Outdoors enthusiasts demand real connection with and trust in the brands they support. So can outdoor brands really expect to foster such sentiments by leaning on artificial intelligence? The answer is tricky. Leveraging AI content can provide a world of benefits for outdoor brands — but AI and authenticity in marketing can often be a tough pairing to perfect. Here’s a guide to embracing — and achieving — both in your outdoors industry content marketing efforts.
To maintain authenticity while using AI, consider these keys
More than the typical consumer, outdoors enthusiasts tend to put a premium on authenticity. And for brands targeting this impassioned group of consumers, a leading challenge with using AI lies in harnessing its capabilities without losing the heart and soul that defines the brand. But by grounding their AI efforts in brand values, human creativity and authentic stories, outdoor brands can confidently harness this technology while preserving their identity and connection to their audience.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the leading ways performance outdoor brands can preserve authenticity in their AI-assisted marketing efforts:
Inject brand voice and values
Set clear guidelines for your brand’s tone and values to make sure AI-generated content aligns with your message. For example, a hiking gear brand might emphasize rugged adventure, while a fishing company might highlight tradition. You can then feed background information on your brand to a generative AI tool to help it better understand your voice, tone, what you are, who your target audiences are and who they aren’t.
Blend AI with human oversight
Carefully review AI-generated content to confirm it’s free of factual errors and resonates with your audience. A human touch adds creativity and emotional depth that algorithms can’t replicate. All AI-assisted content should pass through human editing.
Share real stories
Use AI to collect and organize customer reviews, photos, testimonials and other user-generated content, and then share these real-world narratives to foster trust and emotional connections with your audience. Nothing beats real experiences: Tell an AI bot your true adventure story and ask it to draft a publishable version. From there, you can refine and improve it.
Causes for concern: The leading risks of unrestrained AI use
AI opens exciting doors for marketing efficiency and creativity, but its use can come with pitfalls, too. When leveraging AI-generated content, outdoor brands should do so carefully and with a critical eye — so they can maintain trust and human connection, avoid cultural and ethical missteps, and prevent reputational damage.
Here’s more on some of the top dangers of using AI without proper caution:
A loss of human connection
Over-reliance on AI can lead to generic, impersonal messaging that falls flat with passionate outdoors audiences.
Cultural and ethical missteps
AI may overlook sensitive issues, such as the heritage, tradition and respect for the environment that many outdoors enthusiasts hold dear. This can lead to messaging errors that result in backlash for the brand.
Reputational damage
Inaccurate or inappropriate AI-generated content can erode trust and harm your brand’s credibility.
AI’s true power lies in complementing — not replacing — human creativity and expertise. By prioritizing authenticity and taking a thoughtful approach, outdoor brands can enhance their marketing efforts with AI while staying true to their identity.
Conclusion
AI has the potential to deliver substantial marketing advantages for your outdoor brand, offering exciting opportunities to connect with audiences more effectively and efficiently. However, its true value lies in complementing human creativity and reinforcing the authenticity that outdoor enthusiasts value. By thoughtfully blending AI with human oversight, your brand can embrace innovation while staying true to its identity and the communities you serve.
Open all-new possibilities for your marketing efforts — with AI and TBA Outdoors
Are you unsure whether your outdoor brand should be using AI content, or how best to use it? At TBA Outdoors, our team of tech-savvy (and outdoors-obsessed) marketing experts would love to discuss which AI tools would be right for your brand and how you can best leverage them to boost your marketing efforts, without jeopardizing authenticity. To learn more about how we can help your active lifestyle brand leverage AI and use it to create powerful, authentic content at scale, reach out to our team today.
