Consumers are getting better at spotting AI-created content. A new study carried out by NielsenIQ – and presented at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – revealed that consumers could intuitively identify most of the AI-generated ads they were shown, describing them as less engaging and more “annoying,” “boring” and “confusing.”
That’s not to say AI doesn’t have its place; it’s clear that AI is fast becoming an essential tool for writers. It can accelerate and add intelligence to copywriting, but it can lack nuance. If we want to create content that feels truly personal to our audience, it’s also essential to add a human touch to what AI has produced. The way we use humour, demonstrate authenticity and show personality will be key to helping us cut through the content that’s 100% AI-generated.
We’ve examined this year’s content and marketing trends to bring you our view of the critical things copywriters should focus on in 2025.
1. Do the things AI can’t (but harness the great things it can)
“50% of consumers are able to spot AI generated content… 52% are less engaged with content when they suspect it’s written by AI.”
DMI trends webinar, Luke O’Leary, VP of Media Strategy & Operations, NP Digital
There are loads of things AI can do to help great copywriters make their work even better.. AI can save so much time while we’re researching, able to analyse data to pull out trends and data. It can help with thought-starters, and help refine our own initial, messy ideas..
For copywriters, the trick is to squeeze every drop of usefulness out of AI tools, but go no further. So yes, let’s use ChatGPT for research and early ideas, but let’s also give our copy (and the client) the benefit of our own expertise, experience and humanity. We can use the context of a previous campaign to inform the next one, and strictly follow a tone of voice to engage audiences. We can add nuance, humour, emotion. If AI can take care of the functional stuff, humans are needed to add empathy.
As writers, we need to keep it real. Be empathetic, understanding, and tug at the heartstrings. Understand the challenges, express the pain like we felt it ourselves. Let’s really mean it. Only humans can do that.
2. Use humour
“48% of consumers find humour particularly appealing in ads.”
Kantar Media Reactions 2024: Moving at the speed of culture
Alongside music, humour is the leading characteristic that leads to higher engagement with ads, and is no. 1 for the all-important Gen Z and Boomer audiences that so many brands are aiming for. When done well, it can be an essential part of a brand’s tone of voice, and important to drive engagement.
Lynx’s ‘The Power of Fragrance’ ad and Liquid Death’s ad about zombies in need of hydration are two standout examples from last year. Liquid Death made it their mission to “make people laugh and get more of them to drink more healthy beverages more often.” Being funny, sometimes shocking, and always shareable, is the bedrock of their marketing strategy. This is content as content, not just an ad.
Humour is a powerful tool in our arsenal. When writing content, we need to consider whether it’s appropriate to inject humour, and if so, how best to do it.
3. Work harder to grab attention
Social ad attention ratings continue to fall – in fact as low as 31% for 2024 (vs 43% in 2023).
Kantar’s Media Reactions 2024
Any content we write – but especially social ads that can be scrolled right past – should be clear and obvious. No-one should need to think too much about the message; it should be instantly understandable.
This means copywriters (and designers) will have to work even harder to earn consumers’ attention. Great concepts, innovative design treatments and focused writing will be crucial to earning that attention.
As writers, we’ll need to get our message across before attention switches somewhere else. My mind goes to the Burger King ‘Bundles of Joy’ campaign, which featured unfiltered images of new mothers eating a post-birth burger, with the simple caption ‘Arrived at 17:35.’ One quick look makes an instant impact. That’s what we should be aiming for.
4. Be aware of moral considerations, but don’t neglect basic needs
93% of consumers globally say they want to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Jonathan Hall, Kantar Sustainable Transformation Practice
Consumers remain committed to doing all they can to live sustainably. According to the Mintel 2025 Global Consumer Trends report, 45% of Canadian adults “agree that making sure a brand’s value aligns with their own is a top priority when purchasing a product.”
But the same report also makes the point that consumers are always on the lookout for products and services that will elevate their lives on a functional basis, “more than vague corporate social responsibility claims that don’t translate to solutions.”
As writers, it’s on us to be mindful of people’s day-to-day needs, and champion the benefits that will make a difference, but if there is a compelling sustainability message to tell, that can also be part of the mix. But if we’re adding the extra words, we need to ask if it’s really worth it.
5. Be authentic
"It’s…empathy that is driving creative effectiveness.”
Jessica Phan, Sr. Vice President, Client Organization at Ipsos North America
Authenticity will matter more than ever in 2025. Speaking in the Advertising Week Trends Report 2024, Rema Vasan, Head of North America Business Marketing at TikTok, describes how with so much content out there, ‘audiences are super discerning about which content they choose to engage with." Vasan says TikTok breaks through that clutter “because it’s entertainment that’s generated by everyday users, creators, brands and businesses." In short, it’s authentic and empathetic; something we can all learn from, whatever platform – or whatever channel – we’re writing for.
As writers, what can we take from this? Well, we can certainly dial up the authenticity in our writing. Write with one person in mind. Talk to that one person. Really understand their problem, try to solve it in a human way, and help build trust between a brand and its audience.
Authenticity, humour, empathy, awareness of consumers’ needs and the need to grab attention quickly: as copywriters, let’s keep these front of mind in 2025. Copywriters, assemble! It’s going to be a great year.