Is Brand Advertising Dead? + A Heated AI Debate (521)

This week, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose tackle one of the boldest statements in recent marketing memory. The CEO of Unilever says big brand advertising is dead. Is he right? Or is this a Trojan horse for something much bigger?

Big Brand Advertising: Dead or Disguised?

When the head of one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world questions traditional brand advertising, it’s not a throwaway comment. Joe and Robert unpack what’s really happening:

• Are we witnessing the collapse of mass brand-building?

• Or is this a pivot toward creator-led, performance-driven, and retail media strategies?

• Is “brand is dead” just cover for short-term earnings pressure?

 

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Facebook’s Creator Monetization Shift

Next, the hosts examine Facebook and its evolving creator monetization programs.

Here’s the surprising part: most of the creators earning real money aren’t in the U.S. or Europe.

What does that signal?

• Is Facebook optimizing for lower-cost content markets?

• Is this about global growth or cheaper engagement?

• Does this open the door to more synthetic and AI-generated content?

Joe and Robert debate what this means for marketers investing in creator partnerships and for Western creators assuming they’re at the center of platform economics.

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AI Actors, Hollywood, and Trademarking Yourself

A fascinating conversation between Matthew McConaughey and Timothée Chalamet sparks a larger discussion: what happens when AI enters the craft of acting?

Will we eventually see:

• Best AI Actor?

• Best Synthetic Film?

• Or entirely new creative categories?

Joe raises a bigger issue for marketers and creators: should you trademark your name, image, and likeness?

As AI-generated replicas improve, protecting your identity may become a business necessity rather than a vanity move.

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Winners and Losers

Winner: The Creator Betting on Landline Phones

Joe highlights a surprising trend: a creator sells old-school landline phones.

Marketing Loser: U.S. Men’s Hockey

Robert explains why the United States men's national ice hockey team earns this week’s marketing “L.” Brand positioning, expectations, and execution all come under scrutiny.

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Rants, Raves, and Heated Debate

Robert dives deep into Anthropic and its recent moves around AI safety. Is the company quietly shifting away from its core safety mission?

Then things get heated.

Joe and Robert spar over an article by Matt Shumer on the future of AI. Is exponential acceleration inevitable? Are we underestimating the timeline? Or overhyping the disruption?

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Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/

Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/.

Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/ 
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/

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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork