Didion SEM AI Max Strategy
Overview
As part of a broader "marketing blitz" for Didion's recruitment campaigns, Asymmetric recommended integrating AI Max into the existing SEM recruitment campaign — not as a standalone campaign, but as an enhancement layer within the current structure. The goal is to capture additional search intent that the existing keyword targeting may be missing, while leveraging data already accumulated from Didion's display campaigns.
The SEM campaign was already performing well (high CTR, low cost-per-click) before this change. AI Max is intended to extend that performance, not replace it.
See also: [1] | [2]
What AI Max Does
AI Max applies broad match and keyword list technology on top of existing campaign keywords. Key behaviors:
- Expands reach beyond exact/phrase match terms to capture hidden search intent
- Addresses ad rank issues that tighter match types can miss
- Syncs with display campaign data — it uses audience signals from Didion's display campaigns to identify users already familiar with the brand and prioritizes them in search auctions
- Functions similarly to Performance Max (PMAX) in its cross-signal approach, but remains scoped to search
"The AI uses the data from your display campaigns to understand which audiences are already familiar with your brand and prioritize them in search."
— Melissa Cusumano, summarizing paid media team rationale
Implementation Details
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Campaign structure | Added to existing SEM recruitment campaign (not a new campaign) |
| Previous daily budget | ~$7/day |
| New daily budget | $15/day (~30% increase framing used in proposal) |
| Channel | Google Search only (AI Max is keyword-based, not display) |
| Timeline | Paid media team estimated live within 24 hours of approval |
| Keyword hygiene | Negative keyword review ongoing; at minimum monthly, possibly twice monthly |
Important clarification from the call: There was initial confusion about whether AI Max would be a separate campaign. It was confirmed that AI Max integrates into the existing campaign as a sub-component, not a new standalone campaign.
Performance Context
Prior budget reallocations had already shifted spend from display toward search, producing measurable results:
- Search: Impressions and clicks trending up
- Display: Performance down (expected, as budget was reduced)
- Remarketing display: Also slightly reduced
This context supports the AI Max addition — search is the channel showing momentum, and AI Max is designed to amplify it further.
Open Items (as of meeting)
- [ ] Melissa to confirm current SEM daily budget with paid media team (was believed to be ~$7, but not confirmed on the call)
- [ ] Melissa to confirm with paid media team that AI Max integrates into existing campaign (not new) before enabling
Key Decisions
- AI Max will be integrated into the existing SEM recruitment campaign, not launched separately
- Daily budget increases from ~$7 to $15/day
- No new creative assets required for SEM — AI Max works from existing keywords and display audience data
- Negative keyword review cadence (monthly minimum) continues as-is
Related
- [2] — companion Meta campaign launching alongside this SEM change
- [1]
- [3] — general AI Max concept notes (if exists)