Hellooo! Today’s issue dives into the shifting culture of content, from the rise of “AI slop” and why audiences instantly reject it, to the content-pillar system top brands and creators use to grow consistently, to the surprising science behind brands turning insults into high-performing ads.

Let’s get into it, and there’s a lot more inside worth discovering…

Google has started showing paid ads inside AI Overviews (AIOs),  even if only in 0.052% of searches. These early ads resemble standard text ads but include thumbnails and appear under the AI-generated summary. This comes as AI Overviews rapidly reshape search behavior: Adthena found paid CTR dropping 8–12 points, and Seer Interactive reported 68% paid CTR decline on informational queries. Industries like Finance and Healthcare show strong AIO visibility growth, signaling a shift toward content-rich pages feeding generative results. Why it matters (POV):  Google is cautiously beginning to monetize AI answers, marking the start of a new ad ecosystem where visibility depends on how AI surfaces both ads and organic content.

Meta has phased out Dynamic Creative Ads and replaced them with Flexible Ads, a more automated creative testing format. Flexible Ads work at the ad level, allowing marketers to upload up to 10 images/videos and let Meta automatically decide whether to show a single image, video, or carousel, depending on which format is most likely to convert. Flexible Ads also introduce creative groups, giving us more control over which visuals and copy appear together. Why it matters (POV): Flexible Ads reduce manual testing, adapt automatically to placements, and streamline creative workflows, but they also require us, marketers, to supply strong assets and monitor algorithmic choices closely.

TikTok Foundry, a new accelerator program designed for venture capital and private equity firms, gives their portfolio brands direct access to TikTok’s ad experts, matched media incentives (up to $15K), personalized creative support, early access to beta tools, and exclusive educational and co-marketing opportunities. By routing ad support through investors, TikTok aims to make itself a default growth channel for early-stage and scaling brands, positioning the platform as an essential part of startup's go-to-market strategy. Why it matters (POV): this move could funnel a large wave of VC-backed companies into TikTok’s ad ecosystem, accelerating platform adoption, increasing ad spend, and further cementing TikTok as a must-have acquisition channel for high-growth brands.

The Pillar System helps brands scale content by running 3–5 monthly content pillars, each built from a core concept plus 1–2 formats, and producing multiple pieces per pillar before reviewing performance at month’s end to decide whether to elevate the pillar (better hooks, higher production value, or doubling value) or replace it entirely. Why it matters (POV): this system replaces guesswork with a predictable, data-driven loop, giving brands a defensible strategy, reducing random content decisions, and helping teams adapt quickly as algorithms shift. This can be done using Excel’s Agent Mode to compare formats, spot hero content, and generate monthly recaps that show what worked, what failed, and what to adjust next. 

Brands have recently learned the hard way that audiences instantly notice distorted visuals, uncanny movements, and campaigns that feel engineered instead of crafted. Younger consumers in particular reject anything that lacks intention or emotional truth, rewarding brands that create with context and calling out those that treat them like passive recipients. But the takeaway isn’t that AI is bad; it’s that AI without human taste fails. Why it matters (POV): authenticity has become a competitive advantage, and as AI-generated content floods every platform, the brands that transparently use AI as a creative amplifier will be able to avoid becoming the next meme and instead build lasting trust.

Shopping Research, a new AI-powered shopping tool inside ChatGPT that helps users find, compare, and evaluate products by pulling prices, specs, images, availability, and review insights from websites that allow OpenAI’s crawlers, meaning Amazon listings will often be limited due to recent robots.txt blocks. The feature functions like an interactive shopping assistant: users answer a short quiz, swipe through options Tinder-style, and receive tailored recommendations and buying guides built from real-time web data. Walmart, Etsy, and Shopify merchants are embracing integrations within ChatGPT. Why it matters (POV): this marks the AI shopping ecosystem war with ChatGPT positioning itself as a discovery engine independent of Amazon, pushing a new era where AI-driven product research, not search engines or marketplaces, tries to be the starting point for purchase intent.

Brands are learning that flipping unfair insults into content can actually boost engagement, just like the Carolina Hurricanes turning “a bunch of jerks” into nearly $900K in merch sales. New research shows that when brands reuse unjustified insults, audiences see them as funnier and more likable, leading to higher CTRs, stronger interest, and better ad performance compared to denying criticism. But the effect collapses when the insult comes from someone seen as vulnerable, making the brand look like a bully, and it doesn’t work when the complaint is legitimate. Why it matters (POV): In an era where social feeds reward personality and cultural awareness, leaning into harmless criticism becomes a powerful differentiator. It’s a way for brands to feel human, self-aware, and worth rooting for, as long as they handle it with tact and don’t overuse the tactic.

The brand aims to reach both young audiences craving togetherness and older shoppers familiar with Stewart’s legacy. The move mirrors a broader seasonal shift toward multigenerational marketing from brands like Gap and Sam’s Club, but also continues AE’s strategy of using celebrity-driven, high-surprise creative to cut through noise. It’s a formula that previously delivered 700,000 new customers despite backlash around the Sydney Sweeney campaign. Why it matters (POV): AE is betting on star power, cultural relevance, and “always-on” storytelling to broaden its base and stay memorable, proving that taking bold, unexpected swings still wins attention in crowded retail moments.

— Sam C.