AI-ENHANCED SOCIAL LISTENING FOR BRAND COMMUNICATION OPTIMIZATION AND COMPETITIVE MARKETING STRATEGY

MICHAEL OGHALE IGHOFIOMONI; MOYOSOREOLUWA ODUGBESAN; YUSUF OLATUNJI ODEKUNLE; CONFIDENCE ADIMCHI CHINONYEREM

doi:10.70382/mejhlar.v9i6.058

Authors

MICHAEL OGHALE IGHOFIOMONI Southern Delta University, Ozoro-department of Computer Engineering and Systems Engineering
MOYOSOREOLUWA ODUGBESAN East Tennessee State University, Department of Media and Communication.
YUSUF OLATUNJI ODEKUNLE University of the Potomac (Washington DC), Department of Information Technology & Computer Science, Program of study: M. S Data Analytics- Financial Analytics
CONFIDENCE ADIMCHI CHINONYEREM Abia State Polytechnic, Department of Accountancy

Abstract

As the digital marketing environment continues to change, tracking and interpreting consumer sentiment in real-time is a vital competitive approach for brands seeking to stay relevant and engage with the consumer base. In this research, it investigates how social listening tools driven by AI can be utilized to enhance brand communication and competitive strategy insights based on global and African brands. Using a quantitative-descriptive research design, the research examined 142,385 public social media posts gathered for three months across Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Six brands were chosen based on digital visibility and industry relevance three multinational (Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung) and three African (Dangote, Glo, Innoson). Data analysis was done through available AI-enabled platforms like Brand watch and Talkwalker, where sentiment classification, hashtag and keyword count, thematic content categorization, and benchmarking of engagement were facilitated. Results indicated vast sentiment distribution differences with international brands having higher positive sentiment values (average 44.7%) and better engagement values (average 12.9 engagements per post) than African brands (31.9% positivity; 7.8 average engagement). Notable in this regard is that African brands had higher rates of customer service complaints, but reflected potential through national identity and cultural branding topics, particularly with Innoson. Thematic analysis also showed that content focused on enjoying the product, being an advocate for the brand, and cultural alignment created the most positive engagement. The results confirm that social listening in real-time, when supplemented with AI capabilities, is an efficient means by which brands may measure public opinion, build reputation, and frame messaging approaches in harmony with consumer interests without requiring predictive modelling. The research concludes by offering strategic implications for communication practitioners, especially in emerging markets, to embrace culturally sensitive and data-driven methods of digital branding.