I was interested to read the attached article in Retail Sector about the usefulness of ChatGPT. Thinking specifically about fashion and retail, there are some obvious ways AI could help. From the customer perspective AI can be used to answer questions to improve shopping experience, and to personalise recommendations based on past preference. It can be useful to businesses to analyse and predict demand, which would optimise inventory management, or to assess a supply chain and identify areas to improve sustainability.
Some fashion businesses are already developing their "virtual assistant" option for customers. In late 2022 Marks & Spencer launched a virtual influencer, which they named Mira. I asked ChatGPT what it thought would be a good name for a virtual assistant in fashion? It noted that naming has to fit in with brand image and business objectives, and came up with four suggestions. If a brand is focused on sustainability, "Eco" or "Green". Alternatively, a name which is accessible and approachable for customers such as "Styler" or "Fashionista".
I like ChatGPT's general thinking on this, but it is falling some way short on the branding choices. As Alexa and Siri have shown, a helpful voice-activated assistant can quickly become part of everyday life and a valuable brand in its own right. The more unusual and arbitrary the name, the easier it is to monopolise and register as a trade mark. Its "catchiness", whilst no substitute for actual accuracy and effectiveness, does help customers to remember and revisit it. M&S is on the right lines with Mira, which works as a personal name and also means "look" in Spanish so is sector-appropriate. However I couldn't see any indication that M&S have applied for trade mark protection. Perhaps they don't expect Mira to play a key role in customer engagement - I notice that her last Instagram post was in November 2022.
Amazon first registered the Alexa trade mark back in 2003, so it's quite possible the next generation of retail assistant is already named and quietly sitting on the register of trade marks. It's always a good idea to get in early, so innovators in AI do need to ask themselves "what am I going to call this?" After all, fashion retail is all about the brand.
#trademarks #fashion #ai
While many associate the business benefits of ChatGPT with online activity, it can also be extended into brick and mortar stores.
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