Remember when creativity was king in marketing and branding? In the 2020s, things have changed with artificial intelligence and big data coming to the fore, according to Cal State Fullerton Marketing Professor Chiranjeev Kohli.

Brand loyalty is waning. Customization is growing. And AI assistants are simplifying the purchasing process. Traditional branding suffers while data-driven and tech-focused solutions become increasingly relevant.

“The creation of marketing and branding content continues to shift toward reliance on data as we get more data that tells us exactly what consumers are buying and why,” explains Kohli. “Additionally, marketers will use AI to optimize their products and distribution efforts. Data will be king.”

Kohli was part of a research team, including CSUF Assistant Professor of Marketing Mahdi Ebrahimi and Marketing Department Chair and Professor Neil Granitz, in assessing the future of marketing.

How can marketers adapt? Kohli recommends avoiding excessive upfront spending, aiming for continuous updates throughout a product or brand lifecycle, creating real value instead of relying excessively on a brand, offering personalized products, building a brand rooted in emotional bonds rather than physical attributes, and using and leveraging AI platforms. 

Read more about Kohli’s insights in this CSUF News article. Or read more of our articles on the cutting-edge research and innovative teaching that our marketing faculty provide.