer insights, all of those pieces, then this is where you can ensure it becomes relevant and unique to you."

As AI continues to shape the marketing landscape, staying ahead requires both embracing new tools and continuously refining essential skills. These skills can and should be learned.

"There's a lack of knowledge among people about how to use it in their jobs, how to use it safely and what they are supposed to be doing," Marvel says.

Key competencies for today’s marketers now include strategic thinking, creativity, data analysis and an understanding of AI technology itself. The ability to provide clear direction and quality input into AI tools will ensure marketers remain invaluable, even as the tools evolve.

According to Marvel, understanding AI tools and foundational models is crucial. “If you have not done that practice to sharpen those skills, you’re not going to be as competitive in the marketplace."

While AI can assist in generating strategies and plans, she emphasizes that those marketers who excel at crafting the right prompts and providing solid direction will continue to deliver the best results.

For those seeking to stay current with AI advancements, programs like Medill's IMC Professional master's program offer valuable insights on the subject.

As Marvel states, "AI is not going to replace you, but what it does mean is that you need to know how to use these skills so that you can be the best marketer you can be."

Keeping up with AI means being proactive—working with teams that are testing new tools and using AI responsibly, especially in industries with sensitive data.

Ultimately, embracing AI as a tool for enhancement rather than a replacement ensures marketers remain adaptable and valuable, ready to take advantage of the efficiencies and opportunities the technology provides.

Carefully crafted courses that allow for interactive practices and playful testing, like those taught by Marvel, leverage AI properly and thoughtfully and therefore are particularly valuable in the rapidly evolving marketing landscape.

"There's a lack of knowledge among people about how to use it in their jobs, how to use it safely and what they are supposed to be doing,” she says. “We’re hoping that integration in courses, like we've done here with the IMC program, will help with some of that. And then there's such rapid evolution—just keeping up with what's new and what's available is so overwhelming, and all of these are the challenges. My course is an opportunity to allow this exploration in a safe space."

Medill’s IMC Professional master’s program provides marketing professionals with a strong foundation in integrated marketing communications while offering opportunities to explore how AI can enhance marketing automation and efficiency in select courses.

From gaining deeper customer insights to streamlining workflows or optimizing campaigns, students can learn to integrate emerging AI tools into data-driven strategies as part of a broader, comprehensive marketing education.

For more information on tuition and financial aid, admissions and career benefits, connect with a Medill admissions outreach advisor for personalized guidance.