Chat GPT ads, Elon Musk’s X and movie brand extensions

Chat GPT x Under Armour 

Under Armour has turned to AI in an effort to take the pre-game hype-up speech to a whole new level.

Less than a week before the beginning of the 2023/2024 European Premier League football season, Under Armour launched ‘The ultimate team talk,’ a “Remember the Titans’ style locker room speech delivered by British actor Ashley Walters. The script for the galvanising talk was crafted entirely by ChatGPT.

Under Armour said the driving mission behind its new campaign was to create “the most inspirational team talk of all time, designed to help team sport athletes go all-out for something bigger than themselves, the team.”

But it felt a bit… flat.

YouTube and Twitter were ablaze with commentators calling out the ad when it landed, saying it felt contrived, hackneyed and like they’d seen it all before. And, that’s the issue with AI as a copywriter. It can only write what’s already been written. 

McDonald’s and Burger King have already released competing ads written by Chat GPT but since the tool can only harness and search material already available to it, originality and creative sparks are hard to come by. Copywriters should take note, but not flight. 

Elon Musk… again

Barely a week goes by without Elon Musk and the platform formally known as Twitter. This time it’s the block button. 

Users of X (formerly Twitter) will not be able to block people from seeing their posts or leaving comments. Musk said the function “makes no sense” – adding that it will only be possible to block someone from sending direct messages.

In the shake-up to the app, users will now only be able to mute individuals, which allows someone to remove another account’s posts from their timeline, without unfollowing or blocking them. The user’s posts remain visible to the muted account.

The change has prompted concern from many X users, including the Auschwitz Memorial, which replied: “Failing to address the antisemitic and Holocaust denial comments that appear under our posts commemorating the victims of Auschwitz would be a disservice to their memory.

The account said the blocking function is a “practical measure”.

Removing the feature could also potentially violate the terms and conditions of stores like Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

The ability to no longer filter harassment or bullying could mean X becomes a second tier player in the space. Will Musk’s gamble pay off? The jury is very much out. 

Are movies just brand extensions?

With Barbie smashing box office records, the Ninja Turtles having a culture come back and Gran Turismo launching in theatres it feels like brands are hijacking the cinema. 

This Christmas, Barbie is expected to be the toy at the top of Christmas lists thanks to a star studded mega pic. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have done more for brand Mattel than any ad campaign before and despite the film polarising opinions (feminist or not, anti-men or not) it has managed to be an extension of the brand but also stand alone. This is down to clever writing, tongue in cheek sarcasm and brand sign posting that feels like fans are in on the joke rather than being sold too. Smart, that Greta Gerwig. 

Much like real motor racing, everything is brand forward in Gran Turismo too, from the Lamborghinis that the rival rich kid racers drive to the Sony Walkman that Mardenborough gives his mentor in their most touching moment. But unlike how the foundation of motorsport, an astonishingly expensive venture even at its lowest rungs, is the drive to race—to be the fastest—Gran Turismo’s entire justification is the product it is selling. Enzo Ferrari begrudgingly launched a luxury car brand to fund his racing teams; Columbia Pictures and PlayStation Productions have partnered to do it the other way around. They had to trudge through an artistic medium to get their advertisements out.

Do fans really want to watch three hour long adverts? If clever, message centric Barbie is anything to go by, yes. But if you’re Sony – you might want to think again. 

Mobile trends and IFA

Now for something a bit different. 

This week marks our annual return to IFA in Berlin, Europe’s biggest technology show. It’s the place where the biggest names, disruptor brands and start-ups showcase the latest consumer devices and appliances. From AI to VR, smart cities to smarter homes, healthcare to sustainability, robotics to mobility, earbuds to hearing aids, gaming systems to drones, pet trackers to the metaverse, and more. It’s a festival of future technologies, hands-on products, engaging experiences and top entertainment. Make Honey will be there supporting clients and reporting on the trends. To meet us, click on our IFA calendar and let’s grab a coffee and a Kalter Hund. 

We’ve also created a deep dive analysis on smartphone marketing strategy, trends and ROI if you can’t meet us IRL. Check it out here.