Recently I watched 3 versions of King Kong, the OG from 1933, the campy Jeff Bridges one from 1976 and the epic Peter Jackson version. After finishing them all I sat with it for a while on which one I gravitated towards the most. Interestingly enough it was the 1976 version with the OG being a close second, now why this is interesting is because it arguably had the worst acting and screenplay (the actress literally says she was fatefully saved by the movie “Deep Throat”…) but it had this charm about it that was undeniable. It was the most human out of all three, and there was this artisanal texture to it that made it feel timeless. I wanted to unpack this not just in a subjective coffee shop debate with your friend kind of way… I wanted to get into the science, the nitty gritty detail of it all.
Before the cursor, there was the hand.
Before pixels, paint. Before automation, intention.
Alright I’m done with my 2001 a Space Odyssey opening, here’s where I’m going with this:
In a world where AI dreams in perfect gradients and frictionless forms, something essential is at risk of being forgotten.. The lost item being the residue of the human spirit which is left behind in every beautiful imperfection. This is not a rejection of digital tools—but a reckoning with their limits. The way we shape a medium shapes us in return and our human experience. Art and craftsmanship isn’t relegated to the cesspool of content; it’s a mirror of ourselves, the shards cutting into our flesh as we pour ourselves into our work. Digital in its own right offers us the ability to scale our imagination , however there is a time and place to leverage it.
This is a meditation on that divide.
Let’s start this grand discussion by addressing the image above.
“Ai vs real photo.”
The image was generated by AI relatively easily but the idea came completely from me. Its purpose was to show the dichotomy of our shift from a rugged artform to precision. There was no image like this in stock footage obviously and I wasn’t going to sit down and create this myself for our brand agencies article. Branding is a fast paced world that doesn’t wait for anyone and we have to call a spade a spade moving forward. However, this is a great use case of when quickly generated content with intentionality can amplify a deliverable. So when do artisanal touchpoints come into play and what are they?
Simply put, artisanal touchpoints are the steps in the creative process and our decision to either handle them with digital precision and speed or artisan nuance and intentionality. I believe the decision isn’t so black and white ,at the very least it’s definitely not one size fits all. So when do we go digital and when the hell do we commit to tactile?
The craving for the perfect taps into something deep, something primal. It’s hardwired into our very being by our culture and biology. From architecture to facial attractiveness the brain perceives structural hierarchy and depth with certain reverence.
Symmetry provides a balance our neurology desires, and is often associated with health and genetic fitness. Our brains are wired to favor symmetrical faces, balanced proportions, and clean lines. This is not only in humans but also architecture and compositional mediums like photography, painting and graphic design. Symmetry often provides a pleasing guideline for artists, architects, and designers to follow to garner eye pleasing results.
The popular belief is that beauty is only married to symmetry. This is actually a logical fallacy; symmetry can be aesthetically pleasing in many contexts, but it’s not a universal measure of beauty. Our eye craves imperfection in subtle asymmetries and textures that suggest authenticity and emotional depth. It’s like a thread from our hearts to our hands and we are connected through neural empathy.
Imperfections trigger microsaccades—tiny, involuntary eye movements that increase attention and deepen visual scanning.
Neuroaesthetics reveals that tactile mediums—especially when experienced by fellow artists—activate the somatosensory mirror neuron system, forging a subtle, empathetic bond with the creator’s hand. This embodied resonance deepens viewer engagement, anchoring perception in the physicality of the creative process.
Key brain regions are consistently activated:
For instance, manual color grading—with its nuanced, emotionally driven choices—activates more of the limbic system than automated AI color balancing. The hand of the artist subtly carries intention, emotion, and rhythm.
AI-generated art often exhibits hyper-consistency, over-smoothed surfaces, or idealized symmetry. These traits bypass the usual visual tension the eye seeks, leading to less engagement over time.
Studies show that highly synthetic imagery (e.g., GAN-generated faces or overly clean concept art) elicits less emotional arousal and lower memory encoding, especially when viewed passively.
In a nutshell, AI-generated images may activate pattern recognition centers but fail to stimulate mirror neuron empathy circuits, leading to a subconscious sense of distance or coldness.
AI-generated images may activate pattern recognition centers but fail to stimulate mirror neuron empathy circuits, leading to a subconscious sense of distance or coldness.
In a world increasingly flooded with AI-generated images—perfect, seamless, and eerily flawless—there’s an undeniable paradox at play. These images, though crafted by neural networks and capable of mimicking intricate details, often fall flat in their emotional resonance. They may successfully activate the brain’s pattern recognition centers, tricking us momentarily into believing in their realism. But they rarely, if ever, stimulate the deeper human faculties—those tied to memory, intuition, and embodiment. They don’t awaken the mirror neurons that fire when we see a brushstroke, a thumbprint in clay, or a wrinkle in fabric shaped by time and effort.
True texture carries history. It carries intention. It carries the signature of struggle, the residue of imperfection, the poetic inconsistency of real life. The fibers of a torn canvas, the sporadic grain of an analog frame, the uneven buildup of oil on wood, these things are not mere visual stimuli; they are ghosts of someone’s presence and commitment. They remind us that someone was there, someone who felt, who doubted, who labored, and who loved. This is why texture is not just an aesthetic… texture is truth.
To touch the truth is not to witness the perfect, but to feel the irregular. The slight shift in pressure in a charcoal line. The brush bristles caught in paint. The sculptor’s fingerprint fossilized in drying clay. These are not flaws—they are the soul of the piece.
AI can learn to imitate texture, but it cannot embed the human story behind it. It cannot embody intention, nor wrestle with uncertainty mid-stroke. It lacks vulnerability and even though that may sound like weakness, as humans that’s our strength.
In the realm of storytelling, image-making, and art, texture is more than skin-deep—it is emotional topology. It is the terrain through which the viewer walks, discovering the crevices of emotion, the peaks of revelation, and the valleys of quiet thought. It invites not just sight, but empathy. And empathy—true, embodied empathy—cannot be reverse-engineered.
So as the world leans into sleek perfection, let us not forget the beauty of palpable human imperfection.
Okay, pour yourself a lukewarm coffee left over from this morning’s frantic client call, and let’s talk about something that floods our feeds every April: Coachella. Oh, you thought it was just about music and influencers wearing things that look suspiciously like repurposed fishing nets? Bless your heart. For us marketing folks – the ones who’ve been navigating the digital swamp for, let’s say, a while – Coachella is less about the lineup and more about the bottom line.
It’s a masterclass, really. A giant, dusty, ridiculously expensive masterclass in brand relevance, audience engagement, and yes, making it rain (revenue, not actual desert rain, obviously). So, buckle up, buttercups. Let’s dissect how this behemoth of cultural moments translates into marketing gold, and more importantly, how you can apply these principles without needing venture capital funding or selling a kidney.
Every single year, like clockwork, the internet collectively loses its mind over Coachella. Held in Indio, California – a place I assume is normally just sand and quiet desperation – it transforms into the epicenter of youth culture, celebrity sightings, and fashion choices that defy both gravity and common sense.
Why do we care? Because everyone else cares. Or at least, a very large, very engaged, very online segment of the population cares. The sheer volume of searches, social media posts, articles, TikToks, Reels, and existential crises related to #Coachella is staggering. We’re talking millions upon millions of eyeballs glued to screens, soaking in the vibe, the outfits, the drama, the everything. As marketers, ignoring this kind of concentrated attention is like ignoring a fire alarm because you’re busy reorganizing your paperclips. It’s just… professionally negligent. Coachella generates a massive wave of cultural relevance, and smart brands know how to surf it. It’s the ultimate example of meeting your audience where they already are – specifically, scrolling through Instagram wondering if Beyoncé is going to make a surprise appearance again.
There are essentially two ways brands leverage the Coachella phenomenon: the “Go Big or Go Home” official partnership route, and the slightly more guerilla (and budget-friendly) “Content is King (or Queen)” approach.
Think Heineken House, the American Express Lounge, the Revolve Festival (which isn’t technically Coachella but might as well be its ridiculously exclusive, influencer-packed cousin). These are the brands with coffers deep enough to plaster their logos everywhere, create bespoke “experiences,” and pay influencers sums that could probably solve world hunger to attend their branded parties.
This is about direct association. It screams, “We are cool! We are relevant! We have enough money to build a temporary nightclub in the desert!” It works for brand awareness and solidifying an image among a specific demographic. If you are American Express or Heineken, this makes perfect sense. For Sheila’s Sock Emporium? Probably not the best use of funds. The barrier to entry is astronomical, and frankly, most brands just can’t play in that sandbox. And that’s okay. Because there’s another way.
This is where most of us live. We see the Coachella wave cresting, and instead of trying to buy the ocean, we grab our surfboards (our blogs, our social media accounts, our email lists) and ride the swell. If you can’t be at Coachella, you sure as hell should be talking about Coachella.
How? Oh, let me count the ways:
The beauty of this approach? It leverages the existing hype and search volume. People are already looking for Coachella content. By creating valuable, entertaining, or informative content related to it, you draw those eyeballs to your brand. You become part of the conversation without spending seven figures on a branded yurt. It’s about relevance by association, demonstrating you have your finger on the pulse, and cleverly inserting your brand into the narrative. It’s meeting the audience not physically at the festival, but in the digital space around the festival, which is arguably even bigger.
“That’s great,” you say, stirring your now-cold coffee, “But my customers are more interested in the annual Rutabaga Festival than Revolve.” First off, amazing. Second off, perfect.
Coachella is just a massive, globally recognized example of a principle that applies everywhere: Leverage events your audience cares about.
The real takeaway isn’t that every brand needs a Coachella strategy. It’s that every brand needs an event strategy, scaled to their own audience and locality. What’s the “Coachella” of your town, city, or industry?
These are your Coachellas. They offer the same opportunities, just on a different scale:
This local approach achieves the same goals: it demonstrates community involvement, taps into existing local interest and conversation, and makes your brand relevant to people in their own context. It shows you’re not some faceless corporation, but a part of the local fabric.
Look, whether it’s a global mega-event like Coachella or Brenda from Accounting’s Tupperware party (if Brenda is really influential in your office niche, maybe?), the principle remains the same. Events – big or small, global or hyper-local – create focal points of audience attention.
Your job, as savvy marketers who occasionally shower and remember to eat lunch, is to identify those focal points for your audience and figure out how to strategically insert your brand into the conversation. Sometimes that means writing a check for a sponsorship. More often, it means getting clever with your content, understanding the online chatter, and adding value (or at least, entertainment) to the discussion.
It’s about relevance. It’s about meeting people where they are. And yes, ultimately, it’s about driving engagement that leads to revenue. So, take inspiration from the desert spectacle, but don’t feel obligated to buy a lifetime supply of glitter. Look around your own community, your own industry. Your next big marketing opportunity might be less Coachella, more Chili Cook-Off. And honestly, the chili probably tastes better anyway.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go write a blog post about optimizing landing pages for the upcoming National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Don’t judge. It’s all about relevance.
AI is everywhere—writing your emails, generating images, even recommending what you should binge-watch next. But let’s be real… Most brands use AI in the most basic ways possible. Chatbots? Auto-generating captions? Come on, time to up your game.
If you really want to unlock AI’s power, you’ve got to think beyond the obvious. Here are three overlooked ways you should be using AI to outsmart your competition and make your brand unforgettable.
Surveys are great and all but… AI can tell you what your customers will buy next before they even know they need it.
How You Say? AI-powered predictive analytics can analyze search trends, purchase history, and even social media chatter to anticipate demand.
Why it’s genius: You can launch campaigns right before your audience starts looking for a product, making you the first option they see.
Example: A sneaker brand could use AI to predict which color-way is about to trend based on Instagram fashion posts—then release a limited edition in that exact shade.
Most AI-generated content sounds like, well… an AI wrote it. But what if your brand’s voice felt as real as your favorite stand-up comedian or your best friend?How? Train AI on your brand’s tone of voice using past emails, social posts, and customer interactions.
Why it’s genius: Instead of cranking out generic content, AI will write exactly how you or your team would—but faster.
Example: A small coffee shop could feed AI its quirky, fun social media tone, so every post and email feels like it was written by the barista who knows your order by heart.
AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a treasure hunter for lost revenue.How? AI can scan your website, ads, and even customer service chats to find leaks—areas where potential customers drop off instead of buying.
Why it’s genius: Instead of spending more on ads, you fix the gaps and convert more visitors into buyers.
Example: An online store could use AI to see where shoppers abandon carts and find out if a confusing checkout process is costing them thousands per month.
Most brands are using AI in the most boring ways possible. If you want to stand out, you’ve got to get creative.
Start using AI to predict trends, sound more human, and uncover hidden revenue. Your competition won’t know what hit them.
Want to see AI work its magic for your brand? Try one of these tactics today!
Let’s talk about AI in marketing. Or not. I’m not the boss of you.
AI is the shiny new toy everyone’s playing with, promising untold riches and marketing automation nirvana. Do you feel it? Have you seen it!? Me neither.
And while I genuinely believe AI has the potential to revolutionize our industry (and maybe finally let me take a real vacation), we’ve also seen some…let’s call them “learning opportunities.” Or, if we’re being brutally honest, some amazingly epic fails.
Now, I’ve been in this game for many years, seen trends come and go (remember QR codes on billboards? Yeah, me neither), and I’ve learned one thing: hype is often followed by a face-plant.
AI marketing is no different. So, grab your popcorn (or Quest protein chips if you’re in the gym like me), and let’s dive into the top 5 AI marketing fails of 2024 (because I will definitely be adding to this in the months to come).
Oh boy, this one made some serious headlines. Google, a company synonymous with search and information, unleashed its AI image generator, Gemini. The promise? Create any image you can imagine. The reality? Let’s just say things got…complicated.
Gemini started generating images that were not only historically inaccurate but also deeply offensive, particularly in its depictions of different ethnicities and historical figures. It seemed to struggle with representing diverse populations accurately and respectfully, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and historical inaccuracies. This isn’t just a marketing fail; it’s a societal one.
It highlights the critical importance of responsible AI development and the need for rigorous testing and oversight. The lesson here? AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on, and if that data is biased or incomplete, much like Neo and the Matrix, the results can be disastrous. This isn’t just about a marketing campaign gone wrong; it’s about the potential for AI to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misinformation.
Remember the “Willy Wonka Experience” that turned into a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons? This event, heavily promoted with AI-generated imagery, promised a magical, immersive experience. What attendees got was…well, let’s just say it was closer to a dystopian nightmare similar to A Clockwork Orange, but without all the good times.
The AI-generated promotional materials painted a picture of whimsical wonder, but the reality was a sparsely decorated warehouse with a handful of actors in ill-fitting costumes. The disconnect between the AI-generated hype and the actual event was so vast that it sparked outrage and widespread mockery.
This is a prime example of AI creating expectations that reality simply can’t meet. The lesson here? AI can be a powerful tool for marketing, but it can’t replace actual substance. As my mother always said, “If your product or service doesn’t live up to the AI-generated hype, don’t use it at all.”
Microsoft’s Bing also jumped on the AI image generation bandwagon, but their foray into the world of creative AI hit a snag when users started reporting that the tool was generating disturbingly violent and inappropriate images.
This raised serious concerns about the safety protocols in place and the potential for AI to be used to create harmful content. While Bing quickly addressed the issue, the incident showed the need for responsible AI development and for robust safeguards to prevent the creation of offensive or dangerous content.
Are you seeing a pattern yet with the lessons that need to be learned? AI is a powerful tool. But much like Mjölnir, it needs to be wielded responsibly. Companies need to prioritize safety and ethical considerations when developing AI-powered tools, especially those that generate visual content.
Coca-Cola, a brand known for its iconic holiday campaigns with polar bears, Santa Claus, and warm feelings, decided to embrace AI and generate some of their festive visuals. While the results weren’t necessarily offensive, they were…let’s just say they missed the mark.
The AI-generated imagery was abstract and kind of bizarre, lacking the warmth, nostalgia, and classic Coca-Cola charm that consumers have come to expect. The campaign was met with mixed reactions, with many questioning whether AI was the right tool for capturing the spirit of the holidays.
The takeaway? AI can be useful for generating creative content, but it’s important to consider whether it’s the right fit for your brand and your target audience. Similar to Budweiser and their Clydesdale horses, sticking with what works is the best strategy.
Apple, known for its sleek and innovative marketing, faced criticism for an ad promoting its iPad Pro. The ad, which some speculate utilized AI in its creation, showed a variety of creative tools being crushed, symbolizing the power and versatility of the iPad.
However, the ad was widely criticized for being tone-deaf and insensitive, particularly in the context of ongoing discussions about the impact of technology on creative industries. The backlash highlighted the importance of understanding your audience and considering the potential impact of your marketing messages.
The lesson? Even with the most advanced technology, you still need to connect with your audience on a real level (but not like interactive theater, because, no thank you) and understand the human element within the creative industry. Less can be more, and simplicity can be more effective than flashy visuals.
From one enthusiastic AI user (and often eye-roller of failed marketing campaigns) to others, there you have it. These examples remind us that AI is a tool, not a magic wand (I am literally still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts). It’s important to use AI responsibly, ethically, and with a healthy dose of common sense. And remember, even in the age of AI, human creativity, empathy, and cultural understanding are still essential for successful marketing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go have a conversation with my AI-powered ice maker (I wish I were joking….) Hopefully, it won’t try to talk to me about my car insurance.
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So, you’ve developed your brand identity, built an email marketing campaign, and created social media pages for your business. Now what? This is where the fun really begins. Hold on tight folks, because we’re about to get creative.
First-things-first: As humans, we’re visual creatures. When you hear something, three days later you’ll recall 10 percent of it. Buuuut… If you add a picture, you’ll remember 65 percent. You could be the best storyteller with the most amazing copy, but if your Facebook post doesn’t have an image or video…. It won’t make a lasting impression. We don’t want that for you.
Including a simple photo, graphic, or short video with your digital content increases engagement. Whether it’s your website, an email campaign or a social post – adding a visual makes all the difference.
That’s great Emerald, but how can we create visual content that doesn’t take ages to produce? What if we don’t have a video production expert on our team? How on earth do we master PhotoShop while growing our business? Great questions.
Give us a second to do our own shameless plug. Emerald’s experts create stellar content, from infographics to gifs to videos. We can absolutely take that burden away from your team so you can focus on what makes your business great.
Okay, back to the tips.
Over the last two decades, the average attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to just eight seconds. Today’s marketers are constantly competing to grab a fraction of that 8 seconds. Think about it: When you’re watching TV, you’re simultaneously checking your phone. Texting friends, checking Twitter, or listening to your favorite podcast during commercials. Your sister randomly FaceTimes you to show you just how big your 3-year-old niece is getting.
As a business, how do you stand out enough to take a piece of the 8-second pie? You keep it simple. This applies to copy, graphics, and videos. The simpler and shorter the better. There’s a reason Facebook has text recommendations for ads. You need to convey your message in less than 125 characters of text and a 40-character headline. Our recs:
While creating engaging content is important, analyzing your results takes the cake. You can create loads and loads of graphics and videos, but if you’re not evaluating how they perform on a given platform, you’re missing out on a major opportunity for growth. Here are some simple ways to experiment with content:
Experimenting with content also means taking creative risks. Don’t be afraid to really hone in on your brand voice in visuals. Use GIFs that’ll hit a homerun with your target audience. Make references to pop culture, history, or sports. Be relatable. And, most of all, bounce your ideas off of your team. Two minds are always greater than one, and we’re confident you can brainstorm some awesome content. We know we can.
Presenting a brand consistently across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 23 percent. So, this isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about boosting your bottom line. Ensuring your brand is cohesive across web, email, and social contributes to your brand authority. Here are some ways to stay consistent:
There we have it. We hope these five tips will help you tap into your inner creative genius. If you’re looking for more insight from our experts, check out (other blog posts). And, shameless plug again—if you’d rather not worry about any of this, let us take the wheel. We have decades of digital marketing experience with proven results. Let’s build something spectacular together.
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