By Michael Jamieson – SMG President

One of the most bizarre—and surprisingly effective—trends in marketing right now is “vibe marketing” powered by generative AI. Instead of selling a product with traditional features and benefits, brands are now selling a feeling, a mood, or a vibe. And they’re using AI to do it.

WHAT IS VIBE MARKETING?

* Emotion-first strategy: Focuses on creating a sensory or emotional experience rather than a rational pitch.
* AI-generated visuals & copy: Brands use tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT to create surreal, dreamlike ads that evoke curiosity or nostalgia.
* No clear CTA: Some campaigns don’t even tell you what the product is—they just want you to feel something.

WHY IT WORKS?

* Scroll-stopping weirdness: In a sea of sameness, strange visuals and cryptic messages grab attention.
* Gen Z appeal: Younger audiences love content that feels authentic, chaotic, and meme-worthy.
* Low-cost creativity: AI tools let small teams produce high-volume, high-impact content quickly.

REAL EXAMPLES

* AI influencers: Some brands are creating entirely fictional personas to promote products.
* “Will It Blend?” 2.0: Companies are revisiting absurd product demos—like blending smartphones—to go viral.
* Stock photo fashion: Adobe turned cringey stock images into a satirical clothing line.

Want to explore how you could use weird marketing to stand out in your own project?