AI-powered predictive technology will be essential for marketers in the future, if they are going to be able to keep up with competitors, despite many not currently implementing it.

According to a Forrester study of 579 senior marketing decision makers in six different countries, commissioned by predictive marketing platform Rocket Fuel, 66 per cent of senior marketers struggle to organise their data without predictive technology. Meanwhile, 82 per cent believe the technology will be essential if they want to keep up with the competition in the future, and 86 per cent of respondents said the technology will help them improve personalisation capabilities.

“Forrester’s study is evidence that brands will only thrive and survive if they implement AI-powered predictive technology,” said David Gosen, GM EMEA at Rocket Fuel. “At present, just 30 per cent of marketers use their own data to understand the needs of the customer. In addition, 63 per cent of those surveyed said they find it difficult to personalise adverts due to a lack of insights. This has to change if brands want to reach individuals at the precise moment they are ready to respond to an ad, deliver the right message wherever consumers might be on their journey, and stay ahead of competitors.

“In a world where consumer attention is scarce and the channels and messages are aplenty, Predictive Marketing provides the answer for brands, marketers and media agencies, which must find a way to deliver always-on, intelligence-driven advertising at scale.”

86 per cent of respondents to the survey said they plan to increase the use of AI to drive marketing insights in the next 12 months, while 80 per cent said they will be using AI to deliver consistent cross-device content.