CG Life’s Stefanie Tuck, a director in our strategic communications group, recently sat down with our own Marc Bury, associate media director, and Jenine Vadillo, senior director, paid media, to talk about their experiences and insights from this year’s MM+M 2025 Media Summit, where the conversation centered on the balance of humanity and innovation in the age of AI.
These responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Stefanie: The Summit’s “Human + Machine” theme emphasized empathy and explainability as the future of AI in healthcare. What was the most eye-opening example you heard of AI being used with humanity rather than instead of it?
Marc: One panel featured an AI avatar built from a real patient story that was used to educate physicians. It allowed doctors to interact, ask questions, and understand the patient’s experience more deeply. It was such a smart, directed use of AI that made learning more human rather than replacing that interaction.
Jenine: It wasn’t just one story that stood out for me. It was the consistent recognition across all speakers, from social media and tech leaders to marketers and healthcare professionals, that AI is valuable but the human element will never disappear. A nurse who spoke at the Summit really grounded that message by sharing how she uses AI and machine learning to enhance patient relationships, not replace them.
ST: When we talk about authenticity on platforms like Reddit and how those conversations help “train” tomorrow’s algorithms, how do you think brands can participate in those spaces without losing credibility or coming across as intrusive?
MB: The Head of Pharma and OTC Partnerships at Reddit shared how they’re working hard to build trust on the platform. I didn’t realize that communities like r/AskDocs require medical professionals to verify their credentials before they can respond. It’s a thoughtful way to ensure patients receive accurate and responsible answers. It also reinforces how intentional you need to be when engaging in these kinds of environments.
JV: Exactly. On the backend, there’s a lot of rigor that people don’t see. Moderators ensure that doctor-to-doctor and patient-to-patient communications are consistent and accurate. That’s what keeps Reddit feeling authentic and safe. The goal is to create spaces where information is real, reliable, and free of fearmongering.
MB: And if you’re a brand trying to participate, you need to meet the medium. Reddit has its own culture and language such as AMAs and TLDRs. If you show up sounding like a traditional ad, people will reject it. You have to understand the platform and speak the way the community speaks.
ST: “Omnichannel” has become a buzzword, but the Summit reframed it as an “orchestrated experience.” What does that mean to you in practical terms? How can healthcare marketers shift from simply managing channels to designing meaningful moments for healthcare providers, patients, and other audiences?
JV: Omnichannel and multitouch are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. True orchestration is about consistency and connection. It means ensuring every channel communicates the same message in ways that feel natural to where your audience is in their journey. That’s how authenticity flows through a media mix.
MB: A Biogen executive said something that stuck with me. Omnichannel, as we think of it, isn’t real. You can’t just put the same message on every platform and expect it to work. Each channel has a different purpose, audience, and mindset. Orchestration means understanding why you’re on that channel, how users will experience your message, and tailoring it accordingly. That’s how you create a meaningful experience.
JV: It’s about keeping the conversation going. The same theme told in different ways, meeting people where they are without losing your through-line.
ST: During the Summit, the phrase, “Clicks don’t equal care” stood out in conversation. What new ways of measuring success resonated with you? How might redefining metrics around behavior change alter how teams think about strategy and storytelling?
JV: It was refreshing to hear others say what many of us feel. Clicks and CTRs don’t show the full picture. Sentiment and engagement tell us much more. Are people sharing content? Are they commenting? Are they interacting in meaningful ways? Those deeper engagement metrics matter more than raw volume.
MB: I wrote down that true ROI is tied to decision impact, not digital volume. That means focusing less on impressions and more on outcomes. For example, in healthcare, you can track whether a campaign influenced prescribing patterns or test orders. When we have a client launching a new blood-based biomarker test, we’ll be measuring and targeting physician behavior through ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes to understand real-world impact on patients.
JV: That’s one of the advantages in pharma and healthcare marketing. Because EHR and MPI systems are compliant, we can actually see those connections between doctors, patients, and campaigns in a data-driven yet ethical way.
ST: The Summit hinted at a “creative comeback” in health communications, where bravery and humanity stand out against AI sameness. What campaigns or ideas inspired you to think differently about creativity and risk-taking in this space?
MB: I think about this every day. It’s becoming easier to tell when something was created by AI, and many audiences are rejecting it. The best creative right now feels human and real. Some marketers are leaning too heavily on AI-generated content or hyper-personalization, and people are starting to push back. It can feel invasive. Creativity has to come from a human-first mindset. AI should support creativity, not replace it.
JV: I completely agree. There’s a complacency that’s crept in because AI tools make it so easy to produce content. But standing out now requires boldness and empathy, especially in healthcare where the stakes are high. Patients and providers need to feel care and connection. AI has its place as a tool to help doctors, streamline processes, or improve patient journeys, but it must be used with compassion and care.
MB: Platforms are recognizing that too. Meta, for example, now penalizes overly automated creative because people don’t engage with it. Audiences want originality. I also liked the point made at the Summit that AI should only be used to solve specific problems, not left to find problems on its own. Being intentional with it is what sets meaningful work apart.
ST: What was your biggest takeaway from this year’s Summit?
MB: Human-first messaging. We can’t lose sight of the people at the center of all this technology. Putting patients first, being authentic, and matching your message to their moment is what matters most.
JV: I’d say compassion first. In healthcare, there’s definitely a place for AI, but empathy should always lead. It’s exciting that we have so many new tools, but we need to use them thoughtfully and always with the patient in mind.
ST: Anything else you’d like to add?
JV: We were surrounded by so many smart people from different parts of the industry, and it was comforting to realize that we’re all still figuring it out. No one has all the answers, but everyone is learning together. That’s what makes this space so exciting.
MB: Totally. And one more thing I’d add is that generative engine optimization, or GEO, is becoming the new SEO. AI platforms are starting to determine what people see when they search, so understanding how to influence those results will be key moving forward.
ST: Thanks to both of you for sharing your insights. I love that your biggest takeaways came back to humanity, creativity, and care, which are exactly the things that make this work meaningful.
