Staying original when every brand is using the same AI
I was chatting to a client of mine today about reaching out to possible artisan food producers who may want a unique tone of voice for their website, social or packaging. And my client, despite being an award-winning food producer themselves, couldn’t recommend anyone they thought would ‘want’ my talents. That made me a sad panda.
Not because they wouldn’t appreciate my work. They were just happy letting AI do it for them. And for some strange reason, my mind flicked to fashion icon Iris Apfel.
With her oversized glasses, layers of jewellery and colours that shouldn’t work together but somehow did. She walked into a room (or along the street) looking entirely unlike anyone else, and that was exactly her point. She was one in a billion.
While fashion chased trends, Iris was only answerable to herself. She has so many brilliant quotes about individuality and style that marketers should have tattooed on themselves.
She didn’t need permission to stand out. She didn’t smooth off her rough edges to become more commercially acceptable. She understood something a lot of brands are forgetting at the moment: people notice weirdness.
Not copy and paste. Not algorithms. Not polished. Iris got noticed because she was unique. She wasn’t pursuing it, she just was.
“I think you have to be true to yourself, know yourself, and not be a trend follower. You’ve got to take a few risks.” - Iris Apfel
This year, I’m seeing brands of all sizes, handing over their tone of voice to AI systems trained to deliver, meh. It just feels careless. Go on, give your AI a colourful name if that makes it feel more original, its voice is still as beige as the rest. The thing marketers have spent decades trying to avoid, sounding like anyone else, has now been invited into the boardroom like a thirsty vampire ready to drain the life out of your brand.
Blue jeans and a white tee.
AI is great for speeding things up. But remember that old adage, if all you have is a hammer, everything starts looking like a nail. If we’re all using AI, everything will sound the same. Is that a good metaphor? Dunno, Iris is though.
BE IRIS.
Real tone of voice comes from seeing stuff, being ‘into’ stuff, hearing family and friends rant passionately about stuff; it’s rhythm, humour and knowing when to stop a list and shut the hell up.
AI is more than competent. But a copywriter knows how to talk to the people who matter and how to uncover the strange little truths and imperfections that make your brand feel real.
"I don't see anything wrong with a wrinkle. It's kind of a badge of courage." - Iris Apfel
The best brand voices don’t sound perfect. And real is as rare as Iris. The brands brave enough to sound human over the next few years will stand out like Iris did. Magnetic.
So go on, use AI to speed things up.
Just don’t let it define your brand as something safe. Because the moment your brand starts sounding like everybody else, people will stop noticing you altogether.
"People are so tied up in the worst parts of technology these days. They don’t use their imaginations." - Iris Apfel.
Be Iris.
