Brandfest 2025: 3 Takeaways and 10 AI Tips Every Marketer Should Know
Brandfest 2025 wasn’t just another marketing event. It was a moment to pause, connect, and rethink how we build brands in an AI-powered world.
The Vase.ai team came ready to learn from the community, share ideas, and present 10 practical ways marketers can use AI in research; from designing surveys to spotting trends.
As marketing evolves, some ideas stick. Here are 3 powerful lessons from Brandfest 2025 that every marketer can apply today.
3 Takeaways + 10 AI Tips Ahead:
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1. AI is Supercharging Marketers, Not Replacing Them
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2. Authenticity Is the New Currency
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3. Omnichannel is About Consistency, Not Just Coverage
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10 Ways to Use AI in Market Research
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Moments That Mattered
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Quick Recap
1. AI is Supercharging Marketers, Not Replacing Them
👂 What We Heard:
AI wasn’t just a buzzword at Brandfest 2025, it was a game changer. But the message wasn’t about fear. It was about opportunity.
Across panels and backstage chats, speakers emphasized one thing:
AI isn’t here to replace marketers; it’s here to remove friction, so we can focus on strategy, creativity, and insight.
“AI won’t take your job. The person who uses AI will.”
Jensen Huang, CEO, NVIDIA (quoted by XP Ng and Jasmine Lim)
Industry leaders like XP Ng (Academy of AI) and Jasmine Lim (DriveFunnels) reminded us that great AI output depends on great prompting.
AI needs context, tone, and structure; and that’s where marketers shine.
💡 How Brands Are Doing It:
At Vase.ai, we showcased 10 practical ways marketers can use AI in research, from writing smarter survey questions to summarizing open-ended feedback, visualizing results, and testing campaign ideas.
We’re not alone. Many marketers are using AI to:
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Spark creative concepts
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Analyze audience behavior
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Draft content or campaign copy faster
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Build sharper buyer personas
In every case, AI works best when paired with human expertise.
✅ What You Can Try Today:
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Write clear prompts that include your goal, desired format, and target audience
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Use AI to speed up first drafts then refine with your own brand voice
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Start small: summarize a customer feedback set, rewrite a few headlines, or test ad copy variations
2. Authenticity Is the New Currency
👂 What We Heard:
Today’s consumers can smell inauthentic messaging a mile away. Brands that try too hard to perform are losing out to those that show up with honesty and heart.
“Authenticity is not a trend. It’s a long-term trust builder.”
Dr. Aseem Puri, CEO, Unilever International
Dr. Aseem shared how Unilever used social listening to uncover unexpected customer behavior; people using Vaseline as lip balm. That insight led to the launch of Vaseline Lip Balm, directly rooted in real user behavior.
“Let creators create. Give them the space to connect with your audience in a way that feels natural.”
Dulya Wijeratne, CultCreative
Dulya Wijeratne from CultCreative echoed this, spotlighting the power of Creator-Generated Content (CGC) and the importance of letting creators speak in their own voice.
“Our raw TikTok videos, like packing orders or showing real moments, get 10 times the views of polished ones. People want real.”
Christy Ng, CEO, Christy Ng Malaysia
Adding to that, Christy Ng, CEO of Christy Ng Malaysia, shared how raw, behind-the-scenes content drives stronger engagement on platforms like TikTok. She explained that unfiltered, day-in-the-life videos often outperform heavily edited campaigns because they feel human, not manufactured.
💡 How Brands Are Doing It:
Instead of assuming what customers want, brands are tapping into how people actually talk about and use their products. They’re co-creating with creators, not dictating the message.
✅ What You Can Try Today:
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Listen closely to how your product is talked about online
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Give creators creative control; authenticity resonates more than polish
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Let customer behavior inspire your next product, message, or campaign
3. Omnichannel is About Consistency, Not Just Coverage
👂 What We Heard:
Being everywhere is no longer enough. Consistency across touch points from your app to your ads, is what builds real brand equity.
“It’s not just about showing up everywhere. It’s about showing up the same everywhere.”
But achieving this is tough when teams are siloed and insights are scattered.
Venon Tian, COO of ZUS Coffee Malaysia, showed how ZUS stays consistent:
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Matching app design with in-store experience
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Using customer data to trigger contextual promos (like cold drinks on hot days)
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Aligning creative, media, and operations under one brand narrative
💡 How Brands Are Doing It:
Omnichannel success comes from alignment, not just assets. When creative, media, and research teams are synced, customers get a seamless brand experience wherever they go.
✅ What You Can Try Today:
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Audit your touchpoints for inconsistent voice, visuals, or messaging
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Use real-time signals (weather, time of day, location) to personalize content
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Work with creators who understand your brand and your audience
💡 10 Ways to Use AI in Market Research
We shared 10 AI techniques that make research faster and more insightful without losing the human touch.
- AI-Powered Satisfaction Insights
- Instantly Generate Survey Questions
- Visualize Data and Spot What Matters
- Let Existing Data Answer New Questions
- Spot Emerging Trends Before the Market Shifts
- Summarize Research Findings Instantly
- Test Concepts and Invest in Winners
- Automatically Build Buyer Personas
- Link Ad Campaigns to Brand Metrics
- Evaluate ROI After Campaigns
📸 Moments That Mattered
Beyond the panels, Brandfest 2025 was full of energy, laughter, and connection.
From spontaneous reunions to new industry friendships, these moments reminded us why we do what we do.
✅ Quick Recap
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AI helps marketers work smarter: Use it to draft, analyze, and visualize but keep the human touch.
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Authenticity builds lasting trust: Listen to your audience and empower creators to tell real stories.
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Consistency beats coverage: Align teams and messaging across every touchpoint for a seamless brand experience.
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Download our 10 AI prompts to instantly improve your research workflow and uncover better insights.
