"Google has been an AI-first company since 2016" - Yves Mäder

Werbewoche.ch: Yves Mäder, you've been with Google for eight years. What has been a particular highlight during this time?

Yves Mäder: If we look back over the last twelve months, the development of AI in the market has certainly picked up speed, thanks in part to the release of Open AI. This technology has made its possibilities known to a wide audience. Interestingly, however, AI is not new to Google; back in 2016, CEO Sundar Pichai declared that Google was an "AI-first company", meaning that AI was a top priority. We see this as the next big wave, comparable to the invention of the internet or the switch to mobile, which will have a significant impact on the coming years.

In the context of marketing, what has been particularly formative in the last 12 months, both for Google and for Google customers?

80 percent of advertisers now use AI-powered products in some way when they advertise on Google. This has truly become a mass phenomenon. The applications are diverse, from campaign playout to measurement (Performance Max, Google Analytics 4) and the creation of advertising media. Our customers are already benefiting from this technology on a broad scale.

Is there an aspect that you would particularly like to emphasize that fascinates you personally?

There are something like three phases. Firstly, people use the technology like an autopilot, often without realizing it. Secondly, people start to consciously use this technology, for example through solutions such as FeedGen. And thirdly, there are transformative AI projects, of which we will see more in the coming months. Companies need to adapt to these new possibilities, which takes time and training. Google, for example, offers the solution "Performance Max"where Google AI can be used to maximize campaign performance thanks to more targeted ad measurement and display options.

Werbewoche.ch: Are there any specific campaign cases where AI is already being used at Google?

As mentioned at the beginning, 80 percent of all Google customers already use AI in Google products. One example from the telecommunications industry is Sunrise, which has implemented a solution to improve the measurement of online conversions. This is particularly relevant as the system is fed with content to ensure that the AI-powered campaigns it supports perform optimally. This is exactly the focus of my team - to help our clients use data more effectively to optimize their campaigns. Sunrise has done this successfully.

The implemented solution is called "Enhanced Convergence". Thanks to this measure, they were able to record an 81TP3 increase in the conversion rate. Although this may not seem like much at first glance, it is certainly relevant and leads to better performance for the customer. An improvement of 8 percent is already significant.

Another example relates to Google Shopping ads and the implementation of FeedGen. The big Furniture retailer Home24 has implemented this. We all know that data quality is crucial for feeds. Especially in a product catalog with 500,000 or more items, it is time-consuming to ensure that each item is described in detail - with dimensions, color grades, fabric grades, prices, etc.

To overcome this challenge, a solution called FeedGen was developed together with our technical colleagues. This solution is also freely available on GitHubwhere customers can use Generative AI to optimize their product descriptions. This leads to a considerable increase in the quality of these feeds, which in turn has a significant, even double-digit, impact on the success of the campaigns.

Asset creation, especially at Google - what are the challenges here and what opportunities does Google offer?

The possibilities are manifold, from image creation to video language adaptations. Solutions are already available today that enable incredible simplification, efficiency and creative diversity, paving the way for hyper-personalization.

Can you tell us a few words about your team?

As usual at Google, our team is small. We are seven people and work closely with certified partners. Many of my team are long-time Googlers with a business background. We are not a purely technical team, but more business-oriented, with a large part of us in Zurich and two colleagues in Vienna.

Looking ahead, particularly with regard to the deactivation of third-party cookies, what impact will this have?

This change has been with us for a while and will be a big transformation next year - as Chrome has announced that it will no longer support thrid-party cookies in the second half of the year. At Google, Chrome treats us the same as any other technology provider. We are convinced that there are alternatives and we are already integrating solutions like the Privacy Sandbox into Google Ads and other technology shopping platforms.

A general outlook for the coming months?

There are clear fixed points, such as the discontinuation of the paid version of Universal Analytics next year and the Chrome changeover in the second half of the year. These changes require adjustments, but they also offer new opportunities. The world of digital marketing remains exciting and dynamic.

From your experience at Google and your view of the future - what advice do you have for Swiss advertising clients?

The creative core of a campaign will always be decisive. The idea and implementation may change due to new technologies, but the message and the desired change in behavior remain central. This is something where humans have an advantage over machines.

Yves Mäder is Data Solutions & Platforms Lead Austria & Switzerland - Yves Mäder has been working in leading positions at Google for around eight years, using data and technology to make digital marketing more efficient and effective. After studying business administration, he started his career at Holcim Lafarge, where he discovered his passion for the Internet and moved to eBay International in Bern in 2004. This was followed by positions at Tamedia and as Managing Director at Ricardo.chbefore joining Google in Zurich in 2016.

This interview with Yves Mäder is available either in written form for reading or in abridged form as a video blog.