Why Salesforce Chose a Human-First Approach to Promote AI
Salesforce won Gold in the Use of GenAI category at The Drum Awards for Advertising by creatively addressing AI-related concerns while demonstrating the power of responsible AI adoption. Here’s a look at the award-winning campaign.
The Challenge
The rapid adoption of AI last year triggered widespread anxiety. Many professionals felt their jobs were at risk, and concerns grew over AI’s trustworthiness, ethical implications, and potential to replace human talent. Businesses needed to address this apprehension while showcasing the transformative potential of AI in a responsible manner.
The Strategy
Amid the rising uncertainty, Salesforce saw an opportunity to lead the conversation by aligning the campaign with one of its core values: innovation.
Rather than positioning AI as an independent solution, Salesforce sought to show that its true power lies in the hands of creative humans who apply it thoughtfully. The campaign aimed to demonstrate that AI isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s a tool, and its impact depends on how it’s used.
Salesforce’s creative and production teams integrated generative AI as an assistant, ensuring that AI enhanced human creativity rather than replacing it. This approach positioned Salesforce as a leader in responsible AI adoption, both within the creative industry and across broader business applications.
The Campaign Execution
Salesforce embraced a “walk the walk” approach to responsible AI by using generative AI tools to assist, not replace, its human creatives.
- AI as a Creative Assistant: The team used Midjourney for static visuals and Stable Diffusion for video assets, producing distinctive and thought-provoking visuals.
- Human-Led, AI-Supported: By pairing AI’s capabilities with human creativity, Salesforce underscored the importance of trust, responsibility, and collaboration in AI’s application.
- Messaging: The campaign’s theme, “Ask More of AI,” encouraged businesses to reflect on AI’s potential and consequences while promoting responsible use.
The result was a campaign that resonated deeply with Salesforce’s target audience of business decision-makers, sparking conversations around trust and innovation.
The Results
The Ask More of AI campaign achieved exceptional outcomes across various metrics:
- Global Reach: Delivered 2.5 billion quality impressions globally, exceeding industry engagement benchmarks.
- Video Engagement: Achieved a 95% video completion rate, surpassing industry standards.
- Increased Traffic:
- 157% increase in organic visits to the campaign landing page.
- 193% growth in engagement with key calls-to-action (CTAs).
- Visitor Engagement:
- 99% of prospects and 90% of first-time global visitors accessed the landing page due to the campaign.
- 57% of traffic came from paid social media, and 38% from display ads.
- Brand Association: A 2x increase in brand association and a 6% rise in awareness—the largest in Salesforce’s history.
- Social Media Impact: Generated 34.9 million impressions from organic social media.
The Takeaway
By adopting a balanced approach—leveraging AI to enhance human creativity without replacing it—Salesforce successfully addressed AI-related fears while positioning itself as a trusted innovator. The campaign not only elevated Salesforce’s brand but also set a benchmark for responsible AI use in marketing.
Through “Ask More of AI,” Salesforce demonstrated that trust and purpose are the cornerstones of unlocking AI’s potential.
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