In an age of ultra-polished AI, love your imperfections

As AI generates a sea of marketing sterility, your human quirks will help you shine.

As a moderately seasoned copywriter, I like to think I can spot AI-generated marketing

content a mile off. The truth is I can’t, not always. Sure, there are some tell-tale signs – Chat GPT just loves a headline like ‘XXXX reimagined’ or a phrase like ‘But honestly?’. But mostly, I find it hard to tell whether a smoothly written report is the result of accomplished writing skills or a well-prompted bot.

Interesting times. When AI can write better than me, who needs me? But as so often in our tricksy world, what seems like a wonderful solution to all the cost and effort involved in marketing is actually creating challenges of its own.

Marketing has never been about perfectly produced assets. It is, of course, about cutting

through. About finding the message, the visual, the story that makes your customer sit up

and think: I can relate to that. When every tech brand using AI is insisting that they deliver

‘XXXX reimagined’, it’s already tough to stand out. But there’s a more pressing problem.

Relatability requires authenticity. And authenticity is the one thing AI can’t do.

A growing number of studies are calling this out. Research in Science Direct discussed the ‘AI penalty’, with customers perceiving communications involving AI as less trustworthy, less authentic and less useful for knowledge. Another study found that when people believe emotional marketing communications are written by AI, it reduces positive word of mouth and loyalty. Without careful management, AI gives with one hand and takes away with the other.

This is not an AI takedown. AI is brilliant for taking the legwork out of marketing – the

research, the organisation of facts, the structuring of an argument. It opens up dizzying new possibilities for using visual, film and sound in a way that once would have been

prohibitively expensive for anything but the highest-profile campaigns. AI is amazing for

marketers, but it must live alongside our human quirks. In a sea of AI sterility, they are what will give your marketing the edge.

By imperfections I don’t mean clunky grammar and typos. I mean the less-formal language, the by-the-by anecdotes, the subtly roughened edges that bring human-ness to your communications. I mean using words like ‘human-ness’. So here are a few tips to keep your content human, genuine and naturally persuasive.

1. Write first, AI-refine later

When you first look at a brief, you’ve a golden hour where all you have is your gut instinct

on how it should play out. Use this precious time to develop your unique take – however

roughly executed – and bring in AI to refine it afterwards.

2. Mix in personal stories

Stories from the heart resonate. Add personal anecdotes, quotes, specific detail from real or realistic scenarios to lift your story above the generic and show it’s from a fellow human who knows and cares.

3. Be conversational

Talk to your customers like the human beings they are. AI copy is often laden with

corporate-speak precisely because it is regurgitating zillions of marketing messages written this way. But the truth is simple, accessible language is more compelling – and more likely to be remembered.

4. Use AI for facts (but always check)

When I first used AI to unearth stats for a piece of research, I was so happy I could have

kissed the computer screen. Here was one tedious job off my list. But information should

always be checked for relevance, recency and authenticity – there’s a lot of data slop out

there.

5. Be unexpected

Surprise is a powerful driver of memorable marketing. The unexpected stimulates our

brains, whether it manifests itself in a big campaign idea or a single word in a headline that piques curiosity. If AI would never suggest it, you could be on to something special.

In a nutshell

AI is a great tool for marketers, but we are all at risk of being overly deferential to its

brilliance. Let’s guide AI, rather than let it rule us. Humans are still the best at

communicating with other humans – and even the cleverest AI bot will never reimagine that.