MANILA, PHILIPPINES – From traditional advertising to the rise of online, social media, and mobile-first executions, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno has always been on the cutting edge of ensuring that its clients are at the forefront of any technological movement. With Artificial Intelligence already reshaping virtually every aspect of marketing communications – from ideation and data gathering, to actual execution– the importance of a creative partner versed in such technology becomes readily apparent.
“Using AI for the sake of AI isn’t disruptive,” says TBWA\SMP CCO Melvin Mangada, on the Agency’s commitment to guiding its clients through the AI shift. “True Disruption only happens if the new ideas used to replace old conventions are implemented in ways that make sense for our clients and their brands.”
From SEO to GEO: Introducing TBWAi GEO
TBWA\SMP’s latest offering is TBWAi GEO, a proprietary tool designed to assess and aid clients in preparing for the growth of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) over traditional SEO.
The difference between search engines and generative engines lies in how they respond to queries. Whereas a search engine will provide links that need to be clicked based on how likely these are to have the information requested, a generative engine synthesizes all the data it finds relative to a query, and presents it as a direct, coherent, and well structured response, with links to the information it used to create that response, should a user request it.
The difference between SEO and GEO is that in SEO, a brand’s goal is for its content to appear as one of the top search results for queries, but GEO is about providing authoritative, up to date, definitive, and complete answers to anticipated and relevant questions. These will be used by generative engines when they craft responses to queries that are related to specific topics, including products, services, and brands.
The recent launch of ChatGPT Atlas – a full integration of the popular app into its users’ browsers– is a major step in making it even easier for consumers to encounter brands, products, and services through GEO. Indeed, as GEO becomes more mainstream, brands increasingly need to move beyond amassing clicks to ensuring that they’re identified among the AI’s citations, lest they risk never being seen at all.
Speaking on the impetus to adapt, Mangada commented, “Your brand could be the best in the world, but if nobody knows about it, it may as well not exist. That’s where TBWA can help.”
Brand visibility vs AI engines
In a landscape where 66% of Gen Z already uses ChatGPT (at least) as frequently as Google, the need to evolve brands’ online presence has become critical. As traffic for traditional search platforms has slowed with the rise of GEO, a recent study showed that 41% of consumers now trust AI-produced summaries over website links. Indeed, as consumers move away from links, lists and keywords in favor of generative AI, this is a trend that is set to continue.
“A lot of aggressive developments from large language models—especially ChatGPT—are already reshaping how people search. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if traditional search eventually fades,” says TBWA\SMP Chief Marketing Officer Paolo Broma. “Even Google has launched its experimental Google AI. With how fast things are moving, no one can claim full expertise—but we can stay proactive and at the forefront of these changes, for the sake of our people and our clients.”
The TBWAi process
TBWAi GEO evaluates brands’ GEO suitability by measuring how likely AI is to recommend them. Using a proprietary tool, the Agency is able to evaluate a brand’s AI Readiness Score based on a variety of metrics, including citation share, authority footprint, recommendation rate, and conversion quality. From there, the Agency crafts a detailed report and strategy to help maximize brand relevance to generative engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Disruption x AI
Having made its name by disrupting convention, TBWA is committed to disrupting how brands respond to the challenges and possibilities of AI. By combining the best of human creativity, data, and technology, TBWAi GEO will empower clients to achieve genuine visibility, rewriting the rules to shape how brands are seen, cited, and recommended – online and off.
