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Marketing Day 2024-2025: Strategic decisions in the age of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence as a tool to create value and connect brands with consumers was featured in the learning and networking day  
MK Day

Marketing Day 2024-2025 brought together prominent scholars, marketing professionals, and alumni to explore the intersections between marketing, artificial intelligence, and business ethics. Organized by the Esade Alumni Marketing Club, this event stood out for its practical, innovative approach centered on the impact of strategic decisions in an increasingly digitalized world.

Marketing Day devoted one morning to three Esade Executive Education sessions focused on artificial intelligence in the field of marketing. All the sessions were led by Esade professors with the goal of keeping the participants abreast of the new developments and advancements in this field and sharing what the Marketing professors are working on.

The day began with a warm welcome to Esade’s iconic campus from Panaita García (Lic&MBA 95), member of the Marketing Club’s Board of Directors. In her speech, Panaita highlighted the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence is posing for marketing, setting the tone of an event that revolved around innovation and the strategic impact.

HubSpot and Motion AI

The first session, led by Alexis Mavrommatis, full professor and academic director of the Marketing Department, addressed the implementation of chatbots connected to CRM systems in a talk entitled “Is connecting a chatbot to a CRM system the best decision?”, which presented the practical case of HubSpot. During his talk, he analyzed the benefits and challenges of this technology, including the importance of personalization, empathy in interactions, and its impact on the customer experience. 

One key aspect of the session was his proposal to create a framework or structured model to apply technologies like ChatGPT as a way to guarantee that these tools are integrated efficiently and aligned with companies’ strategic objectives. 

Tech-Talk on the consumer experience and AI  

Ana Valenzuela

In the session “Consumers Interacting with Machines: How Artificial Intelligence Impacts the Consumer Experience”, Ana Valenzuela, professor at the Esade Marketing Department, addressed how AI redefines the relationships between consumers and technology. He highlighted that marketing should focus on creating tangible and intangible value, aligned with customer expectations, and that AI can enhance this through functions such as data analysis and personalization of experiences.

Through examples, such as Google Home, he highlighted how interactions with machines influence our human relationships, posing opportunities to empower the user, but also risks of dehumanization. Valenzuela emphasized the importance of balancing technological efficiency and personalization to build trust and strengthen connections between brands and customers.

Ethical AI for Business Solution 

The last session, titled “From Regulation to Action: Ethical AI for Business Solutions”, was led by Irene Unceta, professor of the Department of Operations, Innovation and Data Sciences, and academic director of the Degree in Artificial Intelligence for Business.

MK Day

Unceta stressed that technology, especially AI, should be seen as a tool for intervening in the world and shaping it into what it should be, underscoring the importance of an ethical approach to its development and implementation. He also explained the way the EU’s new Artificial Intelligence Act works, which regulates high-risk systems with strict transparency, security, audit, and traceability requirements, making Europe a leader in responsible AI.

The session also explored the steps needed to apply AI ethically in businesses, like identifying the stakeholders affected, evaluating risks, and designing solutions that prioritize diversity in the data, rigorous documentation, and transparent communication. Unceta underscored that these practices are not only a regulatory requirement but also an opportunity for companies to turn ethics into a competitive advantage while fostering customer trust and responsible innovation.

Inspiring closing 

The event concluded with words by prodfessor Carles Torrecilla, who thanked the speakers and attended for an enriching day and stressed the importance of events like Marketing Day to strengthen the Esade community and promote lifelong learning. After his talk, the participants enjoyed a lunch which was the ideal networking space that allowed them to exchange ideas and further explore the issues discussed in the sessions. This combination of knowledge and professional connection reaffirmed the success of Marketing Day as a key meeting point for contemporary marketing.

Marketing Day 2024-2025 was more than an academic event; it was a space where innovation, ethics, and practice joined to inspire the leaders of tomorrow. In a world marked by swift technological evolution, Esade continues to be a beacon for people seeking to lead with purpose and vision in the competitive world of marketing.

We thank Montse Bonjorn (EMMV 22), member of the Board of Directors of the Marketing Club, for his collaboration in writing this article.

 

MK Day

 

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