REI Co-op

Brands Set Rules for AI in Customer-Facing Content

Brands are increasingly adopting generative AI to accelerate creative production, refresh existing assets and produce content that would be impractical to film — while simultaneously establishing brand-specific guardrails for consumer-facing use. The article cites examples including Goodwipes, Hilton, Koia, Unilever and Coca-Cola using AI for imagery, optimization and larger campaign concepts, and reports metrics such as faster asset production and higher reach or engagement in specific cases. Marketers and brand leaders emphasize using AI to refine, not replace, human creativity and warn against overuse (notably AI-generated people or obvious AI visuals) that can trigger consumer backlash. Several executives described internal policies limiting visible AI use and preferring behind-the-scenes applications when appropriate.

How Brands Can Build Customer Trust Amid AI

The Drum polled its membership for industry perspectives on the role of trust in modern marketing as AI agents, privacy regulation and first-party data strategies reshape customer relationships. Multiple marketing leaders argue trust cannot be manufactured by campaigns; it must be earned through product quality, consistent customer experience, aligned incentives, transparency, human fallback from automated systems, and credible third-party validation. Contributors cite examples of trusted brands (Beauty Pie, REI, Notion, Monzo, Octopus Energy) and highlight tactics such as customer stories, digital PR and localised messaging. Several speakers warn that handing customer service wholly to AI without easy human escalation erodes trust, while agentic search and AI assistants shift where and how trust is formed.

How to Pace an Ultramarathon Runner with Lisa Jhung

Trail runner and writer Lisa Jhung has paced ultramarathon runners for over 25 years, helping athletes through demanding miles to the finish.