Welcome back! Raisin Bread has returned to your inbox with a fresh, new approach. We’ll be in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to deliver you the latest marketing news, trends and analysis.

Today, we’re looking at creating a climactic moment and AI-generated content. And no, this introduction was not written by bots. Let’s get into it. 

Create More Than an Ad—Create a Moment

Sports-tech entertainment company FanDuel’s first Super Bowl commercial won’t just be an advertisement—it’ll be a climactic event. Four-time Super Bowl Champion Rob Gronkowski will attempt to kick a field goal, live, and any customer who places a bet of at least $5 via FanDuel on the Super Bowl will win $10 million in free bets if Gronkowski makes the field goal.

But "The Kick of Destiny" isn’t just the Super Bowl ad—it’s an integrated campaign building throughout the season with insights into Gronkowski’s training for the event. 

“We decided we wanted a big, bold brand act that actually connected with all sports fans instead of running a traditional ad,” Andrew Sneyd, FanDuel's Executive Vice President of Marketing, told Marketing Brew. “Throughout the playoffs and starting [this] week, we’ll be showing a series of ads where we’ll be informing everyone that this is what’s happening and that Rob’s doing it.”

The buildup generates hype, the hype generates buildup, and everyone, ideally, places a bet.

Crafting a journey for users to go on with Gronkowski is smart. It creates community and emotional investment—people are more likely to place bets if they know how hard Gronkowski’s been preparing, trust him as an individual, and want to support his success. And having that journey culminate in a shared moment? Brilliance.

Are Artificially-Intelligent Marketers Next?

You’ve witnessed the AI-generated images sweeping social media feeds. And you may have even noticed your favorite newsletters employing AI to write their introductions. But what happens when the AI creates content without human oversight? Mistakes.

As Cathy McPhillips of Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute points out, ChatGPT has a disclaimer reading: “While we have safeguards in place, the system may occasionally generate incorrect or misleading information and produce offensive or biased content. It is not intended to give advice.”

Many have already embraced Lensa, and Dall-e, as the initial steps toward quickly conjuring marketing visuals without all the back-and-forth. But how do these AI tools work and what does it mean for artists and content creators?

First they came for the customer service representatives, and we said nothing…will AI come for marketers next? Sustainable fashion advocate Aja Barber likened Lensa to fast fashion—a cheaper product that ends up exploiting workers. And while it looks like AI is here to stay, the ethics of using it to produce content is still up in the air.

Around the Web

• Barnes & Noble’s comeback teaches us to stick to what you love.

• Superpath’s updated Content Marketing Salary Report just dropped.

• Colin & Samir recap their Twitter-centric conversation with Elon Musk.

• CES 2023 focuses on the economic downturn and spooky future of AI.

• Chipotle is leaning into wellness and gamification to target Gen Z.

Just Can't Get Enough

Speaking of content that speaks to consumers, podcasts are content that literally speaks to consumers. And if you think it’s a male-dominated listenership, think again. In 2022, women made up 48% of monthly podcast listeners in the U.S. and had more purchasing power than other demographics.

• No, it wasn’t all true crime podcasts—multiple markets exist.

• And 73% chose podcasts based on recommendations from friends or family—word of mouth works wonders.

• Looking for our podcast rec, ladies? We got you.

What are your thoughts on crafting an interactive buyer’s journey through content? Will a Lensa-generated product tie-in appear on your marketing roadmap? Reply to this email and let us know.

Thanks for reading. See you on Friday!