The age of AI-slop
AI is churning out content at scale, but most of it is just noise. Larry’s big takeaway was that brands doubling down on true, authentic storytelling are the ones that will rise above the sludge.
Because while it’s never been easier to generate content, it’s never been harder to hold attention. Human-first storytelling with emotional and cultural depth is the antidote to AI slop. And yes, that takes time, care, and guts. All of which you have in spades, dear reader.
Posting doesn’t always mean progress
Marketing timelines are shrinking. Budgets are tightening. And still, somehow, more time is being wasted on content that doesn’t move the needle. The most important question is still the simplest one: why are we doing this?
Whether it was workshop debates or off-stage chats, the theme was clear: the efficiency of creating multiple messages at speed doesn’t necessarily equal effectiveness. Lindsay and Larry both echoed the idea that long-term thinking and consistency over time beats a spray-and-pray strategy.
The Betoota Blueprint
Speaking of consistency, the Betoota Advocate's session was a crowd favourite, and for good reason. Every piece of content they publish is organic. No paid. No boosting. Just sharp, satirical takes that helps them ride the cultural current like pros.
Their secret seems to be consistency, quality, and a deep understanding of their audience. It’s not just comedy, it’s community-building. Brands could learn a lot from how Betoota has grown influence and loyalty with nothing but earned attention and bold creative.
Data that actually matters
Clicks and likes are fine, but what do they really tell you about your brand? Tools like Tracksuit are helping brands measure sentiment and understand how people feel about them, instead of just telling them how many eyeballs saw their last post. This real-life metric can then help you craft messaging that challenges and changes audience perceptions to consistently prove your value.
Friend of the pod Toni Westlake, Head of Brand and Marketing at Big Red Group, touched on this in her keynote, and it stuck with us. If you’re not measuring the right things, you’ll keep optimising for the wrong outcomes.
Give the people what they want
One of our favourite moments was The Australian Bureau of Statistics talking about how they reframed the census through the lens of culture. It was a masterclass in meeting people where they are, not where you wish they were.
That one line has been bouncing around the Chello Slack ever since: Don’t make people want things. Make things people already want.
Our biggest takeaway
Cultural resonance beats channel strategy. Consistent storytelling beats content for content’s sake. And if your brand has something to say, say it with confidence. If you can’t do that, you probably shouldn’t bother.
Want to learn how we can help your brand tap into cultural relevance without relying on the algorithm gods, just like we did for Klaviyo and My Muscle Chef? Let’s talk.
