The Alexa-effect: an overlooked creative medium

In our constantly evolving digital environment, voice technology is pointing the way as we look to better disrupt and engage with our brands’ audiences, says Will Glynn-Jones, managing director, Send Me a Sample.

Alongside other rapid developments across the digital landscape over the last 5-10 years, voice technology has introduced new opportunities in how consumers interact with brands.

Alexa has become a significant part of everyday life for millions of people worldwide, creating a real opportunity for brands to engage with customers in dynamic ways. With the release of Alexa+, Amazon’s enhanced voice assistant technology, creatives now have access to even more tools to deliver customised experiences, generate data insights, and create meaningful interactions with consumers.

The product is basically an enhanced version of the voice assistant, using advanced AI technologies to offer more natural and personalised interactions. It learns from user interactions to deliver personalised responses and anticipatory assistance, aiming to become a more integral part of daily routines.

One of the most significant opportunities that the tech brings is the ability to create hyper-personalised experiences. 

It can remember user preferences, interests, and past interactions, allowing creatives to develop and deliver tailor-made content to each individual. This can range from custom product recommendations to targeted offers based on listening habits, shopping behaviours, and location data.

For instance, a customer who regularly asks about sports results might receive personalised ads or product suggestions related to a specific team or deeper, richer content. The device can provide dynamic content that adapts based on the user’s behaviour in real time. It gives users the ability to pause a song to announce a scoring update. Leveraging this level of personalisation within e-commerce is especially valuable, where standing out - genuinely being disruptive - is crucial.

Creatives can track and analyse data over time, refining their messaging and offerings to meet the changing needs of their audience. The result? A more engaging and valuable customer experience that can lead to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty.

Voice-enabled experiences offer a level of interactivity. It allows brands to build engaging, interactive experiences that go beyond static ads or social media posts. Take digital sampling, one of the fastest growing promotional tactics used by brands. Alexa+ allows a much more immersive, useful way to drive the product trial experience.

Rather than just using voice assistants to deliver a basic sampling opportunity, creatives can play with richer content through visuals, sound and linking to other voice applications is as exciting to the consumer as it is to the creative.

Going one step further, you can create real conversational opportunities instead of one-way requests. i.e.

Q: “Alexa, what’s the best way to moisturize my skin?”

A: “There’s a range of great moisturizers on the market for men. How about Clarins for Men? Here’s why it’s so great….:

“Also, would you like a free sample?”

By leveraging Alexa+, brands can immerse customers in their product offerings and create memorable experiences that strengthen the emotional connection between the consumer and the brand. This can then encourage longer-term brand relationships, creating an ongoing dialogue between brands and consumers and making it possible for brands to stay in touch with customers in a more natural and intimate way.

Whether it’s sending reminders, providing product updates, or offering special deals, brands can use the technology to nurture customer loyalty over time. 

A subscription box service, for example, could remind users to update their preferences or offer them exclusive deals through voice notifications. This constant engagement helps keep the brand top-of-mind and fosters a sense of brand loyalty that’s more organic than traditional advertising.

Alexa+ also opens the door to a depth of data that can help marketers understand their audiences. By integrating with Alexa’s reporting features, marketers can track how users interact with their Alexa-powered experiences. They can collect data on everything from the types of voice commands used to the frequency of interactions, enabling them to better understand customer preferences and behaviour. This knowledge can power and feed the creative process. If a brand notices that its audience is consistently engaging with a specific type of content (such as recipe ideas or wellness tips), it can tailor future campaigns around these insights, ensuring they are serving the most relevant and appealing experiences back to the audience.

Creatives now have the opportunity to reimagine how they engage with their audience, and voice-activated shopping, gamified experiences, or personalised content are productive routes to achieve this. As a result, campaigns can resonate with customers on a deeper level, turning everyday voice interactions into meaningful connections.