The Minimalist recently concluded the second edition of its pan India hybrid event, Hackathon 2.0.
The second chapter of the Digitech IP of The Minimalist focused on the transformative power of Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) in digital advertising.
Building on the success of the previous year's Hackathon, the current season aimed to explore the immense potential of AI in shaping innovative experiences for Designers, Copywriters, Account managers, Brand Managers, and Chief Marketing Officers.
Hackathon 2.0 saw over 50 team members of The Minimalist spread pan India, where they were assigned the challenge of creating new and distinctive campaigns within a tight deadline of six hours. Leveraging the capabilities of Generative AI, these teams crafted campaigns for some of India's leading brands, unlocking fresh perspectives and reimagining the digital advertising landscape for various sectors like Real Money Gaming, Fashion E-Commerce, Health Care, Consumer Packaged Foods, BFSI and Real Estate.
The Minimalist collaborated with industry experts and thought makers like Maneesh Krishnamurthy from Titan, Sanchita Johri from adidas, Deepak Renganathan from DLF and Amritansu Nanda (ex-CMO, Zepto) as the judges for Hackathon 2.0.
Sahil Vaidya, Co-Founder of The Minimalist, said, "The Minimalist Hackathon 2.0 is a testament to our commitment to pushing the limits of creativity and technology in brand marketing and digital advertising. By harnessing the power of Generative AI, we aim to create groundbreaking campaigns that captivate audiences and deliver unprecedented value to our clients."
The objective of Hackathon 2.0 was to strategically implement generative AI in the marketing space, pioneering its potential and evolution. This exploration aimed to provide team members in client servicing, brand promotion, product design, and with new opportunities to leverage high-tech artificial intelligence tools.
Chirag Gander, Co-Founder of The Minimalist, stated, "Hackathon 2.0's success demonstrated the incredible symbiosis between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence. It served as a testament to our team's expertise, innovation, and collaborative spirit. The event sparked the development of groundbreaking concepts, showcasing the tremendous influence of AI. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to the organisers and participants for their unwavering dedication to creativity and inventiveness."
The winning team’s campaign showcased the following:
Sector allocated: BFSI
Problem Statement: Many young people needed to be more interested in investing in mutual funds and needed assistance to be persuaded.
To tackle this, a social experiment was conducted in malls, targeting the youth. The campaign featured a photo booth kiosk as the centrepiece. Participants were asked to enter the booth, introduce themselves, answer a few questions, and then the AI took over. The screen would showcase the same person as their future self, thanking themselves for investing in mutual funds at the right time, while the older version of themselves is enjoying their best life.
The campaign was executed using tools such as Photoshop AI Generator, MidJourney, and other voice and video AI tools. These tools played a crucial role in delivering an engaging experience, aiming to inspire young individuals to envision their desired future and take proactive steps towards financial planning and wealth creation.