AI is making it cheap and easy to flood the market with endless ad variations, but that volume is also creating a rising tide of sameness that audiences tune out. As more AI-generated creative shows similar “uncanny” tells—and even sparks backlash in some high-profile cases—differentiation shifts back to taste, timing, and restraint. The “STFU Brand Strategy” argues that brands should talk less but smarter, focusing on scarcity moments, human specificity, and ideas people actually share. For local media sellers and agencies, this is an opening to sell what algorithms can’t fake: community trust, real-world relevance, and campaigns designed for memory—not just impressions.

AI is becoming a powerful creative partner for local media and ad agencies, not by replacing human imagination but by enhancing it. Rather than chasing the perfect prompt, creatives should treat AI as a collaborator—starting with their own unique ideas and refining outputs through conversation and iteration. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help generate scripts, taglines, and campaign concepts, but the human touch is essential for emotional resonance and cultural relevance. The most effective use of AI comes from using it to explore options, not finalize them, and by pushing back when results are too generic. Ultimately, AI reflects the creativity you bring to it—so start with your voice and let the machine help you shape it.