In this era of ubiquitous artificial intelligence, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Chatbots banter but rarely relate, and algorithms predict preferences without the emotional resonance behind them. The missing piece? Empathy—the core of human connection. Yet, it’s precisely this gap that offers an unprecedented opportunity for collaborative intelligence, the teamwork between human and machine, to bring B2B brands closer to their customers, making them more fiercely human than ever.
As a strategist working alongside global B2B technology and AI brands, I’m continually inspired by the potential to strengthen human-brand bonds. For example, through our Human Affinity model – which merges emotional intelligence with machine learning – brands and agencies alike can swiftly adapt, react, and evolve, crafting brand interactions and experiences that resonate on a profoundly personal level. After all, it’s important to remember that about 95% of our decision-making happens in our subconscious minds. And that B2B customers are significantly more emotionally bonded to their vendors and service providers than consumers, according to studies by Google and CEB.
Consider the role of synthetic data—a tool that, while complex, offers us a glimpse into customer attitudes and behaviours without breaching privacy. It’s here that we, as marketers, must tread carefully. Our engagement with synthetic data doesn’t make us data scientists, but it is already helping us evolve audience segmentation models, attitudinal and behavioural analyses, and the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data at scale, and so on. Every advancement helps us enrich our Human Affinity model and the quality and success of the work we do for our B2B tech, AI, and fintech clients. This strategic approach doesn’t claim deep technical mastery (yet) but acknowledges our role in ethically embracing and exploring synthetic data’s potential to foster genuine, deeply human connections.
According to MarketsandMarkets, the global synthetic data generation market will grow from $0.3 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion by 2028. Yet, the journey isn’t without challenges. Realizing the full benefits of synthetic data in market research demands specific, advanced analytical skills that lie in the realm of data science. Our commitment, therefore, is to a partnership model, one where we collaborate with quantitative experts to navigate these complexities, enhancing our marketing strategies with data-driven insights while preserving human creativity and empathy.
In an era where technology and humanity seamlessly intersect, this blend of human and machine intelligence guides our vision to build relentlessly human-centric brands. The emphasis on the human is, in my view, needed more than ever. The battleground for brand and market differentiation lies in how much more you understand your customers than your competition. So, in an era of relentless change, we must make sure that collaborative intelligence guides us, as marketers, to be agents for positive, ethical change that ensures B2B brands are always fiercely human.
Article author:
Simon Heath, B2B Strategy and Planning Director, Definition
https://www.thisisdefinition.com
Further reading:
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-subconscious-mind-of-the-consumer-and-how-to-reach-it
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/promotion-emotion-b2b
https://hbr.org/2022/06/how-ai-can-make-strategy-more-human
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/empathy-artificial-intelligence
https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/synthetic-data-generation-market-176419553.html
Determining the Validity of Large Language Models for Automated Perceptual Analysis:
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4241291Paschen, J., Wilson, M., & Ferreira, J. J. (2020). Collaborative intelligence: How human and artificial intelligence create value along the B2B sales funnel. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007681320300033
