Artificial intelligence is no longer simply a tool for efficiency, automation, or content generation. The strongest examples of AI in marketing are helping brands better understand people, identify emerging opportunities, and create more relevant customer experiences.
The Internationalist’s AI for Better Marketing Awards recognize organizations that use artificial intelligence not for innovation’s sake, but to improve marketing outcomes through stronger insights, smarter decision-making, and more meaningful customer engagement.
This year’s winners reveal a clear shift in how marketers are approaching AI. Rather than focusing solely on scale, the most successful initiatives use technology to recognize signals, anticipate needs, understand human behavior, and strengthen relationships.
EXPLORE MORE WINNING TRENDS
The following Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Special Recognition winners represent some of the most thoughtful and effective applications of AI in marketing today.
PLATINUM
SAMSUNG
RMN Upstream (Retail Media Networks) – “Intent Before Intent”
Submitted by Starcom Taiwan
Samsung challenged the conventional wisdom that smartphone marketing begins when consumers start shopping for phones. By using AI to identify subtle signals hidden in seemingly unrelated shopping behaviors, the brand uncovered moments when future demand was beginning to form long before purchase intent became visible. The initiative transformed retail media from a conversion-focused channel into a predictive intelligence system, helping Samsung engage consumers at the earliest stages of need recognition. The result was stronger conversion performance, improved efficiency, and a new model for anticipating demand rather than simply capturing it.
AUDI
Audizone on Amazon
Submitted by PHD Germany
Audi recognized that people rarely begin their journeys by searching for cars. Instead, future demand often emerges through life changes such as moving, changing jobs, or starting a family. Using AI to interpret behavioral signals across Amazon’s ecosystem, Audi identified moments of emerging relevance before automotive intent became explicit. The initiative connected awareness, consideration, and conversion through a dynamic, adaptive experience that responded to real customer behavior. By shifting from interruption-based marketing to discovery-driven engagement, Audi demonstrated a more human and predictive approach to premium automotive marketing.
TAISHIN BANK
Signals of Diligence
Submitted by Starcom Taiwan
Following a major merger, Taishin faced a challenge shared by many large financial institutions: how to remain emotionally connected to everyday people. Rather than targeting audiences through traditional demographics, the bank used AI to identify patterns of diligence hidden within anonymized behavioral data. By transforming a cultural value into a measurable signal, Taishin created a powerful new framework for recognizing effort, perseverance, and commitment. The initiative demonstrated how AI can move beyond optimization to help brands better understand and reflect the values that matter most to the people they serve.
GOLD
SHELL V-POWER
Feel Closer
Shell V-Power leveraged artificial intelligence to create a highly personalized Formula One experience that brought fans closer to Scuderia Ferrari HP and its drivers. Through AI-enabled customization, consumers were immersed in a unique digital journey that transformed a premium fuel proposition into an emotional brand experience. By combining personalization, storytelling, and one of the world’s most powerful sports partnerships, Shell demonstrated how AI can deepen engagement, strengthen brand differentiation, and create memorable customer experiences that extend far beyond the product itself.
CATHAY PACIFIC
AI Flight Secretary: Winning the Conversion War
Submitted by Zenith Taiwan
In an intensely competitive travel market dominated by discounting, Cathay Pacific used AI to focus on value rather than price. The airline developed a system capable of identifying moments of hesitation during the booking journey and responding with personalized creative content tailored to different traveler needs. By integrating AI-powered creative assembly with predictive media optimization, Cathay transformed digital advertising into a more responsive and service-oriented experience. The initiative delivered significant commercial results while reinforcing the airline’s premium positioning and customer-centric approach.
AMAZON GLOBAL SELLING
Hello Boss! Unlocking the Path from Local to Global Selling
Submitted by Zenith Taiwan
Amazon Global Selling faced the challenge of helping Taiwan’s highly fragmented small and medium-sized businesses overcome the uncertainty of expanding internationally. Using AI to identify business motivations, concerns, and readiness signals, the campaign moved beyond traditional industry targeting to create highly relevant communications based on specific growth challenges. Personalized messaging addressed issues such as logistics, payments, risk, and market confidence, helping business owners take their first steps toward global expansion. The result was a powerful demonstration of how AI can strengthen trust, relevance, and business growth in B2B marketing.
SILVER
Nestlé Infant Nutrition (NAN HA3)
When Moms Decide, AI Guides
Submitted by Zenith Taiwan
Nestlé used AI to better understand the complex and often non-linear decision-making journeys of new mothers. Through its proprietary MomLogic model, the brand analyzed behavioral patterns and moments of uncertainty to identify when information, reassurance, and support would be most valuable. Rather than pushing product features, the initiative focused on building confidence and trust throughout the parenting journey. The campaign demonstrated how AI can help brands respond more effectively to emotional and practical needs, creating more meaningful and supportive customer experiences.
STRESSTABS (Haleon)
When Lonely Hearts Shine – Meet My Virtual Soulmate
Submitted by Zenith Taiwan
Seeking to move beyond traditional product messaging, Stresstabs created an AI-powered emotional companion designed to foster deeper engagement with younger consumers. Through personalized interactions, virtual personas, and real-time conversations, the initiative transformed the brand from a functional supplement into a source of emotional connection and support. By combining AI-driven personalization with careful human oversight, Stresstabs demonstrated how brands can create more relevant and meaningful experiences in categories where emotional resonance can be as important as product performance.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: Creative Infrastructure Innovation
ZUUVI
Creative Infrastructure: The AI Layer Between Brand Intent and Execution
As marketers increasingly scale content across markets, channels, formats, and AI-enabled workflows, maintaining consistency and quality has become a growing challenge. Zuuvi’s concept of Creative Infrastructure addresses this issue by providing a governance layer between strategy and execution. Through tools designed to identify brand drift, improve creative consistency, and connect performance insights with creative decision-making, Zuuvi highlights an emerging area of marketing practice that is becoming increasingly important in the AI era. The Internationalist recognizes Zuuvi for helping define this evolving category.
What these winners share is a belief that AI works best when it helps marketers better understand people. Whether anticipating needs, recognizing behaviors, reducing uncertainty, or creating more relevant experiences, the strongest entries demonstrated that technology is most powerful when paired with human insight, creativity, and judgment.
As discussions about AI continue to dominate industry conversations—from Cannes Lions to boardrooms around the world—these winners provide practical examples of how artificial intelligence can create value for both customers and brands. The Internationalist congratulates all of this year’s winners for helping define what better marketing looks like in the AI era.
