Are You Being Manipulated? *The More You Know* Ads & AI Edition | Words About Stuff | Ep. 11

Learn how commercials “work” and how to avoid getting sucked in. Plus watch me struggle with the ethics of advertising and AI.For more philosophy of marketing ✨ float over here: Newsletter sign up: https://wordsaboutstuff.net/unBlog: https://wordsaboutstuff.net/unblog/unBlog What's Wrong with Sarah McLachlan: https://wordsaboutstuff.net/whats-wrong-with-sarah-mclachlan/Art from the unBlogs by RADStudio: https://radstudioart.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/radstudio_/Yoga with Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadrieneIn this episode we explore:Nostalgic commercials, how bad we are at spotting a fake, and tactics designed to take your money.🥳 Amy the Copywriter 🥳A marketing strategist and copywriter — here to help. If you've got a marketing puzzle, or need words written about stuff, reach out!💼 Business 🤝 Brands 📢 Press: [email protected] 💌 Fan mail 💖 Suggestions ❓ Questions: [email protected] along on: ✨ Instagram:   / amythecopywriter   ✨ Facebook:   / amythecopywriterfb🏡 Home base for all things Words About Stuff: ⁠https://wordsaboutstuff.com/ ⏩ Chapters ⏩00:00 Intro01:59 Disclaimer: It's Easier to Critique than to Create03:09 unBlog03:50 Speed Round04:03 1. "Can't Watch" Ads04:18 2. Quotable Ads04:37 3. Tearjerker Ads04:42 4. Appeal to Identity (*Your* Brand) Ads04:59 5. Human vs AI-Made Ads05:15 1. Can't Watch: Sarah McLachlin SPCA06:35 Pain Points07:56 Rivers are Life: Hope08:35 Kiva: Empowerment11:02 2. Quotable Ads: Bud-Weis-Er Frog Repetition12:37 Budweiser Wassup: Aspirational14:30 Verizon's Co-opting Can You Hear Me Now15:56 3. Ads that Make You Cry: Google's Year in Search17:41 Ask Jeeves18:01 Bing18:21 Your Story: User Generated, Corporate Curated19:35 4. Identity Advertising19:49 Mac vs PC23:07 5. Manipulated/Manipulating Ads23:27 Canadian Tariffs Billboard for the US: Real?26:23 Nerding Out About Persuasion (Content vs Copy)27:40 Solving a Marketing Puzzle29:28 Heaven or Hell Billboards29:43 Sponsor: Do Not Disturb30:44 Back to Hell?32:19 Can You Feel It? (Intent)34:37 5. Can You Tell if it's AI? (Stock Images)37:36 How I Got Banned from Quora38:03 Keep Guessing38:52 The Ease of AI39:56 Can You Spot Video AI?42:22 Hypothesis: You Can't Know44:46 Kalshi Ad: Betting On AI?47:08 The Bad48:42 The Good50:39 The Ugly54:16 The Opposite of a Standing Ovation55:59 The Secret Ingredient is People56:56 What's Working Though?01:00:13 Stolen Outro: Yoga with Adriene🎬 Credits 🎬Hosted, Produced & Edited by Amy the CopywriterMusic by DELOSound💬 Also Mentioned in this Episode 💬Sarah McLachlan SPCA Ad (ragefc): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc&t=1s"Bud" "Weis" "Er" 1995 Superbowl Commercial (superbowladman): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkavReH4LE0Budweiser "Wassup" 1999 Commercial (simongir): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJmqCKtJnxMVerizon "Can You Hear Me Now?" 2002 Commercial (Play Pause Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo0xsZCRp4g2020 Year in Search Commercial (Google): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rokGy0huYEAMac vs PC 2006+ Commercial (Angus Lo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEG5LVXdKoTariffs are a Tax Billboards (CBC): https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/billboard-tariffs-canada-1.7496882Are You Going to Heaven or Hell Billboard (Springfield News-Leader): https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2017/08/22/reader-unsure-if-she-wants-know-answer-billboards-eternal-question-heaven-hell/589925001/Can you spot real content versus AI-manipulated fake? (InvestigateTV): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySl0BmLKUpwPhotoshop Expert ImMadSal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immadsal/Kalshi Commercial 2026 (PJ Ace): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzXFURkcCt4#AmyTheCopywriter #WordsAboutStuff #unBlog