"AI Can't Replace" ...The reason why I put out a picture of a scientist instead of a product is because

While artificial intelligence (AI) is being used for advertising and content production, companies are trying to differentiate themselves by citing the product development process and the story of the producer.

According to the industry on the 16th, the hair care brand Gravity of the Polyphenol Factory, a KAIST teacher start-up company, recently launched a paper newsletter called "Exploration Life." It is a method of enclosing a newsletter in the delivery box of the customer who purchased the product. The October issue, which consists of four sides, was produced by four employees, and the initial volume of 20,000 copies was exhausted in a week.

The newsletter contains black-and-white pictorials and explanations from the researchers of the four scientists who participated in the product development. The researchers also published answers to questions that customers were curious about, such as "Why is hair loss shampoo so stiff?" Instead of promoting the product, the development process and the researcher's story were brought to the fore.

The attempt is in line with the "Human Edge" presented by "Trend Korea 2027," a consumption trend prospect book by Professor Kim Nando's team at Seoul National University. As content production using AI becomes more common, human intervention and unique experiences can become brand differentiators.

Bed brand Simmons also distanced itself from AI in advertising production. Five videos of the brand campaign "Life Is Comfort" released in April conveyed the value of "comfort" through people who maintain calm even in chaotic situations such as busy streets, collapsing stages, and large accidents. During the production process, the screen texture unique to analog films was maintained without using a Generative AI.

These activities can also be seen as part of a 'retention' strategy to maintain relationships with customers. In addition to benefits such as discounts and points, it is intended to continuously communicate with customers through the brand's production process and stories about people.

Yoo Seung-yeon, head of the Gravity Growth Marketing Team, said, "In the era when AI takes over a lot of things, I thought who made it with what concerns became the reason to choose a brand," adding, "I wanted to make the customer meet people before the product when they opened the delivery box."