The hot new trend in marketing: hating on AI (www.businessinsider.com)

A new marketing trend is emerging: major brands are publicly rejecting AI-generated creative to signal authenticity. Companies from Polaroid and Heineken to Aerie and DC Comics have launched anti‑AI campaigns or pledged not to use AI in ads, tapping into consumer fatigue and a cultural preference for “real” human expression. The backlash follows high‑profile missteps—AI‑made Coca‑Cola and Toys "R" Us spots drew criticism as soulless—and social research showing rising unease: a Pew poll found 50% of Americans more concerned than excited about AI, and 57% see its societal risks as high. The shift matters technically and commercially. Tests by DAIVID of 21 AI-assisted ads showed they drew slightly more attention and recall than average but produced 3% fewer intense positive emotions and 12% more distrust; NielsenIQ likewise found AI creative struggles to form memorable impressions, especially with human faces and emotion—an “uncanny valley” effect. At the same time, major agency groups (WPP, Publicis, Omnicom) are investing heavily in AI to boost efficiency, creating a tension: brands must balance cost and scale gains from automation against authenticity risks that can harm engagement. For marketers and AI practitioners, the takeaway is strategic: use AI where it augments human creativity, but preserve human-made signals where authenticity drives connection.