Coming at you a little later than usual because I was fully convinced I had today to finish drafting this newsletter so I could schedule it to send bright and early tomorrow...on Wednesday.

But I woke up, and my phone said TODAY is Wednesday, so uhh, whooopsie doopsie! She's hitting your inbox a little later than normal!

Either way - here we go: Opinions on AI are like elbows; everyone's got 'em. But as a marketing strategist, I wholeheartedly recommend you step tf away from AI when it comes to anything strategy-related.

AI works by analyzing patterns in the data it has access to. Meaning, AI can analyze the information you feed it, identify patterns, and suggest a strategy. But it can only work with the quality of the information, assumptions, and context it’s given. It may generate a strategy for you that sounds specific to your business, but it doesn't know whether the recommendations are viable for your specific business.

I've been on the receiving end of quite a few AI-built strategies, and they're so easy to identify because, in theory, they sound good. But once you peel back a layer, it's like "okayyyy, but how tf would these even happen!?"

Meaning the ideas sound solid at first glance. But when you start pulling them apart (like a real strategist), you realize how disconnected they are from the reality of the business. Be that internal capabilities, budget restraints, etc.

Logistically, the "strategy" is completely impractical to execute. And that’s how so many businesses end up with a strategy doc that's just an idea doc that collects dust instead of actually moving the business forward.

It's more of a feel-good, "look, I built a deck" type of doc than an actual roadmap that will propel the business forward.

I've also started witnessing this on IG more and more. Strategists will offer up ideas (essentially as public-facing pitch decks) in hopes that the brand will see the ideas and hire them. I'm absolutely all for the creativity in these posts, but I also read them back and go, "Literally such a cool idea, but would they ever be able to actually activate it?"

Because I'm someone who's been on both sides of the equation.

In my first corporate marketing role, I was responsible for ideation AND execution of marketing partnerships.

So my coworkers and I would come up with the most outlandish, out-of-this-world concepts to pitch to potential sponsors. And sometimes when they bit, we had a moment of panic because, uhhhh, how tffff are we bringing this to life?!

We had to source the vendors and make it all happen...while sticking to a very specific budget. And lemme tell you, some of the coolest ideas out there? They're a LOT of money to build (at least, correctly).

So far too often we'd think of the most insane idea, all absolutely LOVE it, and then have to go "okay, but logistically? not in the cards rn"

And THAT is the part that's missing when you use AI to build a strategy or see those insane "if you're X brand, here's what I'd do to grow your brand" posts on Insta.

It's missing the context of what's logistically possible for that specific business right here and right now.

All great ideas, but an idea without an action plan is just a f*cking useless idea.

Catch ya next week,

Marissa

​​​​​