Why We Will Need New CTAs in the AI Era

This post builds on some of the thinking from previous posts as we begin to discover the implications of the AI Era. One of those implications is that we might need new CTAs (calls to action) for our content. This is an interesting idea, and it begins with vampires.

The Vampire Effect

Have you ever enjoyed an advertisement — and even talked about it with friends — but could not remember who the sponsor of the ad was? This happens all the time when we are overwhelmed by the special effects and star power of the ad.

In the ad industry, this is called The Vampire Effect. It’s when the glitz and glamour of an ad sucks the life out of its purpose. Star power overshadows the message. Dazzle eclipses action. Who did that ad?

We recently had a case of this in the RISE community. We were discussing a particularly gripping ad campaign shown during The Olympics.

The campaign tells the real stories of six Ukrainian athletes, each of whom had to put their Olympic dreams on hold to fight in their country’s ongoing war with Russia. But in a startling turn, each athlete was killed in the war and will never compete again. The “narrator” was an AI-generated deep fake of a real person.

The campaign, titled “The Revived,” was developed by TeamBBDO in Germany on behalf of Brand Ukraine, an organization committed to strengthening the country’s brand and Ukraine’s Ministry of Youth and Sports.

In a community discussion, my friend Roxana Hurduca mentioned that the request for a donation at the end of the ad left her cold. My response was “Whaaaaat?” I had seen the ad three times and never saw the CTA.

The ad’s power became its pitfall. Emotion overwhelmed attenton. By the end of the ad, I was so moved by the message that I zoned out when it asked me to do something.

This is a classic example of The Vampire Effect … and something more.

Everything is spectacular

Last week, I published a post discussing the coming age when everyone will be able to create content on a laptop as mesmerizing as any Avenger movie. I know this assumes that you think the AI-driven Marvel movies are indeed mesmerizing. If not, just play along for a few more sentences.

In other words, everything will soon be universally spectacular.  The point of the article was that when everything is dazzling, we will crave the small, the hand-crafted, the human, even more. But there is another implication.

Another leader in my community, Zack Seipert, asked, “Do you think when everything is spectacular, we will need some new kind of Call To Action?”

Certainly, this is a very wise and true observation. We’re approaching a world where the spectacular might blind us to the message. Where the sizzle drowns out the steak.

In this new landscape, cutting through the noise isn’t about being louder or flashier. It’s about being real, relevant, and resonant.

As we hurdle toward a world where the only limit is our imagination, sometimes we might need to pump the brakes to ensure our message is heard. It’s not enough to create something memorable.

The real challenge? Crafting a message that sticks AND spurs action. In a world of increasing spectacle, the winners will be those who master this delicate dance. Who can move us emotionally AND move us to act.

Will you be creating vampires or changemakers?

I appreciate you and the time you took out of your day to read this! You can find more articles like this from me on the top-rated {grow} blog and while you’re there, take a look at my Marketing Companion podcast and my keynote speaking page. For news and insights find me on Twitter at @markwschaefer, to see what I do when I’m not working, follow me on Instagram, and discover my RISE community here.

Illustrations courtesy MidJourney