With AI assistants like Gemini driving purchase decisions, brands need to optimize their messaging for LLMs. This means using clear, succinct, and descriptive language about product value propositions, not just evocative, creative copy, to be recommended by these new gatekeepers.
Established brands often find their original marketing ethos becomes a liability. To regain relevancy, they must pivot messaging to align with modern cultural values, like shifting from Bowflex's aesthetic-focused ads to the mental and emotional benefits of fitness.
Don't underestimate the internal impact of refreshing a stale brand. A strong, clear identity boosts employee pride and excitement. When employees are proud of the brand they represent and can articulate its mission, they work harder, directly improving business performance.
In the rush to build an 'esoteric brand world,' many companies forget the basics. If a consumer visits your website and can't articulate what your product actually does to a friend, your creative branding has failed. The core value proposition must remain clear amidst the storytelling.
As the health market saturates with dubious products, consumers' 'health IQ' has risen. Brands must now build their foundation on scientific credibility and demonstrable trust to succeed, as backlash against brands with unsubstantiated 'functional' claims has proven.
The D2C growth model is plateauing, forcing brands into retail. This demands a strategic packaging shift. Information once on a Product Detail Page (PDP), like macro counts and ingredients, must move from the 'back of pack' to the front to make products 'shoppable' on a physical shelf.
An unintended consequence of AI is clients using it to fill out agency onboarding forms. Instead of providing genuine insights, they submit generic, AI-generated text. This 'slop' makes it harder for agencies to get real answers, undermining the efficiency AI was meant to create.