Why Smart Marketers Are Betting Everything on Brand in the Age of AI

In an era dominated by data, automation and performance metrics, Comscore Chief Marketing Officer Jackelyn Keller says the true priority for marketers has not changed: “The brand will always win.”

In a recent interview filmed during Creativity and Data, a TVREV video series presented by LG Ad Solutions and shot on location at Cannes Lions 2025, Keller offered a powerful reminder that, while tools like artificial intelligence and campaign testing are transforming the marketing landscape, it is creativity and emotional connection that ultimately drive action.

“I think people make decisions with how something makes them feel,” she said. “So the creative will always win.”

Comscore, a leading media measurement and analytics company, plays a pivotal role in this evolving equation. Known for providing trusted data on cross-platform audiences, Comscore helps marketers, media companies and agencies navigate consumer behavior with precision. Now, through its AI-driven insights, the company is helping brands scale storytelling in ways that were previously unimaginable.

“We’re seeing a huge opportunity to use digital technology to make sure that the person most honed in to a specific message actually receives it,” Keller said. “Whether it’s A/B testing or C testing, especially with AI, that’s really helping with scenario mapping.”

Keller argued that marketers no longer have to choose between performance and branding. “It’s not one or the other,” she said. “It’s the beauty of bringing them together where you can make sure that you’re finding audiences that are more interested in your message.”

She pointed to the richness of today’s media mix as a major shift from the past. “Instead of just having people 25 to 54 get all the same ad served to them, we’re going to see this opportunity to have different types of ads to different people in different geos, and you can actually optimize your campaign in that way.”

For example, Comscore’s data can help brands identify unexpected audience segments that respond to their creative. “Brands can start with, let’s say, a demo currency buy, and then realize, hey, auto contenders in Milwaukee are really into my ad campaign,” Keller said. “I didn’t even realize this creative would resonate with them.”

Ultimately, Keller envisions a marketing future where great storytelling is delivered with surgical precision.

“It’s just, how are we serving that creative, and how can we optimize the message to these different audiences?” she said. “That’s where digital technology is going to come in.”

With Comscore’s tools at their disposal, brands are finding new ways to balance emotional storytelling with smart audience targeting. In the competition between brand and performance, Keller believes the smartest strategy is choosing both.