Harnessing the Power of AI and Behavioural Science for Enhanced Marketing Performance
At Leopard Co, we’re always looking ahead to the future of marketing. As part of this year’s West Midlands Business Festival, organised by Business Growth West Midlands, we hosted a sold-out event exploring two of the most powerful forces in marketing today: AI and behavioural science.
With expert insights from our co-founder and CEO Rachel Roberts, and Elliot Ludvig, Professor of Psychology at the University of Warwick, the session explored how AI and behavioural science can shape marketing—unpacking both the opportunities and ethical challenges.
Chaired by Anthony Tattum, co-founder and CMO of Leopard Co, the discussion focused on practical, responsible strategies for driving marketing success.
How behavioural science influences consumer choices
Professor Ludvig explored the psychology of decision-making, highlighting how human behaviours aren’t always as rational as we like to think. In reality, our choices are influenced by cognitive biases every day – something marketers can use to their advantage.
He introduced two key strategies:
Nudges – subtle cues that steer people towards a desired action.
Rewards – Incentives that influencer behaviour, with accumulative rewards proving the most powerful.
Some of the key biases Professor Ludvig explored included:
The Decoy Effect – Introducing a third, less attractive option can make another choice seem more appealing.
Information Provision – The way information is presented can change how people perceive risk and reward.
Motivating with rewards – The structure of rewards matters. Accumulating rewards over time is more effective than one-off incentives.
Professor Ludvig also discussed frameworks such as MINDSPACE and EAST, which help shape consumer behaviour, and emphasised the importance of ethical marketing practises.
AI in marketing – the new normal
Rachel Roberts explored the growing role of AI in marketing, comparing it to the Millennium Bug – something businesses feared hugely before the end of 1999, but which ultimately resulted in zero deaths or disasters (fortunately!).
Rachel also discussed how AI isn’t just one thing; it’s a set of evolving tools that marketers need to understand and harness.
Her eight key lessons for businesses looking to make the most of AI were:
- Define your AI focus areas – whether it’s customer facing, creative content, technical applications, or industry-specific solutions.
- Manage expectations – AI is powerful but not perfect, human oversight is essential.
- Adopt AI based on your business’ needs – carry out a bi-yearly cost benefit analysis to check it makes sense financially.
- Set clear AI policies – this will help to ensure responsible and ethical use.
- Commit to training – empower teams with the right skills.
- Ensure talent can deliver from first principles – don’t solely rely on automated outputs.
- Understand how AI can impact on brand reputation – be transparent about your AI use.
- Don’t miss harnessing the power of AI tools you already have access to – many businesses underuse existing AI solutions.
AI & Behavioural Science – a powerful combination
The session wrapped up with a discussion led by Anthony Tattum, where guests had the opportunity to ask the panel questions, leading to debate around the top AI tools Leopard Co uses to drive results, the ethical implications of AI and behavioural science in PR and marketing, and how businesses can balance automation with human insight. Professor Ludvig summed it up perfectly with the quote: “AI gives competence, not excellence”.
Bringing AI and Behavioural Science into your strategy
AI and behavioural science aren’t competing forces – they complement each other. AI can process vast amounts of data, but it’s human psychology that determines how people respond to that data. By combining the two, we can create smarter, more effective marketing strategies.
At Leopard Co, we’re passionate about helping brands navigate this evolving landscape. Whether you’re looking to integrate AI, apply behaviour science principles, or harness the best of both, we are here to help you make an impact.
Get in touch to see how we can help your business harness the power of AI and behavioural science.