{"id":23096,"date":"2026-02-19T15:43:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/?p=23096"},"modified":"2026-02-19T15:43:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:43:50","slug":"around-half-of-consumers-dont-mind-ai-made-ads-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/?p=23096","title":{"rendered":"Around half of consumers don\u2019t mind AI-made ads: report"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body-content\">\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">Remember that movie <em>Her<\/em>, where a man falls in love with an AI operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson? Yeah, that movie was ahead of its time. Nearly half of Gen Z reported creating a meaningful relationship with AI, according to new research from WPP agency VML\u2019s Intelligence unit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">In 2026, following a year that saw the continued adoption of AI, global uncertainty and upheaval, and a \u201cdysoptimistic\u201d outlook, many are craving change and connection, according to the agency\u2019s annual report, released earlier this month. Through surveying almost 16,000 adults in 16 markets across the world from September 24\u2013November 3 2025, through VML research practice SONAR, the report presents insights for brands on what\u2019s making consumers tick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">\u201cEven as people lean in to blended realities, the desire for human connection remains unmistakable,\u201d the report reads. \u201cThis human impulse is shaping brand strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\"><strong>Shifting AI sentiment: <\/strong>AI has been hyped as able to democratize creativity. The report cited a September poll conducted by Adobe and The Harris Poll that found that 81% of creators said AI assisted them in making content they wouldn\u2019t otherwise have been able to produce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">However, consumers were more receptive to AI use in certain mediums than others, the report found. Around half of them (56%) said finding out that an ad was made with mostly AI wouldn\u2019t impact how they felt about the output, which was a more positive response than if they knew music was created primarily through AI (44%).<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\"><strong>Getting in on the ground floor:<\/strong> Gen Z and millennials are interested in greater involvement with their favorite brands, with 75% saying they were open to it, the report reads. Some brands are democratizing their creative processes to include consumer input, like the dating app Feeld, which featured real members in its ads and involved others in developing the brand\u2019s typography and photography.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">\u201cFor brands, inviting participation sends a powerful signal about how much they value their consumers\u2019 tastes and opinions,\u201d the report reads. \u201cWhile full revenue sharing may be a step too far for major corporations, fostering a genuine sense of shared ownership is a powerful way to build an invested and loyal community.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"style__InlineSubscribeWrapper-sc-9b30af34-1 xBGLJ inline-subscribe\">\n<div id=\"inline-subscribe\" class=\"style__RoundedContainer-sc-bac6188c-0 jnRTsW\">\n<h5 class=\"inline-subscribe\">Get marketing news you&#8217;ll actually want to read<\/h5>\n<p class=\"inline-subscribe\">Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\"><strong>A little treat, a long way:<\/strong> Consumers are looking for fulfilling experiences, one of the many effects of experiencing a global pandemic, according to the report. Some travel brands are capitalizing on the shift: UK outfit ReSurface is combining travel and wellness by offering trips such as The Reset, a seven-day surfing excursion along the Moroccan coast that claims to help consumers recharge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">\u201cPeople are seeking meaningful, sustained change, and experiences offer a powerful route to transformation,\u201d the report reads. \u201cBrands that can guide them will unlock a powerful new form of economic value.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">One micro-trend related to this appetite for experiences is consumer interest in \u201cmicro-upgrades,\u201d according to the report. Consumers are tightening their purse strings, but brands can build goodwill with consumers by offering small, affordable upgrades. Ellie Bamford, VML\u2019s chief strategy officer for North America, emphasized the value of micro-upgrades at the report\u2019s launch event in New York on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">\u201cThese little treats make people feel valued,\u201d she said. \u201cThese can be very small, high-margin upgrades that give people a real emotional lift in that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\"><strong>Creators, assemble:<\/strong> It should come as no surprise that creators hold immense influence. With 68% of respondents following creators because they appear to be authentic, creators are building meaningful relationships with consumers that brands can capitalize on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\"><strong>Content is king: <\/strong>Brands are building storytelling universes, and content is no longer just a media buy, the report read. More than 6 in 10 consumers said the idea of brand fandom appeals to them due to the sense of community it offers, according to VML, and brands are recognizing the shift: Gap appointed its inaugural chief entertainment officer to build out the brand\u2019s storytelling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">One particular type of content resonating with consumers is microdramas, as brands can produce them at low cost while also creating a path to purchase.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__StyledText-sc-5791265-8 bdIWsa\">\u201cBrands want to be the story, not interrupt it,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketingbrew.com\/stories\/2026\/02\/19\/consumer-sentiment-ai-created-ads-vml?utm_source=&#038;utm_medium=syndication&#038;utm_campaign=feed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" rel=\"nofollow\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Remember that movie Her, where a man falls in love with an AI operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson? Yeah, that movie was ahead of its time. Nearly half of Gen Z reported creating a meaningful relationship with AI, according to new research from WPP agency VML\u2019s Intelligence unit. In 2026, following a year that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-23096","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-marketing"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Around half of consumers don\u2019t mind AI-made ads: report | Brandiary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Remember that movie Her, where a man falls in love with an AI operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson? 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