Stop 'Out Polishing'. Start 'Out Experimenting'
We’ve been here before.
Every time a breakthrough technology enters the marketing world — from Photoshop and Flash banners to Instagram Reels and now AI — a familiar pattern plays out.
Some brands dive in headfirst. Others sit back, polishing their “perfect” strategy.
Guess who ends up leading the marketing playbook?
Not the perfectionists. The experimenters.
Take a look at brands like Nike, Puma, Coca-Cola, and even Duolingo. These are the names we associate with bold, playful, innovative campaigns — the kind that show up on award stages, on FYPs, and in our memories.
Why?
Because while most are still asking “What if it goes wrong?”, they’re already asking “What can we learn if we try?”
The Perfection Myth, Revisited
“The more time, effort and money we invest in making content ‘perfect’, the better it will perform.” Reality: While you’re polishing, your competitor is posting.
This message from ADFEST 2025 nails it.
The myth of perfection kills momentum. And in marketing, momentum is everything.
The IKEA Effect: Imperfection Builds Affection
Behavioural science offers a fascinating insight here — the IKEA Effect. People place more value on things they help create, even if they’re imperfect.
Brands like Coca-Cola have long embraced this. Their “Share a Coke” campaign let users co-create packaging — and it exploded. Not because the designs were perfect. But because they were theirs.
AI opens up similar possibilities at scale: from personalised video messages to real-time campaign tweaks. But only if we focus on connection, not perfection.
Why Some Brands Are Always Ahead
Let’s break this down:
1. Speed Trumps Polish
Puma doesn’t wait for trends to mature. They jump in, collaborate with creators, test formats, and learn. Their campaigns on platforms like TikTok or with virtual influencers (e.g., Maya) weren’t perfect — but they were first and fun. That’s what people remember.
2. Cultural Curiosity
Nike doesn’t just advertise. They participate in culture. Their early adoption of platforms like Snapchat, or their experiments with AR and now AI-generated creative, help them stay embedded in conversations. They don’t use tech to brag — they use it to connect.
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3. Permission to Play
Duolingo turned a green owl into a snarky social media phenomenon — using memes, TikTok trends, and even AI voices. Why? Because they gave themselves permission to not take everything so seriously. That playfulness became a strategic advantage.
4. Psychological Safety to Fail
Great brands build cultures where marketing can fail — fast, small, and smart. It’s not about batting 100%. It’s about learning 100x faster. That’s why they can keep experimenting while others are still writing strategy decks.
AI Is Not for Perfection. It’s for Progress.
Let’s stop treating AI like a replacement for craft. That’s not the point.
It’s not here to replace strategy, creativity, or intuition. It’s here to extend our edge — to help us do more, learn faster, and adapt smarter. It’s less of a magic wand and more of a smart mirror: reflecting the signals from the market back to us at speed.
Let’s be clear — AI isn’t about automating brilliance. It’s about freeing up our time to pursue it.
"In today’s chaotic marketing world, the smartest move isn't to out-polish your competition — it’s to out-experiment them".
We don’t need more perfection. We need more attempts. More hypotheses. More tests. More “let’s try this and see what happens.”
Because in this age of algorithmic attention and cultural micro-moments, what works today might not work tomorrow — and no amount of overthinking will change that.
Satisficers Win in a Fast-Moving World
In behavioural economics, satisficers are those who choose something that’s “good enough” and move forward. Maximizers, by contrast, keep hunting for the perfect option — often delaying action and progress.
AI lets us become smart satisficers:
The winners in the next marketing era won’t be those who wait to perfect. They’ll be those who act, adapt, and amplify — quickly and creatively.
So Let’s Reframe the AI Question
Instead of asking: “How can AI help us make perfect campaigns?”
Let’s ask: “How can AI help us experiment more, connect faster, and grow smarter?”
Because while you’re still fine-tuning that perfect brand film, your competitors are launching real-time, AI-powered campaigns that are building relevance, reach, and recall — at scale.
And yah, that's an image of myself that I turned into a video. Hence the 'robotic moves' and the weird voice:)
#marketing #digitalmarketing #AI