EASTHAMPTON — When the creative team at Big Voodoo Interactive wants an advertising spokesperson to speak a different language, change its accent, darken its complexion or swap genders, it’s as simple as a few clicks on a computer.
The Easthampton marketing firm — which touts itself as a leading digital agency for law firms — has struck a partnership with TikTok and is using “spokespeople” made with artificial intelligence now more than ever.
The firm experimented with AI influencers more than a year ago, but they didn’t look human, credible or convincing enough to star in the agency’s digital ad campaigns.
“The technology wasn’t where it needed to be. We weren’t going to put out something that was glitchy or didn’t sound natural,” said Megan Sheldon, managing director of operational services at Big Voodoo.
“It’s come a long way, and when you’re scrolling through a platform like TikTok, it’s not blatantly obvious this is an AI influencer. It looks and sounds human, and we’re confident in how it performs,” she told The Republican.
Big Voodoo also is using real celebrities like William Shatner, Matt Walton and Eric Pierpoint along with actual clients in their advertising campaigns.
While anyone can create content and post it for free on TikTok, Big Voodoo has struck a formal partnership that gives the firm broader and deeper access to the platform, its audience and experts.
The revenue-sharing portion of the deal is confidential, but the agreement gives the Easthampton firm direct access to TikTok experts, who help with strategy and expanding Big Voodoo’s audience beyond what non-partners can achieve.
The platform also shares analytical information that helps inform and improve its future campaigns.
“TikTok is new territory for us, but it’s appealing because of its younger crowd,” said Joseph Morelli, a partner in the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone and Morelli, which is a Voodoo client.
“Young adults in their 20s and 30s seem to be using that as a primary way to get their information. We’re getting good results from Facebook and Instagram. This is just a natural extension of that,” said Morelli.
Not so long ago, Google gathered and dropped consumers at the doorsteps of corporate, government and nonprofit websites. But AI is overriding what Google had been providing and is actually now an obstacle between consumers and websites.
When web users put search terms into Google, artificial intelligence is now presenting answers that include summaries and bullet-point information, without immediately sending readers any further.
“No one even gets to the websites anymore. AI just answers questions right there, instead of Google sending traffic to websites. All of a sudden, website exposure has decreased by as much as 30%,” said Jake Del Hagen, founder and CEO of Big Voodoo Interactive.
In many cases, consumers are avoiding Google altogether, dropping search terms directly into TikTok, Instagram and others.
The ad firm offers what it calls a turnkey solution to its clients, identifying both human and digital spokespeople, writing scripts, producing content and placing it all on digital platforms.
Influencers have long been seen by marketers as having more credibility than advertising, even as it is nearly impossible to tell whether a spokesperson is real or fake — which gives new meaning to the phrase, “send in make-up.”
Big Voodoo says that made-up spokespeople are just as credible and no less legitimate than human pitchmen and women.
“It’s almost the equivalent of an actor standing in there and telling a story or reading a testimonial, because that’s essentially how we are viewing influencers. They’re telling a story for our clients,” said Sheldon.
According to Big Voodoo, AI is allowing the company to slice up demographic areas and drop spokespeople into a Spanish-speaking section of one city or another market where Arabic, French or Italian is the predominant language.
This type of advertising can target people right down to their ZIP codes and neighborhoods. It is tracking people down and finding them where they live and work.
Many Big Voodoo clients specialize in personal injury, workers’ compensation, family law and civil litigation. AI allows its messaging to be clear and on point. It also reduces costs by moving production away from expensive on-location shoots to the inside of a studio or even a computer.
“We’ve hit a point in our own technology, as well as the industry, where (AI spokespeople) look super believable. You can build a brand around it, and more importantly, they can speak multiple languages. When you’re a law firm, you still want to work with those clients, they deserve representation,” said Del Hagen.
The shift to digital might be seismic, but it’s not absolute. While AI spokespeople are the hot new stars, clients continue appearing in their own commercials along with noted actors. Law firms are still running ads on television, radio and in newspapers.
“There’s not one method that reaches everybody,” said Morelli. “At that moment when they’re looking for a personal injury attorney, if we somehow have made an impression on them, whether it be TikTok, Facebook, TV or newspaper, hopefully at that moment they think back and remember us.”
The competition for clients is hotter than ever, said Del Hagen. The need to be efficient, nimble, focused with precisely targeted messages is crucial, he added.
Sheldon said the TikTok partnership is helping Big Voodoo move away from an approach where advertisers are throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks, to a surgical strategy that finds and markets directly to potential clients.
“We are seeing real results,” said Sheldon. “You’re always going to get impressions and views, but we’re also seeing them convert for our clients, who are getting people who actually need their services or are interested in learning more.”
