TrendWatching Daily | Trends & insights

Is your brand down to earth or lost in the clouds?

Written by Franziska Füsting | Feb 10, 2025 2:59:21 PM

AI is disrupting everything, but in the rush to automate, brands risk losing their human touch. Enter HUMANIFESTO — a new wave of authenticity pushing back against AI-generated polish. Not the carefully curated ‘realness’ of the past decade, but something raw, messy and unmistakably human. Because in a world of machine-made content, what stands out is what AI can’t replicate.

VML’s recently published The Future 100: 2025 backs this up: 82% of global consumers prefer advertising that’s humble, while 37% crave more fun and laughter (compared to just 23% who seek excitement). True humor thrives in shared experiences and cultural nuance — a territory where AI still can’t compete. Case in point: AI-generated ads tried to steal the show during the Super Bowl 🏈, yet all anyone’s talking about is Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance. 🎤

As synthetic content floods digital feeds, brands face a defining moment: how will you prove that real still matters? Beyond campaigns and content, how will your brand verify and value authentic human interaction?