AI can’t empathize
Wisdom 💡: In a new thought leadership piece, Peppercomm VP Hannah Robbins argues that in a world overflowing with “AI-powered” everything, the real communication differentiator is still humanity. As organizations race to keep up with nonstop disruption, many are polishing their messaging so heavily that they accidentally sand off the part people actually connect with. Robbins makes the case that audiences don’t need perfection or corporate jargon, they need clarity, specificity and signs of actual human thought.
The price is flight
Wit 😁: Priceline is trying to “unbummer” summer travel by bringing back William Shatner’s iconic Negotiator and passing the deal-hunting torch to Randall Park. The campaign cheekily punches back at “vacation inflation,” with Park literally fighting rising travel costs in a series of over-the-top training montages. Beneath the nostalgia and humor is a smart insight: people still desperately want vacations, they just don’t want their bank accounts to need one afterward. In an era of pricey getaways, Priceline is positioning itself as less of a booking app and more of a financial emotional support system.
Go with the flow
Wit 😁: Garnier is going full moose mode, turning a mousse marketing campaign into a gloriously chaotic case of mistaken identity starring “Love Island” alum TJ Palma. Between mystery moose posters, paparazzi-style sightings and The Office-inspired antics, the brand proves that sometimes the best way to style curls is to curl up inside a joke. The campaign smartly trades polished beauty marketing for playful internet bait, meeting Gen Z exactly where they are: confused, entertained and chronically online.
Pepper Pick
We’re gearing up for International Pickle Day on May 16 with Smoothie King’s delightfully unhinged new Grillo’s Pickles smoothie, a briny blend of pickles, bananas, kale and coconut water that somehow both exists and, apparently, hydrates.
