Is AI Slop the New Brand Risk?

is-ai-slop-the-new-brand-risk

[[p]]Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by marketers across industries to streamline processes, optimize campaigns, and generate content.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]But this mass adoption is causing a problem: it&rsquo;s leaving brands open to accusations of creating low-quality AI slop that&rsquo;s flat and generic. Plus, consumers are becoming more intolerant of AI-generated content, with many brands facing backlash for using it (Coca-Cola and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/case-studies/spotify" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Spotify[[/a]] are just two recent examples).&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]While there&rsquo;s no doubt that [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-in-digital-marketing-the-ultimate-guide" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]AI can be used by marketers[[/a]] to automate repetitive, low-value tasks, it&rsquo;s not a replacement for human creativity or judgement, and that&rsquo;s where companies are putting brand integrity at risk.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]In this blog, we&rsquo;ll explore the rise in AI slop and the risks it poses to brands by covering:&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_87534"]]What is AI slop?&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_87537"]]Why does AI slop threaten brands?&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_87540"]]3 examples of brands facing backlash for AI content&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_87552"]]How can brands protect themselves?&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_87575"]]Conclusion[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]AI slop is low-quality, generic, or hallucinated AI-generated content churned out for mass volume. Think of fast food or [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/vinted-and-the-rise-of-sustainable-second-hand-fashion" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]fast fashion[[/a]], something created quickly but with questionable value.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The problem is that the amount of AI slop is increasing. In fact, research by [[a href="https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/ai-slop-consumer-sentiment-social-listening-analysis" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Meltwater[[/a]] found that in 2025, mentions of &ldquo;AI slop&rdquo; online increased ninefold from the previous year, with negative sentiment hitting a high of 54%.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]And it&rsquo;s having an impact across nearly every industry. Publishers are facing a deluge of rip-off books and made-up reviews, trusted online resources are being inundated with AI-generated answers, social media platforms are having to create new AI detection tools like those on [[a href="https://newsroom.pinterest.com/en-gb/news/introducing-gen-ai-labels/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Pinterest[[/a]], and [[a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jul/14/an-ai-generated-band-got-1m-plays-on-spotify-now-music-insiders-say-listeners-should-be-warned" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]fake bands are infiltrating playlists[[/a]].&nbsp;[[/p]]

Example of ‘Ai modified tags introduced on Pinterest content/Source: Floresca Media 

[[p]]AI slop poses a threat to brands for a simple reason, and it&rsquo;s right there in the name. The term refers to content that is perceived as low-quality, generic, or inauthentic, and audiences tend to view it negatively.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]According to [[a href="https://www.adweek.com/media/ai-content-cuts-trust-hurts-ad-performance/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]research by Raptive[[/a]], people&rsquo;s trust drops by nearly 50% when an article feels AI-generated even if it isn&rsquo;t, and there was a 14% decline in purchase consideration and willingness to pay a premium for products advertised alongside content perceived as AI-made.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Let&rsquo;s look at the key reasons AI slop threatens brands:&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It&rsquo;s generic and &lsquo;samey&rsquo;:[[/strong]] Using AI to generate brand design or marketing copy can make a company look generic. When everything sounds and looks the same, a brand loses its distinct voice and recognizability.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It can damage reputation:[[/strong]] Consumers can spot AI slop quickly, and it not only causes them to disbelieve the content, but it also turns them off the brand and poses a risk of the company looking lazy or inauthentic.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It can be wrong: [[/strong]]Large language models like ChatGPT can hallucinate, and unchecked AI can scrape real names and public data to generate false or damaging claims. [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-ai-bias" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]AI bias[[/a]] can also lead to inaccurate, unfair, or misleading outputs.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]Misaligned ads and wasted spend: [[/strong]]When algorithms distribute ads in feeds that are &lsquo;slop-friendly&rsquo;, ads can end up next to low-quality or controversial content and not only impact reputation but waste budgets.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It can impact productivity:&nbsp;[[/strong]]Research by [[a href="https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Harvard Business Review[[/a]] found that 41% of workers had received AI-generated content (e.g. reports or emails) that looked polished but lacked substance, wasting an average of two hours of work time per incident. This is known as AI work slop.&nbsp;[[/li]]
	[[li]][[strong]]It can incur penalties:[[/strong]]&nbsp;In 2025, Google updated its Search Quality Rater Guidelines to address AI-generated content. So if a page&rsquo;s content is primarily AI-generated and adds little original value, it could receive the lowest quality rating impacting a brand&rsquo;s [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]search engine optimization (SEO)[[/a]] rankings.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

A significant portion of people, particularly the younger generation, now operate under the assumption that everything they see online is fake. This skepticism makes it harder for brands to establish genuine connections. It’s also a lot more expensive to get people’s attention.

[[p]]Even the biggest brands make mistakes when it comes to using AI to create content.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]These three examples all received backlash from consumers and should give you insight into what not to do when using AI.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Spotify&rsquo;s Wrapped, Spotify&rsquo;s annual marketing campaign that gives users a summary of their listening habits over the past year, is often hailed as a personalization masterpiece. But in 2024, fans were vocal on [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/the-marketers-guide-to-reddit" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Reddit[[/a]] as to their dissatisfaction with the annual round up.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The campaign was accused of being &lsquo;AI-generated slop&rsquo; with shout outs to made-up genres, such as &lsquo;Pink Pilates Princess Strut Pop&rsquo; and &lsquo;Surf Crush Alt Z Indie Pop&rsquo; as generative AI giveaways. Posts questioning its authenticity were also widely shared on X.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Spotify&rsquo;s new Wrapped AI podcast feature, where AI podcast &lsquo;hosts&rsquo; outline and comment on users&rsquo; stats also left listeners cold, reported Raconteur.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Key takeaway: [[/strong]]Don&rsquo;t try to fool consumers by using AI in content that&rsquo;s meant to be personalized to an individual&rsquo;s tastes and preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Toy company Toys &lsquo;R&rsquo; Us faced backlash from consumers and media when it used OpenAI&rsquo;s now defunct video generation tool Sora to create an ad campaign.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Upon seeing the ad, people were quick to point out inaccuracies such as bicycles that melt into each other, wonky windowpanes, and toy shelves with distorted toys.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]On X, one commentator wrote, &ldquo;There&#39;s something so cynical about creating an ad about the limitless imagination of a child and then rendering it with soulless AI slop,&rdquo; according to a [[a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2024/06/26/the-toys-r-us-ai-generated-ad-controversy-explained/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Forbes report.[[/a]]&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Key takeaway: [[/strong]]Don&rsquo;t just rely on AI tools to create content for your brand. Human oversight is crucial in reviewing any AI-generated content to ensure it is accurate, representative of your brand, and above all of value to your customers.&nbsp;[[/p]]

AI-generated model featured in Guess ad in Vogue/Source: Fashion Network 

[[p]]Fashion brand Guess got into hot water with consumers when it ran ads in Vogue that featured AI-generated models.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Vogue included a footnote to state the images came from AI, but readers flooded the magazine&rsquo;s social platforms with criticism.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Social media users and TikTok creators expressed frustration with the decision, citing Vogue&rsquo;s legacy of groundbreaking photographers like Irving Penn and Lee Miller. Critics also argued that AI contradicted the magazine&rsquo;s artistic foundation, according to Fashion Network.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[strong]]Key takeaway: [[/strong]]Even if you label something as AI, that doesn&rsquo;t mean it will go over well with customers. Brands that pride themselves on integrity should be thoughtful about their use of AI, particularly in situations where it may conflict with their values or brand ethos.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As you can see, there&rsquo;s serious implications with AI if it&rsquo;s not used properly. It&rsquo;s clear that the technology has value for marketers and marketing departments, but it&rsquo;s about being strategic and discerning in how you use it.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Let&rsquo;s look at seven ways to use AI and avoid a risk to your brand&rsquo;s reputation:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]While it might seem tempting to just let AI create all your copy or ad campaigns, plan how you and your team should use it.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Co-Pilot are adept at helping with research, ideation, and structure. So, use prompts to let it do some of the heavy lifting and then pass the results over to a human so they can turn it into something relevant, interesting, and authentic.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]You can also consider using AI platforms for other marketing functions such as [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/videos/walkthrough-using-ai-for-keyword-research" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]keyword research[[/a]] for SEO and to improve your [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-use-ai-to-improve-your-ux" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]user experience[[/a]].&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]For many customers, the most compelling thing about a brand is their point of view. So, it&rsquo;s important to be authentic in everything you do and adopt a [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-marketers-can-use-human-centered-storytelling-to-engage-an-audience" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]human-centric storytelling approach[[/a]] to marketing.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]By placing a person at the heart of a campaign or message, marketers can forge connections and change perceptions to [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-generate-high-quality-leads" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]generate leads[[/a]] and turn prospects into loyal customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Beauty brand [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/case-studies/dove-a-spotless-approach-to-digital-marketing" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Dove[[/a]] is a great example of this. The company focuses on raising awareness of issues that affect women such as self-esteem, social media, and AI. Here&rsquo;s their &lsquo;New Year&rsquo;s Unresolution&rsquo; campaign that tackled the fact that one in two women&rsquo;s New Year&rsquo;s resolutions are driven by body dissatisfaction.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Despite the rapid evolution of AI search, [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/a-guide-to-google-e-e-a-t" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Google&rsquo;s E-E-A-T framework[[/a]] (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) remains critical for building content credibility.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As SEO and AI Search Expert Aimee Jurenka explained on the DMI podcast, &ldquo;backlinks were pretty much what drove the majority of off-page SEO, and Google keeps track of that, they keep a score of that, and that&#39;s how they decide if your sites have authority and should be something that should be ranked higher on the page.&rdquo;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]According to Aimee, this will not only help build your reputation as a thought leader, but it will also get your content ranked in a high position on Google, so it gets seen.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Also consider who creates your content. Does it have authority by being written or linked to subject matter experts, designers, or members of your C-suite to feed into E-E-A-T rather than relying on synthetic outputs?&nbsp;[[/p]]

We're going to be going back to the traditional PR-based content, and a lot more about community involvement and a lot less about, ‘can I get a link?'

[[p]]Creating a strong AI governance framework for marketing requires balancing innovation with risk management.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]A successful framework ensures that your AI tools (e.g. generative content, chatbots, and predictive analytics) are safe, compliant, and aligned with brand values.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]According to [[a href="https://www.salesforce.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-governance/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Salesforce[[/a]], you can create an AI governance framework through:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]
	[[p]][[strong]]Accountability:[[/strong]] This ensures that there are clear roles, responsibilities, and ownership structures for AI systems. Do this by defining who approves model development, assigning ownership for performance, bias, and errors, establishing escalation processes when systems fail or produce harmful outcomes and creating cross-functional oversight committees.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]
	[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]
	[[p]][[strong]]Transparency and explainability: [[/strong]]AI transparency requires that stakeholders understand how systems function and why specific outputs occur while explainability ensures those decisions can be interpreted by humans.&nbsp;[[/p]]
	[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]
	[[p]][[strong]]Fairness:[[/strong]] AI systems must produce equitable outcomes across different user groups by proactive bias detection, mitigation strategies, and ongoing monitoring.&nbsp;[[/p]]
	[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]
	[[p]][[strong]]Data quality and privacy: [[/strong]]Governing the full data lifecycle from collection and preprocessing to storage and retention is key. Strong governance includes data cleansing and validation procedures, secure storage and controlled access, anonymization, and clear retention and deletion policies.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]
	[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]
	[[p]][[strong]]Safety and security: [[/strong]]AI governance must also protect systems from misuse, cyber threats, and operational failure by focusing on safeguarding models, training data, APIs, and outputs from attack or manipulation.&nbsp;[[/p]]
	[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]While AI can help marketers scale activities, it&rsquo;s more important to value quality over quantity.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]For example, original research that&rsquo;s relevant to your audience will outperform AI-generated content in search engines, AI search, and in the eyes of your potential and existing customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]So, think about quality when creating campaigns or content. What you want is to really connect with your audience, which often only comes with bringing human minds together. [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-market-research" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Market research[[/a]] and content created by experts or content creators can help here too.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

'AI slop’ can only be offset by true creator content, and it’s more paramount than ever to leverage creators for their integrity, authenticity, ethics and relatability with consumers.

[[p]]While some [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-generated-image-trend-what-should-marketers-know" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]campaigns have gone viral[[/a]] and provided brands with exposure, that&rsquo;s often not the right approach for brand marketing.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Instead of relying on gimmicks and algorithms to raise brand awareness, companies should focus on human-centered marketing and relationship-building to build meaningful and sustainable consumer trust.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Take luxury fashion brand Bottega Veneta as an example. In 2021, the company made the bold decision to delete its Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. This move generated buzz and fan-run accounts like @newbottega now act as unofficial curators that see millions of impressions. This move created a halo of exclusivity that no ad spend could replicate.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]According to Fashion United, this instance underscored that thoughtful, considered design remains in demand and deeply desirable.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s no longer enough to post content and hope it resonates; customers want more from today&rsquo;s brands. That&rsquo;s where community marketing comes in.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]According to Areej AbuAli, author and founder of Women in Tech SEO, &ldquo;Community is not just a channel. It&rsquo;s owned [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/building-community-as-marketing-infrastructure-in-the-ai-era" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]marketing infrastructure[[/a]] that enables regular engagement, learning, and trust at scale.&rdquo;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]It&rsquo;s also a business driver that can help you stand out from competitors and provide content of value, not AI slop.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Take [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/case-studies/nike-always-ahead-of-the-curve" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Nike[[/a]] as an example. Its Nike Run Club (NRC) app brings together runners from all walks of life. Members can track fitness activities, take part in challenges, and get motivation from other runners.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

Screenshot of Nike Run Club in action/Source: Nike 

[[p]]The NRC app has 100+ million downloads and has 50+ million active users which have collectively logged over 3 billion miles and contributed to billions in show sales, as reported by event X games.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]If you&rsquo;re not already trying to cultivate a community and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/why-you-should-prioritize-community-over-content" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]prioritize it over content[[/a]], it&rsquo;s time to get started.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]AI is accelerating content production and changing how people discover brands. With so much noise online for people to wade through, it&rsquo;s not quantity that will get you seen, it&rsquo;s quality.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]AI slop is a risk for any brand looking to connect with customers and grow. So, while AI can help you streamline processes and scale, human oversight is essential to ensure that anything you create or do is aligned to your brand and in keeping with your ethos.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As Chair of the AI Council for DMA and a veteran copywriter, Kerry Harrison advises marketers on the [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/podcasts/podcast-091-the-human-touch-in-ai-copywriting-julie-kerry" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]DMI podcast[[/a]] to use the AI sandwich methodology. &ldquo;This is the idea that we need a human to do the strategy, the thinking, the objectives and the concept. Then we have the AI in the middle as the filling, and that&#39;s where we use the tools, and have the craft and the human afterwards.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Artificial intelligence is a game changer for marketers as it helps personalize, optimize, and automate many key marketing activities. [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/students/short-courses/advanced-ai-in-digital-marketing"]]Our short interactive AI course[[/a]] (with practical AI tool walkthroughs) will help you understand the fundamentals of AI and use key tools for research, content development, data-driven decision-making, and creative design. Get started today![[/p]]

Is AI Slop the New Brand Risk?

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