Top Generative AI Tools You Might Be Missing Out On: From Copywriting to Visual Ads

For more than fifteen years, I’ve tracked major changes in B2B technology. In my experience, I’ve seen many ‘next big things.’ But I rarely see a wave as powerful as generative AI. It’s more than just another tool; it’s changing the marketing world. Every CMO, VP of Marketing, and department head must pay attention. The pressure to do more, personalize deeper, and move faster is relentless. Generative AI offers not just relief, but a potential strategic advantage. Yet, navigating this burgeoning ecosystem can feel overwhelming. Forget dry lists and rigid rankings. Let’s explore key generative AI tools. We’ll group them by format and use. These tools should be on every marketing leader’s radar.

The Generative Imperative for Modern Marketing

The chatter is deafening, but the data speaks louder. According to a 2024 Salesforce report, 61% of marketers are already using generative AI, and 74% believe it makes them more productive. McKinsey estimates that marketing departments using generative AI could see productivity gains worth up to US$ 463 billion annually, driven by content creation and personalization efficiencies. Studies show that marketers using generative AI see big gains in productivity. They save hours on content drafts, concept iterations, and creating basic assets. More crucially, it unlocks unprecedented scale and personalization potential. Imagine tailoring ad copy for different groups or creating unique visuals for specific audiences with just one click. This isn’t about taking away human creativity. It’s about boosting it. They help to free the talented teams from boring tasks. This way, they can focus on high-level strategy, brand storytelling, and innovative ideas. Ignoring this shift isn’t an option; it’s a competitive risk. The challenge is choosing the right tools for your needs and using them responsibly.

AI-Powered Copywriting and Content Engines

The written word remains marketing’s bedrock, and generative AI excels here.

Advanced language models can create:

• Catchy ad copy
• Lively social media posts
• Useful blog outlines
• Tailored email sequences
• Detailed long-form content

Consider platforms like ChatGPT (OpenAI). Its versatility is staggering. Need fifty variations of a Facebook ad headline optimized for different buyer personas? Struggling to overcome writer’s block on a crucial blog intro? Seeking a fresh angle for a product description? It delivers remarkably coherent drafts in seconds. OpenAI’s ChatGPT reportedly has over 100 million weekly active users as of April 2024, with widespread usage among marketers for generating blog posts, social content, and email sequences. Its broad strength can sometimes miss the marketing details that some campaigns need.

This is where specialized tools shine. Jasper has built a loyal following among marketers precisely because it understands context. Jasper excels at maintaining a consistent brand voice across all marketing materials and sales copy. Its templates for frameworks like AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) and PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solution) are very helpful. This is especially true for teams new to writing that focuses on conversions. Think of it as your AI-powered copywriting partner deeply versed in marketing psychology.

For teams seeking agility and seamless integration, Copy.ai presents a compelling case. Its interface is intuitive, making AI accessible even for non-technical marketers. The real power is in its workflow features. It can generate multiple copy variations at the same time. It also stores often-used brand tones and provides easy export options. It’s perfect for quick social media posts, testing email subjects, and brainstorming product benefits. These ideas come together smoothly in well-written sentences. A CMO from an e-commerce company explained how Copy.ai boosted her team’s ad testing. They now test ten times more variations per campaign. This change improved their click-through rate (CTR) without adding more staff. Copy.ai, which raised US$ 11 million to expand its AI content suite, boasts a user base of more than 10 million businesses, with many reporting significant gains in email engagement and ad performance. One case revealed a 300% increase in CTR through multi-variant testing enabled by AI.+

Also Read: Generative AI in Advertising: Advertising Reimagined!

Generating Stunning Imagery and Design Assets

Visual content is king, but traditional production is often slow and costly. Generative AI for images is changing visual creativity quickly. It helps marketers quickly build ideas, make unique stock images, and design branded visuals.

MidJourney, accessed primarily through Discord, has become synonymous with breathtaking, artistic image generation. It can understand complex prompts and create unique visuals like no other. MidJourney’s adoption has exploded among creative marketers. Its subreddit now has over 1.5 million users, and marketers regularly showcase brand visuals, concept art, and ad mockups generated at scale. Picture a high-tech city for a keynote backdrop. Think of abstract images showing ‘innovation.’ Or create special character designs for a brand story. You can do all this in just minutes. Its outputs may be fantastical, but it’s a great tool for generating ideas and creating unique art. A luxury travel brand used MidJourney to make unique images of destinations for social ads. This led to engagement rates much higher than their usual photos.

Marketers looking for photorealism and easy integration should try DALL-E 3. It’s a strong tool from OpenAI, now available in ChatGPT. Its grasp of context and skill in creating realistic scenes, objects, and people is remarkable. Looking for a photo of a diverse team working together in a modern office? It should fit your brand colors perfectly! Need a product shot showing your software on a laptop in a specific setting? DALL-E 3 delivers highly usable results. Its strength is creating real-looking marketing assets. This skips long photoshoots and costly stock subscriptions for specific needs.

Serious marketing teams that care about copyright, brand safety, and smooth workflows should check out Adobe Firefly. Firefly is part of the well-known Creative Cloud suite. This suite includes Photoshop, Illustrator, and Express. It uses Adobe Stock and public domain content. This helps reduce copyright risks. Generative Fill and Text to Image fit right into Photoshop. They help designers expand images, take out objects, or add new elements. This all happens without damaging the original. Firefly is great for creating social media graphics, quick ad mockups, and improving photos. It’s safe, efficient, and professional-grade. Adobe’s focus on ethical training data adds important security for corporate marketing.

The Emergence of Generative Video

Video is the undisputed engagement champion, but production complexity remains a barrier. Generative AI is exploring new areas. It provides tools to make short clips, animations, and synthetic presenters. 85% of marketers say video helps them generate leads, and 88% say it offers a positive ROI, according to Wyzowl’s 2024 survey.

Runway ML stands at the cutting edge. Its Gen-2 video tools let users make short clips from text prompts. They can also turn existing images into moving videos. Outputs are usually brief, lasting just seconds. They need careful prompts, but the potential is huge. Consider creating quick social media teasers. Bring storyboards to life, craft unique motion graphics, or explore surreal visual effects. You can do all this without a camera crew or complex 3D software. It’s a great tool for quick prototyping. It helps make unique and striking motion assets.

Synthesia provides a special solution for creating longer videos. This includes explainer videos, product demos, and personalized messages with human presenters. This platform makes AI avatars. They can share scripted content in many languages. You can use your voice clone or choose from professional voices. Ethical issues with deepfakes are very important and need clear disclosure. But the practical uses are also significant. Imagine localized training videos made at scale. Picture personalized sales messages that feel genuine. Consider updating spokesperson messages quickly across regions, without any reshoots. A global tech company uses Synthesia to make onboarding videos in more than 20 languages. This cuts down on production time and costs significantly. Synthesia’s AI avatars are used by more than 50,000 companies, with major brands using the platform to produce localized videos across 120+ languages. Its users report a 90% reduction in production costs and time for training and product videos.

Tools like Pika Labs are becoming popular. They can create and edit videos using text or image prompts. This creates new chances for creative fun in short videos, especially on social media. Pika Labs, a newer entrant, raised US$ 80 million in Series A funding in 2024 and is quickly gaining traction among content creators looking to generate short, branded video loops and animated social media assets

Making Generative AI Work for Your Brand

Adopting these tools demands strategic thinking, not blind automation. Marketing leaders must follow this approach:

• Collaborate with AI, Don’t Replace People: AI helps create content, generate ideas, and manage tasks. But humans bring strategy, brand loyalty, emotional insight, and careful editing. Treat AI as a reliable assistant, not a substitute for experienced professionals. Always review, refine, and fact-check outputs carefully.
• Safeguard Your Brand Voice: Create clear rules for AI use. Define tone, style, terms, and ethical limits. Tools like brand voice features or style guides are vital. Check AI outputs for bias and errors. Also, think about safer training data choices, such as Adobe Firefly’s method.
• Value Authenticity and Transparency: Be honest, especially with synthetic media like AI avatars. Audiences crave authenticity. Use generative AI to boost creativity and efficiency, not to create misleading content. Remember, the FTC is watching.
• Start Small, Scale Up Strategically: Don’t try to do everything at once. Test a single tool for a specific task (like Jasper for ad copy or DALL-E 3 for blog images). Measure the impact (time saved, engagement, cost reduction) before expanding further.

The Future is Generative

The generative AI landscape is dynamic, with new capabilities emerging constantly. We’re shifting to multi-modal models. They mix text, images, and videos on one platform. Expect a closer link with marketing stacks like CRMs, CMSs, and ad platforms. Also, look for smarter tools that help personalize experiences for each individual.

Marketing leaders should understand this: Generative AI isn’t just a trend. It’s a major change in how marketing works.

The tools we talked about include:

• ChatGPT and Jasper for their language skills
• MidJourney for visual art
• Adobe Firefly for safety
• Runway and Synthesia for new video capabilities

These tools lead the way in this revolution.

Choose and blend these technologies wisely. Focus on human-AI collaboration and keep your brand strong. This way, you can achieve new heights in efficiency, creativity, and scale. The future belongs to marketers who harness this power strategically. The time to explore, experiment, and lead is now. Don’t just witness the gold rush; stake your claim.