Episode 12- Ethics of New Voice Technology With Patrick Givens of VaynerSmart [Part Two]

Thanks so much for tuning in for Part 2 of my interview with Patrick Givens VP and Head of VaynerSmart, VaynerMedia's Innovations & Emerging Technologies division. 

We pick up in Part two discussing the ethics of AI in these emerging technologies.

Patrick and I discussed the importance of being mindful of a brand’s safety when it comes to using these emerging technologies; calculating the risks and the investment expectations up front to investigate the best practices and paths at present while planning for the future.

It is our responsibility to be aware of what is happening ahead of the rules and regulations that have not yet been set in place.  AI ethics are hugely important right now but completely optional. Non-disclosures of synthetic audio manipulation should not be taken lightly. Audio manipulation is not currently monitored and so it is our responsibility to do our due diligence as sound strategists despite the fact that it isn’t “necessary”.  

For planning sound strategy, VaynerSmart and VaynerMedia prefers to approach their projects with clients with a low initial investment to find efficient ways to expose and evaluate performance and to streamline channel planning.  Proxy testing and pre market testing creative ideas can be a huge time and financial investment. Vayner tends to go lower scale at first to test out ideas, get to know their client and their ultimate objectives for a sound identity and audio incorporation to create the right sound landscape (as well as the right financial investment) for that specific client.

All brands and companies are going to make a bunch of noise.  Are they creating them thoughtfully? If the objective and strategy is clear then go.  However, maybe the initial objective is just to experiment and play with some options.  

Find the brands’ core identity.  Be clear on what it’s trying to achieve.  Then create a plan that allows dynamic reach with a compass put in place.

Patrick also listed some examples of personal favorites of great sound advertising.  One was from an Under Armor campaign called “Click Clack”.  The other was a project where VaynerSmart worked alongside NPR and created an interactive version of the Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me Show for Alexa and Google Assistant Smart Speakers. 

To reach Patrick Givens, you can contact him through the VaynerSmart Website or through Linkedin.  

You can find me at www.dreamrproductions.com, Linkedin, FaceBook or you can email me at jeanna@dreamrproductions.com 

Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, add to your library, and share with a friend.  

Let’s make this world of Sound more intriguing, more unique, and more on brand.

Patrick and I discussed a number of things in Part 1 and 2 that included:

• What are the next set of important channels of media to keep our eyes on for ourselves as well as clients?
• Responsible AI ethics
• Finding compelling and innovative ways to introduce sound marketing to a client with a relatively low initial investment
• Evangelizing and educating for future sound identities
• The risks of innovation
• Exploring a client or brands core identity
• Experimenting to find the sound identity within