Why Authenticity is Beating AI in the Battle for Attention
Why Authenticity is Beating AI in the Battle for Attention
Why Authenticity is Beating AI in the Battle for Attention
In a digital world designed to keep us scrolling, a strange thing is happening: the most "connected" generation is trying to unplug.
In a digital world designed to keep us scrolling, a strange thing is happening: the most "connected" generation is trying to unplug.
In a digital world designed to keep us scrolling, a strange thing is happening: the most "connected" generation is trying to unplug.
Janna Andrews
/
January 15, 2026
Janna Andrews
/
January 15, 2026
Janna Andrews
/
January 15, 2026
We are witnessing a Gen Z-driven "Luddite Renaissance." The evidence is everywhere. Sales of flip phones, point-and-shoot cameras, vinyl, and cassettes are surging.
As the Wall Street Journal noted, "Young people are falling in love with old technology."
Why? Because they are "former screenagers" craving texture, reality, and friction in a frictionless digital world.
For brand builders, this cultural shift provides a critical lesson in reading the room. While audiences are begging for more humanity, some of the world's biggest brands are rushing in the opposite direction, and paying the price.
We are witnessing a Gen Z-driven "Luddite Renaissance." The evidence is everywhere. Sales of flip phones, point-and-shoot cameras, vinyl, and cassettes are surging.
As the Wall Street Journal noted, "Young people are falling in love with old technology."
Why? Because they are "former screenagers" craving texture, reality, and friction in a frictionless digital world.
For brand builders, this cultural shift provides a critical lesson in reading the room. While audiences are begging for more humanity, some of the world's biggest brands are rushing in the opposite direction, and paying the price.
We are witnessing a Gen Z-driven "Luddite Renaissance." The evidence is everywhere. Sales of flip phones, point-and-shoot cameras, vinyl, and cassettes are surging.
As the Wall Street Journal noted, "Young people are falling in love with old technology."
Why? Because they are "former screenagers" craving texture, reality, and friction in a frictionless digital world.
For brand builders, this cultural shift provides a critical lesson in reading the room. While audiences are begging for more humanity, some of the world's biggest brands are rushing in the opposite direction, and paying the price.
Recent Trending Commercial Conversations
Nothing illustrates this divide better than the recent advertising strategies of two global giants.
The Fail: Coca-Cola & McDonald's Coca-Cola recently released a holiday commercial created heavily with AI. The company boasted that they used "fewer people" to make it, with executives stating, "The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in."
The backlash was swift. Critics noted the bitter irony of a brand that sells "togetherness," "family," and "community" bragging about removing humans from the creative process. The result felt hollow—a synthetic approximation of joy rather than the real thing. McDonald’s faced similar hate for an AI-generated ad, which they eventually removed, proving that while AI is efficient, it often lacks soul.
The Win: Apple Contrast this with Apple. For their holiday spot, they didn't use AI. They didn't even use their signature sleek 3D animation.
They used puppets. Real, furry, tactile puppets.
The "Shot on iPhone" campaign featured a behind-the-scenes film highlighting the craftsmanship of production designers and puppeteers. It showed the magic of the art form, making inanimate objects become "believably alive." It was messy, funny, and deeply human.
Recent Trending Commercial Conversations
Nothing illustrates this divide better than the recent advertising strategies of two global giants.
The Fail: Coca-Cola & McDonald's Coca-Cola recently released a holiday commercial created heavily with AI. The company boasted that they used "fewer people" to make it, with executives stating, "The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in."
The backlash was swift. Critics noted the bitter irony of a brand that sells "togetherness," "family," and "community" bragging about removing humans from the creative process. The result felt hollow—a synthetic approximation of joy rather than the real thing. McDonald’s faced similar hate for an AI-generated ad, which they eventually removed, proving that while AI is efficient, it often lacks soul.
The Win: Apple Contrast this with Apple. For their holiday spot, they didn't use AI. They didn't even use their signature sleek 3D animation.
They used puppets. Real, furry, tactile puppets.
The "Shot on iPhone" campaign featured a behind-the-scenes film highlighting the craftsmanship of production designers and puppeteers. It showed the magic of the art form, making inanimate objects become "believably alive." It was messy, funny, and deeply human.
Recent Trending Commercial Conversations
Nothing illustrates this divide better than the recent advertising strategies of two global giants.
The Fail: Coca-Cola & McDonald's Coca-Cola recently released a holiday commercial created heavily with AI. The company boasted that they used "fewer people" to make it, with executives stating, "The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in."
The backlash was swift. Critics noted the bitter irony of a brand that sells "togetherness," "family," and "community" bragging about removing humans from the creative process. The result felt hollow—a synthetic approximation of joy rather than the real thing. McDonald’s faced similar hate for an AI-generated ad, which they eventually removed, proving that while AI is efficient, it often lacks soul.
The Win: Apple Contrast this with Apple. For their holiday spot, they didn't use AI. They didn't even use their signature sleek 3D animation.
They used puppets. Real, furry, tactile puppets.
The "Shot on iPhone" campaign featured a behind-the-scenes film highlighting the craftsmanship of production designers and puppeteers. It showed the magic of the art form, making inanimate objects become "believably alive." It was messy, funny, and deeply human.
Texture is the New Luxury
Apple understood that in a feed flooded with smooth, perfect, AI-generated content, the way to stand out is to get your hands dirty.
The Apple ad felt high-end because it showed effort. It signaled to the audience that they cared enough to build a set, hire artists, and film a story. Coca-Cola’s approach signaled that they wanted to save money and time.
Texture is the New Luxury
Apple understood that in a feed flooded with smooth, perfect, AI-generated content, the way to stand out is to get your hands dirty.
The Apple ad felt high-end because it showed effort. It signaled to the audience that they cared enough to build a set, hire artists, and film a story. Coca-Cola’s approach signaled that they wanted to save money and time.
Texture is the New Luxury
Apple understood that in a feed flooded with smooth, perfect, AI-generated content, the way to stand out is to get your hands dirty.
The Apple ad felt high-end because it showed effort. It signaled to the audience that they cared enough to build a set, hire artists, and film a story. Coca-Cola’s approach signaled that they wanted to save money and time.
What This Means for Your Brand
As a founder, it is tempting to use AI to shortcut your content creation. And yes, technology has a place in business. But when it comes to your brand identity and your connection with your audience, you cannot automate empathy.
The "Luddite Renaissance" isn't about people hating technology; it’s about people hating the loss of humanity.
Read the Room: If your audience is exhausted by fake perfection, don't give them more of it.
Embrace the "Flaws": Real video, real stories, and real faces build trust. Synthetic perfection builds suspicion.
Don't Cut the Wrong Corners: You can use technology to streamline your operations, but never use it to replace the heart of your message.
The purpose of branding is to draw attention. Right now, nothing grabs attention quite like reality.
What This Means for Your Brand
As a founder, it is tempting to use AI to shortcut your content creation. And yes, technology has a place in business. But when it comes to your brand identity and your connection with your audience, you cannot automate empathy.
The "Luddite Renaissance" isn't about people hating technology; it’s about people hating the loss of humanity.
Read the Room: If your audience is exhausted by fake perfection, don't give them more of it.
Embrace the "Flaws": Real video, real stories, and real faces build trust. Synthetic perfection builds suspicion.
Don't Cut the Wrong Corners: You can use technology to streamline your operations, but never use it to replace the heart of your message.
The purpose of branding is to draw attention. Right now, nothing grabs attention quite like reality.
What This Means for Your Brand
As a founder, it is tempting to use AI to shortcut your content creation. And yes, technology has a place in business. But when it comes to your brand identity and your connection with your audience, you cannot automate empathy.
The "Luddite Renaissance" isn't about people hating technology; it’s about people hating the loss of humanity.
Read the Room: If your audience is exhausted by fake perfection, don't give them more of it.
Embrace the "Flaws": Real video, real stories, and real faces build trust. Synthetic perfection builds suspicion.
Don't Cut the Wrong Corners: You can use technology to streamline your operations, but never use it to replace the heart of your message.
The purpose of branding is to draw attention. Right now, nothing grabs attention quite like reality.