" />So much is currently being written about AI and its adoption, and while it’s fast-moving and ever-changing, one thing is certain: average has never been more accessible.
Advice and opinion shared one day is outdated the next. However, the biggest risk for brands isn’t making a mistake with their AI use. It’s being forgettable.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Co-Pilot, and Midjourney have levelled the playing field. Everyone now has access to content that’s polished, professional, and, well… average. that’s how large language models work (LLM). That means being safe and middle-of-the-road just won’t cut it anymore. The middle is crowded. The middle is invisible.
According to McKinsey’s State of AI in Marketing report (2024), more than 60% of top-performing marketing teams are using AI to scale content and speed up delivery. Great. But when everyone’s using the same tools, processes and volume are no longer differentiators. Creativity is. That’s where bold brands take the lead. Creativity is not only reserved for consumer PR or brands either, it’s essential for B2B PR campaigns.
But here’s the challenge. Many marketing managers and directors still shy away from the unexpected. Boldness can feel risky, especially when targets and ROI are on the line. It’s tempting to follow a tried and tested format. Something safe. Something senior leadership will sign off on quickly and not scrutinise them too closely. But that safety often leads to sameness. And sameness is easy to scroll past.
Research from the IPA’s The Long and the Short of It shows that campaigns that make emotional, creative leaps perform far better over time. They’re more memorable. They build stronger brand recognition. And they deliver results that last. So while bold, creative might feel like a gamble, it’s actually one of the safest bets you can make in the long run.
We’re not talking about being bold for the sake of it. It’s about choosing moments where your brand can say something that matters. Something that’s unexpected. Something that gets remembered. It still needs to protect and enhance your reputation. It should be relevant. Launching a new product? Don’t just issue a press release and hope for coverage. Create a memorable activation. Start a conversation. Make it impossible to ignore.
“Creativity is not just reserved for consumer brands, B2B brands can be bold too”
Look at what Duolingo did with its social media strategy. The owl mascot became a strange and funny character that no AI could dream up. Or think of Liquid Death, the canned water brand that marketed itself like a punk rock band. Both brands dared to zig when others zagged. And they won attention because of it. There’s many other examples of creative PR stunts and activations, including our own Question of Regs campaign, which involved putting plumbers in a boxing ring in the name of the Part L regulation. Tech PR campaigns can also be creative and bold. Cisco’s The Security Blanket Campaign was also an example of B2B creativity. Using contemporary artist Ai Weiwei to design a security blanket made from recycled server cables and discarded hardware. The blanket symbolised digital protection of data in a tangible way that a press release can’t.
According to a recent Nielsen study, creativity alone accounts for nearly half of a campaign’s return on investment. That’s a huge stat and a wake-up call. Because while AI can help you work faster and smarter, it can’t help you be unforgettable… at least at the moment. That’s your job.
So don’t shy away from taking creative risks. Push for the brave idea in the pitch. An ‘and finally’, what if etc. Plan a bold activation alongside your next big announcement. Surprise people. Delight them. Give them something to talk about.
In the age of AI, average is everywhere. But bold? Bold is rare. Bold is remembered.
If you are looking for a creative PR agency in Manchester give us a call, or email.
You can also find out more on our thoughts on how AI is impacting, PR, marketing and search in our previous blog posts. Over 90% of AI visibility comes from earned media, as of June 2025. This means PR professionals are hyper relevant in advent of AI.
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