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12 February 2024

Lucie Cave: How to create deeper connection through the power of people

Walking onto the stage to ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ at Radiocentre’s Tuning In Midlands, ѨƵ’s Chief Creative Officer, Lucie Cave danced up to the lectern (in a much tamer manner than the Saltburn hit) to talk all about why ‘people are the superpower of audio’.

Lucie opened her session at the Everyman Birmingham Mailbox exploring the rapid rate of technical transformation over recent years and how tech has enhanced the way we stay connected. A transformation also seen in audio, with radio no longer being a box in the corner of the room, but a multi-platform medium.

The emergence of AI is accelerating the rate of transformation in all industries, including media. Lucie’s session covered the ways in which AI may help enhance creativity, but also touched on its fundamental flaws – using AI Fleur East as an important example as to why technology will never be able to replace the power of personal connection and how human beings truly are the superpower when it comes to audio.

With this in mind, she took the audience through her top 5 tips for enhancing your people power:

DzԲԱ𳦳پԲ…and creating intimate moments, cutting through a crowded media landscape. With a special cameo from KISS’s own Tyler West, the presenter talked about the importance of connecting with your audience through speaking as if you’re one-on-one with every listener.

Every audience is different…Lucie said knowing your audience is key in media and advertising, referring to comic Patton Oswalt who points out “Every audience is different, even within the same venue. You have to just make every audience your audience”.

Be Uniquely Human…whilst AI can be a powerful tool, we have to be delivering the best from ourselves in order to utilise our relationship with technology; ‘AI is built on our data, it is built on our past…but creativity is not’.

Never stop being curious…the impact of actively experiencing culture or engaging other in meaningful communication is vital. Lucie looked to management consultant Chelsea Spencer Smith who talks about 3 key ways in which curiosity can be good for business:
Curiosity engages creative thinking.
Curiosity supports being solutions orientated.
Curiosity helps develop relationships and improve communication.

Embrace conflict…Lucie turned to author and strategist Ian Leslie and his thoughts on the power of positive conflict.  Ian states that when everyone agrees with each other over something, the chances of that decision being a good one are lower than if there had been a real debate…even if it is the right decision, debates and interrogations of that decision raise its quality. Don’t be shy to challenge each other’s thinking, when done in an encouraging and understanding way.

Lucie wrapped up the session by saying how she hopes audio continues to positively enhance the ‘layers of connection between media owner, audience and advertiser’, ‘creating a deeper relationship and more immersive landscape’. With one last look back to her classic 80’s perm and a bonus look of Staying Relevant podcast duo, Sam Thompson and Pete Wickes with their own 80’s inspired perm courtesy of AI – Lucie only further emphasised her point that ‘ultimately AI can elevate but not replicate’.