Reconfiguring marketing communication in the age of AI : a comparative case analysis of global brand transformations

Mróz-Gorgoń, Barbara (author), Małecka, Agnieszka (author), Czugan, Marcin (author), Pfajfar, Gregor (author)

Purpose - This research examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on marketing communications strategies and processes, a gap within the empirical knowledge. Design/methodology/approach - Using a multi-case study methodology based on three leading global companies: a beverage company that uses generative AI, a beauty distributor that uses conversational AI and an athletic apparel company that uses predictive AI, we explore the pervasive impact of AI. Findings - Our framework reveals three overarching structural transformations: the dissolution of linear time barriers (real-time processing), the intensification of personalization (1:1 predictive analytics) and the offloading of strategic decisions to machines (machine learning). As part of our model development, we propose a new conceptual framework, the Adaptive Engagement Loop (AEL), which re-casts marketing communications as a perpetual, self-evolving process of five stages through AI. Originality/value - This research serves as a theoretical intervention to transform AI from part of brand storytelling to a distributed brand storyteller, and from communication to collaboration, content to experience and segmentation to identity formation. From a managerial point of view, it provides direction to the responsible use of AI by proposing the setting of creative boundaries, investing in clear data models and user consent mechanisms and fostering cross-functional collaboration.

• Language: English
• Keywords: marketing, digital transformation, brands, international comparisons, artificial intelligence (AI), marketing communication, digital transformation, adaptive engagement loop (AEL) model, brand strategy, digital brand identity, comparative case study
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185233
• UDC: 339.138
• ISSN on article: 2658-2430
• DOI: 10.1108/CEMJ-07-2025-0212
• COBISS.SI-ID: 285401603
• Publication date in RUL: 29.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Central European management journal
• Shortened title: Centr. Europ. Manag. J.
• Publisher: Emerald
• ISSN: 2658-2430
• COBISS.SI-ID: 45458179

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: trženje, umetna inteligenca, digitalna preobrazba, blagovne znamke, mednarodne primerjave

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0177
• Name: Slovenija in njeni akterji v mednarodnih odnosih in evropskih integracijah