Project Report: Applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Optimizing Market Research and Integrated Communications at JBoon Agency

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name:Dao Thanh Hang2. Gender:Female

3. Date of birth: 19/03/2001                                    4. Place of birth:Hanoi

5. Decision number for student admission:Decision No. 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in the training process:Do not have

7. Project title:Applying artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize market research and integrated communications at JBoon Agency.

8. Industry:Media and Communications Management;Code: 8320109

9. Scientific supervisor:Dr. Do Anh Duc, Head of the Multimedia Communication Department, Institute of Journalism & Communication Training, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of project results:

In the context of rapid digital transformation, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to marketing and communication activities has become an inevitable trend, especially in the field of market research and integrated marketing communications (IMC). This study examines the potential of applying AI to automate market research processes and optimize IMC planning efficiency at JBoon Agency – a small and medium-sized media company in Vietnam. By combining document analysis, in-depth interviews, and practical testing, the study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Buzzmetrics, and Google Cloud Vertex AI in collecting, processing, and forecasting market data. The results show that AI can shorten analysis time, increase the accuracy of insights, and support budget optimization and personalization of communication strategies for each client group. However, the study also points out some challenges related to data quality and implementation capacity in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises. Based on the theory of systems and innovation diffusion, this study proposes a feasible model for integrating AI into the IMC process, contributing to enhancing competitiveness and promoting digital transformation in the marketing communications industry in Vietnam..

11. Practical applications:

The project's results demonstrate the broad application potential of AI integration models in market research and media planning within media companies. Automating the data collection, analysis, and visualization processes significantly saves businesses time and costs while improving accuracy in identifying customer insights and forecasting consumer trends. Furthermore, tools like ChatGPT, Buzzmetrics, and Vertex AI can be flexibly integrated into project management systems, supporting creative personnel in content creation, IMC planning, and data-driven strategic decision-making. This model is not only suitable for the Vietnamese market, where small and medium-sized agencies account for a large proportion, but also contributes to promoting digital transformation, optimizing resource efficiency, and enhancing the competitiveness of businesses in an increasingly digitized media environment.

12. Future research directions:

In the future, research could expand in three main directions. First, a specialized scale should be developed to assess the maturity level of AI application in Vietnamese media businesses, building upon international models such as the OECD (2022) or Gartner (2023). Second, large-scale quantitative research should be conducted to measure the impact of AI on business performance, creativity, and labor productivity in the marketing industry. Third, the human-in-the-loop aspect and human-centric design principles should be considered as important mediating variables to ensure ethics, transparency, and accountability when deploying AI. Further expansion of these studies will help build a solid theoretical and practical framework, contributing to shaping a sustainable AI development strategy for the media industry in Vietnam.

13. Published works related to the project:

Topic "Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the work of PR professionals in Vietnam"; printed in the book Human Resources for Information Industry in the context of national digital transformation in Vietnam; published on July 5, 2024; ISBN: 978-604-43-2345-9.

INFORMATION ON PROJECT

1. Full name:Dao Thanh Hang2. Sex:Female

3. Date of birth:March 19^th, 20014. Place of birthHanoi

5. Admission decision numberDecision No. 5626/QD-XHNV Dated 29/12/2023

6. Changes in academic process:None

7. Official project title:Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in market research and Integrated Communications at JBoon Agency

8. Major:Journalism & Communication Management9. Code: 8320109

10. Supervisors:Dr. By Anh Duc, Head of the Department of Multimedia Communication, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

11. Summary of the findings of the project: 

In the context of rapid digital transformation, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into marketing and communication practices has become an inevitable trend, especially in the domains of market research and Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) planning. This study investigates the applicability of AI in automating market research processes and enhancing IMC efficiency planning at JBoon Agency, a medium-sized communication enterprise in Vietnam. By employing a combination of document analysis, in-depth interviews, and practical experimentation, the research evaluates the effectiveness of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Buzzmetrics, and Google Cloud Vertex AI in collecting, processing, and forecasting market data. The findings indicate that AI can significantly reduce analytical time, improve the accuracy of consumer insights, and support budget optimization as well as communication strategy personalization for specific audience segments. Nevertheless, the study also identifies several challenges related to data quality and implementation capacity within small and medium-sized enterprises. Grounded in systems theory and innovation diffusion frameworks, this research proposes a feasible model for integrating AI into the IMC process, thereby enhancing competitiveness and accelerating digital transformation in Vietnam's marketing communication industry.

12. Practical applicability: 

The findings reveal the broad potential of the AI-integrated model in market research and communication planning across communication enterprises. Automating processes of data collection, analysis, and visualization allows firms to save considerable time and costs while improving the accuracy of customer insight generation and consumer trend forecasting. Moreover, tools such as ChatGPT, Buzzmetrics, and Vertex AI can be flexibly embedded into project management systems to support creative personnel in content development, IMC planning, and data-driven strategic decision-making. This model aligns well with the characteristics of the Vietnamese market, where small and medium-sized agencies constitute the majority, and contribute to advancing digital transformation, optimizing resource utilization, and strengthening competitive advantages in an increasingly data-centric communication environment.

13. Further research directions: 

Future research can be extended in three main directions. First, it is essential to develop specialized measurement scales to assess the maturity level of AI adoption among Vietnamese communication enterprises, building upon international frameworks such as those proposed by the OECD (2022) and Gartner (2023). Second, large-scale quantitative studies should be conducted to evaluate the impact of AI on business performance, creativity, and labor productivity within the marketing industry. Third, future investigations should explore the human dimension in the loop, specifically, the concepts ofhuman in the loopandhuman-centric design, as critical mediating factors that ensure ethical integrity, transparency, and accountability in AI deployment. Expanding research along these lines will contribute to establishing a robust theoretical and practical foundation, thereby shaping a sustainable AI development strategy for Vietnam's communication industry.

14. Thesis-related publications:Research Title: Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Work of PR Professionals in VietnamIn:Human Resources for Information Industry in the Context of National Digital Transformation in Vietnam, Publication Date: July 5, 2024, ISBN: 978-604-43-2345-9