I just read a great article on Marketing and AI, and have been inundated with news of how AI will be the deathknell for industry creatives. THAT'S JUST NOT SO... at least for THE BRAVE. Let the top 2 bullet points sink in... _ _ _ _ The Growth Newsletter #330: AI ISN'T BUILT FOR MARKETING AI is great at finding the most likely answer, but great marketing works by being unexpected and distinctive. That creates a fundamental conflict: - AI = consensus - Marketing = differentiation So when companies rely too heavily on AI for branding, positioning, and messaging, they naturally start sounding the same. KEY POINTS - LLMs are prediction engines. Tools like ChatGPT generate the statistically most probable next words based on existing patterns. That works well for tasks needing accuracy or consistency, but poorly for originality and brand differentiation. - The problem isn’t “bad AI copy.” The real issue is companies using AI for strategic decisions. - AI pushes brands toward sameness.The article points to examples like cybersecurity companies all using nearly identical AI messaging and branding. Consumers increasingly notice and dislike generic AI-generated content. - Research suggests AI reduces creative diversity at scale. One cited study found that when ChatGPT was temporarily unavailable in Italy, online content became more varied and engagement improved. Other research showed AI can help individuals feel more productive while making group output less creative overall. - AI works best in operational layers, not identity layers.The article compares business to a restaurant: - Distinctive brands may gain an even bigger advantage. The more companies produce safe, average, AI-shaped marketing, brands with a strong human voice and unique perspective stand out more. The author calls this the “Distinctiveness Dividend.” BOTTOM LINE Don't be anti-AI. It argues that AI is powerful for execution and efficiency, but dangerous when companies let it replace human creative judgment and strategic differentiation.

KIM KARDASHIAN — No sh*t. _ _ _ Imagine this…​You’re getting married in one week.​Nearly everything has been checked off the to-do list, including picking up your wedding dress.​It’s an ivory slip dress that hugs every curve.​But there's a problem.​Every time you put it on, the fabric bunches at the hips, and the sleek silhouette you had in mind disappears. Fast.​You've tried three different shapewear brands.​One left red marks on your ribs for six hours. Another rolled down every time you took a step. The third felt like you were wearing a tourniquet from the waist down. And the worst part? None of them actually matched your skin tone. ​ So you're back on your phone, scrolling through options at 11 p.m. and holding onto a shred of hope that comfortable, actually-effective shapewear exists.​Then you land on a bodysuit from SKIMS. And the product page stops you cold.​The shades aren't the usual "nude" that only works for one skin tone—there are seven, and one of them is clearly yours.​The glowing reviews—both picture and text—are from real women with real bodies.​Before you start doubting, you're typing in your credit card number.​​How did a brand you discovered three minutes ago already earn your trust—and credit card info?​​In today’s special edition of Why We Buy 🧠, we’ll explore a well-known company to see how they use buyer psychology principles in their business.​This week we’re diving into SKIMS—the shapewear brand that turned Kim Kardashian’s problem into a shapewear solution worth $5 billion.​​ Let’s get into it.​​🤑 A Look Inside SKIMS After dyeing shapewear with teabags and coffee in her tub because she couldn’t find any that actually matched her skin tone, Kim Kardashian and her co-founders launched SKIMS to a waitlist in 2019.​The debut collection offered an unheard-of nine nude shades in sizes ranging from XXS to 5XL, serving as a jab at an industry that had long ignored women of color.​The result? They sold out within minutes of going live, selling more than $2M. And 1 milion people scurried to get on the waitlist for the next drop.

Milwaukee Adworkers had a get-together with Dan Metcalf and Vince Cook from Ad Legends. What they have dreamed up (and actually created) is nothing short of amazing — it's AI for the creative teams and brand ambassadors. Like putting the CD, AD and copywriter in the room, but adding a 4th "person" who has all of the answers, channels various legendary ad creatives and doesn't eat any of your pizza. The industry is changing — it always has. • The printing press, the radio, TV, desktop computer, the Internet, smart phones, social, streaming and now AI. These guys are on the cutting edge. You can get a free account trial (15 tokens) by checking out their demo > https://www.adlegends.ai/