Tag: techlash
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Almond Breeze Roasts AI Hype with Help from the Jonas Brothers
Almond Breeze is tired of AI marketing nonsense—and they’re not alone. Teaming up with the Jonas Brothers, the brand kicked off 2026 with a three-minute comic mini-movie that turns the mirror back on runaway generative AI gimmicks. The film, created with agency McKinney and production partner Cylndr Studios, runs through a series of hilariously overproduced,…
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Equinox Picks a Fight With AI Slop
Equinox’s latest New Year campaign isn’t selling six-pack abs; it’s selling reality. Launched amid the usual January fitness frenzy, “Question Everything But Yourself” drops AI disinformation into your scroll in order to make a case for authenticity. Before revealing the actual campaign, Equinox teased followers with absurd AI-generated content: think babies water skiing, balloon-clad runway…
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The Debate on AI Ads: McDonald’s Christmas Campaign Controversy
McDonald’s Netherlands pulled its fully AI-generated Christmas ad after it struck the wrong chord with viewers — both in the Netherlands and well beyond. The ad leaned into holiday chaos with a cheeky twist on “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” aiming to show McDonald’s as a calm-in-the-storm sanctuary. But what started as…
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Brands wrestle with authenticity vs. AI
As AI-generated marketing proliferates—and fumbles—some brands are reaping rewards by leaning hard in the opposite direction: showing off the real, the tactile, the definitely-not-CGI. A spec Pepsi ad from filmmakers Luke Barnett and Noam Kroll pokes fun at synthetic storytelling with a self-aware script featuring six repetitions of the word “real” in just 60 seconds.…
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Holiday Chaos, Now in High-Def AI
McDonald’s Netherlands is leaning into December dysfunction with a fully AI-generated holiday ad that’s as relatable as it is ridiculous. Created by TBWA\Neboko and directed by the MAMA duo of Sweetshop, the 45-second spot rides the fine line between festive and frantic. Think flaming turkeys, exploding trees, and a shopper dragged behind a bus—all set…
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AI-Generated Imagery: Brands’ Balancing Act with Authenticity
Tighter budgets and tighter timelines are pushing brands toward AI-generated imagery—but that cost-saving shortcut comes with a side of public scrutiny. Recent campaigns from J.Crew, Guess, and Skechers stirred online backlash for visuals that consumers suspect were AI-made. The cycle has become familiar: a campaign drops, the internet sleuths start sleuthing, criticism follows, and the…
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Authenticity Boarding Now: Icelandair’s Anti-AI Ad Flight
Icelandair has launched a cheeky but pointed campaign titled “This is not AI,” tackling the growing skepticism around image authenticity in travel marketing. The airline noticed that even its real, awe-inspiring shots of Icelandic landscapes—like a volcanic eruption beneath the Northern Lights—were being doubted by social media users as AI-generated fakes. Instead of leaning into…
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Big retailers are asking the FTC to recalibrate its definition of antitrust behavior
I’ve got no idea what to say about this yet, but it’s really interesting to watch and you can see both sides of the argument. Amazon continues to say that it represents a TINY (4%, to be specific) portion of overall retail sales. But it dominates in terms of product search and overall influence. When…