‘Influencers are not custodians of a brand’: Nikhil Sharma, MD, Perfetti Van Melle India

AI has ushered in an era of mass creativity. What skills do creative hands need to up the game?

Creativity cannot be mass. The question is, whether AI is going to deliver content that is equally good. Possibly yes. But even if it is done by AI, someone will have to vet it. We are in a business where a consumer sees a product or an advertisement, where the tiniest of details are carefully discussed and debated before it goes on air. There are certain aspects of AI that are superior compared to humans. But when it comes to a nuanced sound recording or something which could only come out of experience, where people like Prasoon Joshi have a sense of India and its people, AI might not be ready to replicate that right now. 

Increasing AI use also brings us to the question of rampant fakery. How bad is the rot? What sort of guardrails should the industry look for?

The regulations need to be stronger and more checks and balances will need to be in place. There is a high possibility that we get something wrong and then, as with many things one tough decision or one wrong decision can lead to tightening of rules. This will always happen with new technology. We had to use a nuclear bomb to discover power reactors.

As brands move digital in search of new consumers, how can marketers ensure the communication is culturally embedded and accountable?

My suspicion is that brands are not finding an easy way to pivot. If you are dealing with a lot of content and influencers everyday, it is difficult to keep a check on all of that. I myself sometimes have sleepless nights when I see influencer content not fully vetted by a brand. Influencers are not the custodians of a brand and they have their own agendas. It is the mandate of the marketers and agencies to make sure the content is vetted before it goes out.