Personalization or Privacy? Marketing AI’s Fine Line with David Ovens
How AI is reshaping hospitality - and where the industry draws the line
We’re thrilled to launch the latest episode of Hot or Hype, our flagship podcast exploring what’s truly game-changing in the world of marketing, technology, and artificial intelligence - and what’s just smoke and mirrors. This week, I was joined by David Ovens, Head of Marketing at Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, and our co-host Olivia Storelli, for a wide-ranging conversation on the real-world impact of AI in the restaurant and hospitality industry.
From Global FMCG to Boutique Dining
David brings a rare dual lens to the discussion: his early career in global FMCG powerhouses like Unilever and Johnson & Johnson, and his more recent years leading marketing for hospitality giants including Yum Brands and now Seagrass. This evolution has given him a firsthand view of how marketing strategies and technologies must adapt across industries, customer expectations, and digital maturity.
What’s Hot in AI-Driven Marketing?
David identifies two clear winners in the current wave of AI adoption:
1. AI-Powered Content Creation
From restaurant visuals to digital campaigns, AI now enables rapid generation of imagery and copy that would previously take weeks of coordination. The gap between human-generated and AI-generated creative is closing - and for customers, it’s increasingly indistinguishable.
“Now, we can generate restaurant scenes with no staff involved and the AI looks legit - even down to foreground/background alignment.”
2. Hyper-Personalized Customer Engagement
The treasure trove of first-party data - from booking systems to point-of-sale - allows Seagrass to recognize and respond to repeat customers in highly tailored ways. Think: greeting a returning guest with recommendations based on their last visit or recognizing group dining behaviors to refine service delivery.
“Whether you’re a second-time guest or a VIP regular, we want the experience to scale with your loyalty.”
When Does Smart Become Creepy?
It’s not all smooth sailing. Both Olivia and I raised a critical issue: how much personalization is too much? If your martini is waiting before you sit down, are you impressed - or unsettled?
David doesn’t dodge the question. Seagrass is consciously evolving toward higher-touch experiences for repeat guests, but is cautious about crossing privacy boundaries. He notes that consumer expectations will evolve alongside technology - but transparency and respect must remain foundational.
What’s Hype? What’s Next?
Olivia’s take: The real value lies in data-driven productivity - understanding your audience to craft memorable, physical-world experiences. Meanwhile, attempts to simulate human emotion or predict feelings through AI remain, in her words, “absolutely hype.”
David’s take: The future lies in combining AI-generated content with smarter placement. “If we can portray the human condition through content - quickly and cost-effectively - we’re unlocking a new era of marketing.”
My take: Generative AI only thrives when it has fuel - data. Creative tools that operate in a vacuum won’t deliver. But systems that pair behavior synthesis with AI orchestration? That’s where the heat is. Tune In and Decide: Hot or Hype?
AI in hospitality isn’t just about tech - it’s about trust, timing, and taste. This episode of Hot or Hype cuts through the buzzwords and dives deep into how real brands are using real data to connect with real people.
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