Identity, community and meaning: all fundamental human needs AI is poised to upend and, coincidentally, all fundamental tenets of strong brands. Thankfully, as brand-builders, we have a powerful tool to navigate the disruptive wave of AI and ensure it enhances rather than dilutes human connections: digital anthropology.
Rooted in grounded qualitative research, anthropology is the study of humans, cultures and the layered and messy ways meaning is built into our lives. Digital anthropology extends this inquiry into the realm of technology, delving into how we navigate our lives in a world increasingly intertwined with digital tools and platforms, where smartphones are practically extensions of our limbs.Â
By embracing a digital anthropology perspective, we gain a uniquely human-centered lens through which to examine the impact of AI on society and consumer behavior—a balance of disruption and desire.
Understanding disruption
Brands are rooted in fundamental human experiences—aspiration, love, freedom—but the ways we practice them change as technology advances, and our beliefs about them shift as society evolves. As cultural artifacts, brands are constantly negotiating meaning in the face of technological and cultural upheaval.Â
One of the fundamental principles of digital anthropology is the recognition that technology, despite its disruptive potential, exists within a lived context. Companies like BeerCo, Procter & Gamble and Google have leveraged anthropology to unravel the complexities of consumer behavior and inform their strategic decisions.
But Lego might be the most compelling example: To combat their downturn, they explored fundamentally what it means to be human and to play. They found the most satisfying experience didn’t come from the fancy new instant-gratification toys, but the original open-ended play that enabled kids to explore, which led them to reinvest in their original bricks.
By understanding the why behind consumer actions, these companies have been able to create products, brands and experiences that resonate deeply with their target audiences, transcending the limitations of technological novelty.
Desire as a driving force
But the allure of disruption can sometimes overshadow the deeper human motivations that underpin technological innovation. As tech evolves at an unprecedented pace, it’s often heralded as a panacea, promising to solve problems, revolutionize industries and reshape our world.
Yet, as anthropologist Anna Tsing observes, the rhetoric of disruption often masks the vested interests of those promoting new technologies, leading to a cycle of hype followed by disillusionment as audacious dreams give way to mundane realities.
So, as we hurtle, full speed ahead in the name of progress, we must resist the temptation to blindly follow the dictates of technological disruption without pausing to consider the human consequences. Take, for example, the rise of AI-driven marketing campaigns that personalize advertisements with alarming precision. While J.Lo inviting you by name to join her on Virgin Voyages may seem cutting-edge on the surface, activations like this often fail to resonate with consumers on a deeper level, serving disruption for disruption’s sake rather than addressing genuine desires or needs.
