As companies continue exploring how to implement generative AI into operations, they must find ways to do so without compromising trust and brand reputation.

During the recent INMA Webinar, Effective strategies for GenAI in advertising, Katherine Scarrow, deputy head of Globe Content Studio at The Globe and Mail, explained how the Canadian publication is using it to improve creativity, efficiency, and client engagement.

Balancing innovation with caution

Scarrow emphasised that while GenAI offers immense creative potential, The Globe and Mail has been intentional in its adoption process. That’s something Scarrow initially found frustrating, because she is “one of those people [who] wants to dive right in.”

In hindsight, she acknowledged that this deliberate approach allowed the company to safeguard its reputation and uphold ethical standards:

“We’ve seen so many examples of AI gone wrong,” Scarrow said. “There has to be this intentionality to it because you can lose that trust and reputation very, very quickly. And I think we know now more than ever that journalism is so important.”

Early on, The Globe and Mail established strict internal AI policies early on, including not training models on its content. Internal knowledge and training is key, as it ensures that employees use AI effectively and responsibly, she said.

“And then of course, there’s brand safety — ensuring anything we do goes through the proper legal, editorial, and ethical checks,” she said. “Sometimes in the rush to adopt, we do forget these things. And so keeping those hands on the handlebars [is important].”

These safeguards are crucial, and it comes at a time when The Globe and Mail is amongst the news companies suing OpenAI for copyright infringement, Scarrow said. 

“So we’re in this weird world where we have some issues with AI because we’re accusing it of potentially scraping this content that we spend so much time developing,” she said, explaining it has raised “those familiar IP fair usage issues” but that doesn’t mean the company shouldn’t explore how to use AI for its benefit.   

Experimenting with AI tools for content creation

The Globe and Mail has been actively experimenting with various AI tools to improve content production.

Two notable platforms they’ve embraced are Midjourney and Runway, both of which have delivered remarkable results. Scarrow emphasised that it took months for the legal department to vet and approve use of the tools.

“They were just making sure again, that everything we were doing was in line and wouldn’t affect not only the Globe’s reputation, but the clients that we work with,” she said, adding that the company works with multiple brands and also needed to ensure clients were comfortable with them using the tools.

The Globe and Mail turned to Midjourney to streamline its visual creation process, particularly for developing concept visuals and illustrations during the pitching phase with clients. Scarrow explained that preparing compelling visual mockups for clients can traditionally take days or weeks. With Midjourney, the team can now generate high-quality visual concepts in a matter of hours.

Runway, an AI-powered video editing platform, allows the team to upload AI-generated still images from Midjourney into Runway. The team can then create animated visuals to create short-form video content. The secret to getting it right, Scarrow said, lies in mastering the art of the prompt. She stressed that effective prompt engineering maximises AI’s creative potential.

“Your AI output is only as good as your input,” she said.

Based on her experience, she advised using visual language, descriptive prompts, and references to specific artistic styles or photography techniques to refine AI outputs.

For instance, when developing visuals that mimic the detailed aesthetic of a specific camera, incorporating this term directly into the prompt significantly improved the image’s quality and realism. Scarrow said she would even ask AI to help her come up with a prompt.

And, when you find what works, Scarrow recommended keeping a record of it:  

“If you found some prompts where the output’s really, really fantastic, please just keep those prompts somewhere, even if you’re tweaking them slightly. I have a Google Doc; anytime I’m doing a repetitive thing and I find, oh, I finally nailed that prompt, I just keep it.”

Scarrow shared examples of visuals and videos created by GenAI and said it has improved the quality of the work as well as the speed at which it is done. It also has streamlined costs since hiring an illustrator for a custom project can be expensive. Thanks to practice and refining its prompts, the content studio has achieved results that match or even surpass traditional methods, Scarrow said.

The ability to repurpose AI-generated visuals and videos across multiple platforms — from social media to newsletters — has significantly expanded the reach and value of its content, she said.

“That is a superpower, especially from content marketing, because scale is very important. Being able to put that content not only on, say, an article page, but in social, in a newsletter, in a white paper, and repurposing it in a really fast way or writing it in a way that appeals to the audience on that platform — there’s lots of benefits.”

Beyond the content studio

The Globe and Mail’s adoption of GenAI extends beyond content creation. Other departments have found innovative ways to integrate AI to improve efficiency and customer insights. Scarrow shared what leaders from other departments are exploring:

• Lookalike modelling: Using AI to identify audience segments that mirror high-performing customers, enhancing marketing precision.
• Debugging: Leveraging AI for faster, more accurate coding solutions in technical development projects.
• Automated screenshot capture: Developing an AI tool to automate the labour-intensive task of tracking and documenting client advertisements across multiple platforms.
• Propensity modelling: Using AI to predict which subscription packages best align with individual customer behaviours, increasing conversion rates.
• Dynamic retention offers: Personalised subscription deals powered by AI insights to improve retention rates.

The creative studio also incorporates Adobe Firefly, a generative AI tool integrated within Adobe’s design suite, to allow for faster content creation with enhanced customisation options.  

Cautionary tales

Scarrow stressed the importance of deliberation in implementing AI. Rushing in without proper guardrails can jeopardise trust and credibility, and human oversight remains crucial. S

he shared some notable missteps by brands, such as McDonald’s failed AI-driven drive-thru system, which “offered bizarre food combinations,” and Google Bard’s inaccurate launch responses. Both caused significant financial damage and underscored the importance of human guidance and responsible usage.

“AI is a powerful tool. It can help us with efficiency and creativity, but you’ve got to have that road map, infrastructure training, the guardrails, so to speak,” she said. “Don’t over-rely on AI. Don’t put it on autopilot, and just make sure it’s consistent with your brand regulations.”

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