🤖 Instagram launches “AI Creator Labels.”

🎧 YouTube is testing a tool that lets creators generate royalty-free music for videos.

⚠️ Microsoft, Google and xAI to give US government early access to AI models.

💡 Advertisers can now create ChatGPT ads through a beta self-serve Ads Manager.

✨ TikTok recreates its ads for billboards through Vistar partnership.

Some good news: AI has made human-centered marketing more valuable, not less.

As automation floods channels with polished but generic messaging, what stands out now are experiences that feel real, personal, and credible.

Authentic human connection remains a primary driver of conversion. Businesses investing in real conversations (via phone, live chat, or direct interaction) see stronger relationships and higher satisfaction, even at higher operational cost.

Physical and tangible marketing (like direct mail) is also regaining power. Something you can hold signals legitimacy and effort. This “realness” reduces skepticism and improves recall, making prospects more likely to engage.

And finally, since most purchasing decisions are emotionally driven, sharing real customer experiences, especially through testimonials and case studies, builds credibility in ways AI-generated messaging cannot replicate.

Key data: 

• AI adoption is accelerating faster than past technologies like smartphones and social media.
• ChatGPT reached 100 million users in 2 months.
• 52% of Americans use AI weekly.
• Direct mail is perceived as:
  • +11% more personal
  • +17% more attention-grabbing
  • +17% more trustworthy than email
• 70% of purchasing decisions are driven by emotion

Check out Entrepreneur for more.

Vertical Response is an email marketing tool for small biz and nonprofits who want ease, affordability, and efficiency over the bloat of enterprise platforms.

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Catch up on Season 2 of The Daily Carnage Show:

• Major Platform Updates (8:17)
• Nike Runs into Controversy (12:19)
• Transgressive OOH (18:45)
• Your Brain on AI (12:33)
• Meta, McDonald’s Mukbang, and The OpenAI Mess (14:41)
• Ethics in the AI Era (18:33)

🎙️ Now streaming on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

“The Daily Carnage was the newsletter that brought us the most meaningful demo clicks and new trials.” — Digital Summit

“Open rate was nearly 50% and CTR was relatively high, especially considering this newsletter’s audience was likely being exposed to our event for the first time.” — Adweek

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For Cinco de Mayo, Hornitos hosted its own “Mex Gala.”

The experiential brand event, held in NYC, reimagined the exclusivity of that other gala into something a little more inclusive and flavorful.

It even featured an “Open Carpet” concept, where attendees participated instead of just being spectators.

Guests also got to engage directly with the brand through live DJ performances and curated Mexican cocktail experiences.

Weigh in on The Daily Carnage Subreddit:

• The Daily Carnage Show Ep 2.6 Discussion: “Which major social platform updates from this spring are you most excited (or skeptical) about? Which of these features are you likely to test?”
• B2B lead gen and data enrichment tools: “Our team has just had an abysmal experience with Seamless.ai and we’re interested in exploring competitor. Do you have a tool you’d recommend?”
• Using LinkedIn’s Post Inspector to Reset Cached Meta Data and Images: “LinkedIn will sometimes stubbornly associate an out of date featured image with a URL from your website. Here’s a super simple fix.”

Duncan Hines, 1994