Category: Blog

The Need to Know:

• Humanize copy to avoid AI reach penalties: Write conversationally without business jargon or AI-generated text that triggers LinkedIn’s “AI slop” flag

• Capitalize on real-time trends: Leverage thought leadership by creating posts around current industry news, cultural moments, and interactive polls to capture quick engagement.

• Maintain a consistent publishing schedule: Post regularly to build brand recall, expand network reach, and satisfy LinkedIn’s algorithm.

• Master text structure: Craft strong single-sentence hooks that force users to click “…more,” and close every post with a clear Call to Action (CTA) or question.

• Leverage native LinkedIn features: Utilize native platform features like Collab Posts to tap into partner networks and boost distribution.

• Provide unique, non-generic value: Share authentic, behind-the-scenes career experiences and perspectives that draw on your personal experience. 

Have you ever read a LinkedIn post and thought, wow…I wish I had written that first. 

Whether you’re in the world of social media marketing or just scrolling your daily LinkedIn feed, there’s something special about a really good LinkedIn post. The kind that doesn’t just perform well, but that actively engages people to comment, bookmark, and reshare. The kind that takes it even further and creates its own shelf life, aka the type of post that leaves people with an idea or something to think about after they scroll. 

At VaynerMedia, we spend a lot of time in the LinkedIn world, and it’s become our top-priority handle. After much trial and error, we’ve picked up a few tips and tricks on what separates a memorable post from a forgettable one. 

Here are 6 tips you should keep in mind when writing your next LinkedIn post. Universal, whether you’re posting on your brand account, trying to become a Top Voice, or just looking to market yourself for that next career jump.  

1. Write Conversationally to Beat LinkedIn’s “AI Slop” Filters

There are two layers to this. 

On the one hand: nobody feels motivated to read blocks of boring business jargon. The beauty of LinkedIn is that it gives a voice to some of the most skilled and insightful professionals in the business right now. So, sound like a person, and sound like yourself. Write in the same way you’d speak, but don’t lecture your audience. Talk to them the way you would your favorite coworker. Still professional…but with a little bit of fun. 

The second layer to this? There really are no robots allowed. LinkedIn is cracking down heavily on AI right now, and if you’re relying on AI agents to write your posts, it’ll impact your visibility and reach. You may have noticed a certain “seems like AI slop” label recently appear on your account. As part of a recent LinkedIn update, users can now flag content that seems AI-generated, which negatively impacts your content’s algorithmic reach. Ultimately, LinkedIn is a platform that rewards authenticity and personability, so make sure that’s evident in your content.  

2. Leverage Real-Time Trends and Cultural Moments

The Internet moves fast, but culture moves even faster. Your LinkedIn thought leadership content should join in on whatever topics or conversations are currently trending. If you’re hesitating to jump in on what’s timely right now, you’re missing your window of opportunity. 

Take a few moments to write about the latest marketing stunt taking over NYC. Throw together a quick poll asking your network for their best Q4 practices. Let people know what’s going on in your life or career, or speak on what’s happening in the cultural zeitgeist. Not only is it the best way to actually connect with your audience, but it also helps you get an actual sense of what people are loving, hating, or are just sort of neutral about right now.

3. Maintain a Consistent LinkedIn Publishing Schedule

Consistency is key. Become an account that people associate with their daily scroll and turn to for insights or updates. If you’re posting every once in a blue moon, you’ll lack the visibility that people are looking for when they’re trying to learn or engage online. And, in the more technical sense, it’ll prevent you from reaching your full capabilities. 

Users who post more consistently on LinkedIn are more likely to increase visibility, expand their network, and build a reputation. 

4. Master Text Structure: Hooks and CTAs

On that note…posting more doesn’t mean you can forget about the quality of your content. There are a few things that every good LinkedIn post should have. For starters, prioritize your hook. Just one sentence is enough to get somebody to stop what they’re doing and (if you’re doing it right) press the ‘…more’ button. Think about what would make you interested enough to continue reading, and put that thought into how you write. 

Another best practice is to always end your post with a call to action. Think: What value do I want others to gain from posting this? It can be as simple as leaving your audience with a question for them to think over, or engaging your network by asking them to weigh in on a discussion. 

5. Tap Into Partner Networks with Native LinkedIn Features

As a platform, LinkedIn is always changing, and the best accounts are the ones that evolve with these growing pains. 

One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen recently is the introduction of collab posts. Now, similar to the requests you’d find on Instagram, users can send a collab invite to other pages, allowing up to 5 users to co-author a single post. Tapping into simple features like this can introduce your page to new audiences that are available to your network, but ones you wouldn’t normally come across. 

6. Provide Actionable Value Through Your Own POV’s

No two LinkedIn posts are the same, but all great ones have one thing in common: they provide genuine value and insight. Nobody wants generic copy that leaves them wondering what it is they just read. People want to hear about the experiences that landed somebody a role at their dream Fortune 500. They want to know what a successful campaign looks like behind the scenes, from start to finish, and with all the obstacles in between. 

It’s not about delivering the most polished or perfect-sounding post. It’s about showing up authentically and providing value that only you can provide. Your experiences, your career, and your POV are unique, so use that to your advantage and showcase it. 

Made it all the way to the end? 

Are you an enterprise marketer looking to work with us? Let’s connect!

What To Expect From This Article

• Consumers are increasingly turning to AI answer engines to help them make their purchasing decisions. They received curated recommendations on what brands to buy, choose, and trust.
• AI learns from ecosystems, pulling from social, creator, and user-generated content.
• There is no singular platform that AI pulls from. It learns from different platforms across the web. 
• Independent voices (such as that from reviews, tutorials, etc) are shaping the information that AI uses to understand brands. 
• AI incorporates new information quickly, so brands need to push out new content every day to be featured in its ever evolving learning and recommendations. 
• Brands must build attention for both attention and recommendation, and need to start ASAP while the recommendation era is in early development. 

Brands are not just marketing to humans anymore.

Today, people are turning to AI for literally everything and that includes their shopping habits. One of AI’s biggest shifts is how it’s become a go-to, virtual shopping assistant, consolidating information to help consumers determine what to ‘Add to Cart.’ 

Instead of navigating through pages of links and reviews, they’re receiving synthesized answers, curated recommendations, and increasingly, direct suggestions about what brands to buy, trust, and choose. As AI becomes more and more prevalent in our day to day routines, and shapes our buying and spending, an important question is on the top of every marketers mind: 

What does AI trust enough to recommend?

And the underlying question…how do I make sure my brand, or my products, are the ones being recommended?

We teamed up with Profound to get the data to better understand how exactly AI recommendations work.

Here’s your AI AEO crash course AKA the key to winning brand discovery in the recommendation era.  

Where Do AI Answer Engines Pull Brand Information From?

One of the most important things we’ve learned from our study is where AI pulls information from.  What stood out most was the rate at which social, creator, and user-generated content has climbed as a source. Over the last six months it rose as a share of citations across five of the six major AI engines we studied. It is one of the fastest-growing inputs shaping how AI understands brands. Although the platforms varied, it became clear that social content is a huge contributor to AI citations. 

However, just having a social media presence does not guarantee visibility. Brands need to be highly intentional and consistent about what they’re posting and where. Volume may be a factor in how AI agents discover your brand, but citation is the overall goal. The brands that are actually making this distinction, and showing up in recommendations, are the ones who have expanded and developed their social scopes. They’re showing up across media, reviews, creator content, community discussions, expert sources, and more. Essentially, they’re tuned into various conversations happening online, giving AI a variety of sources and formats to pull from. 

The biggest takeaway here is that social media has increasingly become part of the information pool AI uses to understand brands. A strong social media presence shapes visibility, reference, and familiarity but it also develops credibility and authority, which AI will look for when it responds. So, it’s not necessarily about posting the most, but it is crucial that brands post enough to discover what pieces earn independent citation, so they can analyze and scale it across the web.

Which Social Platforms Drive the Most AI Recommendations?

We’ve established that AI learns from ecosystems…but exactly which ones? Well there’s bad news and good news. Bad news first: There is no one ecosystem, or singular AI strategy that brands can implement for visibility. The good news is that brands are entirely capable of discovering what content of theirs resonates with AI and building a strategy from there. 

But first, more of the stats:

Our research shows that: 

• Google’s AI products lean heavily on Youtube
• ChatGPT relies more heavily on Reddit 
• Copilot draws from distinct professional networks like LinkedIn  

We also discovered that among all social platforms, YouTube was the strongest proof point. It’s rapidly climbing across competing answer engines, moving from roughly #247 to #34 in ChatGPT and from #61 to #13 in Copilot. It’s a huge signal for brands to keep track of, but it’s also not the only factor to consider. The ecosystem is still largely complex, so it’s crucial for brands to treat every platform intentionally, and to continue building their understanding to AI. It may be a process, but the brands truly winning in this next era are the ones that understand where influence lives and build accordingly. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerX (@vaynerx)

Does AI Trust Brand Websites or Creator Videos More?

As noted, YouTube is a huge player in the AI visibility game, and there’s a reason for that. As AI systems look for trustworthy, explanatory content, it’s often being pulled towards creator-led videos, AKA exactly the kind you’d find on YouTube!

AI is not swayed by branding or messaging. Instead, it disproportionately favors content that explains, evaluates, and educates. 

Think…

• Reviews 
• Comparisons
• Tutorials
• How-to content 
• & Creator-led recommendations 

AI is single-handedly changing the way credibility is built and it’s doing it by spotlighting individual voices. Brand visibility is becoming a function of consistent participation. It is not enough to show up. Brands need to be talked about, referenced, and reviewed across a diverse mix of sources. With creators in the mix, brands earn the third-party validation AI increasingly relies on to recommend them. 

How Fast Does AI Index New Content?

AI may have a lot of information to read through, but it certainly doesn’t stall. From publication to citation, the median time it takes for AI to pick up fresh content is just 6.8 days. Ninety percent of content gets cited within about 37 days. Here is the part most brands miss: half of everything AI cites is less than 13 weeks old. That window slides forward every day, so the content working for you now ages out of it. If you are not publishing consistently, you fall out of the answer. 

AI is reading the internet continuously (just like us!) so the more information it obtains, the smarter it grows and the more developed its answers will become. New content is at the forefront of discovery, and fresh information is what will shape the future of brand visibility. For marketers, this may come with a bit of a learning curve. A lot of brands still operate on campaign timelines…but the reality is that AI does not. It’s going to reward the brands that show up every day, not every quarter. Consistent publishing, rapid learning, and editorial velocity are going to become some of the biggest advantages.  

What Should Be Next Steps for AI Brand Visibility?

If there’s anything to take away, it’s this: brands must build for both attention and recommendation. 

1. Brands first need to win social and UGC to generate the convos and signals that will put them into consideration. 
2. From there, it’s all about converting that momentum into authority, across channels, that AI will gravitate to. 

We believe that the next 12-18 months of AI discovery will be some of the most important. The recommendation era is still in its early stages, so if brands start now, while systems are still in early development, they’ll show up bigger and better than those who decide to wait. The brands investing in their content footprint now are teaching AI what to recommend later…don’t wait! 

Still have questions on where to get started? Check out the full, completely free report here or contact us – let’s chat!

In the midst of a major technological shift comes a corresponding, boomerang reaction in the opposite direction. That’s exactly where marketing is in 2026. 💥

The social media surge has created accessibility and connection in ways that we’ve truly never experienced before. Keeping in touch and staying up to date has never been easier, and with this, technology has created a new market where attention is the real currency. In the same way that social media has revolutionized the Internet, we are now in the age of AI, which is redefining the way content is created at scale. 

As AI continues to evolve, it is completely changing the creative process. The traditional, slow barriers of ideation and production are becoming a relic of the past. Today, every brand leader and creative professional has equal access to powerful tools that empower them to bring their boldest ideas to life and produce content at an unprecedented scale, speed, and efficiency. 

But, with that also comes the mass commoditization of content. As more brands lean into AI generated content, it will create a gap where quality story telling and authentic content will become scarce, and ultimately, become more valuable. The real-world human connection showing up from brands will ultimately stand out. At VaynerX, this is a shift that we’ve actively been preparing for, and which has become the foundation behind what we like to call The Barbell of Relevance. Essentially, it’s the framework that we believe every marketer should base their upcoming marketing strategy on, and it’s rooted in finding balance between two extremes: the Algorithmic and the Analog. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerX (@vaynerx)

The Extreme Digital

Let’s break it down. 

On one end, we have what we’re defining as Algorithmic Relevance. This is built from the tech and AI renaissance, where algorithms have redefined how relevance is earned on social media and which brands AI recommends to customers in LLM searches. 

We know that the algorithm is powerful and regardless of what platform you’re scrolling through, consumers aren’t actively making the decision behind what they want to see. 

Their algorithm is. 

In today’s algorithmic world, relevance is the ultimate differentiator for brands showing up authentically to consumers. 

The Extreme Analog

As we become more consumed by our screen time, and content begins to feel mass produced, the stronger the desire becomes for real-world human connection. There’s a bigger desire to attend in-person events, add to physical collections, and participate in various communities and experiences. 

As people crave more meaningful and intentional experiences, this signals a new approach to marketing that brands need to be in tune with. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerMedia (@vaynermedia)

The Relevance Barbell Strategy

Where most brands fall short is by losing focus, and feeling like they have to choose between a strong digital or analog strategy. Or, getting stuck in the middle, and half-heartedly investing in both. 

Brands aren’t being asked to choose between the two, or assess which holds more importance. 

It’s about realizing that these two ends are integral to one another, and when used effectively, will reinforce and strengthen the other. 

The algorithm feeds the analog, and vice versa. 

• Online relevancy leads to discovery, while events lead to participation. 
• Digital content creates awareness, while experiences create memories. 
• The digital side is about scale, and the physical completes this by adding depth and connection. 

AI is creating an era where content is endless. Brands will have unlimited resources, but true success will really only come to those who balance it with experiences that cannot be automated. 

With two hands on the Relevance Barbell, and a firm grasp on either end, brands can get their relevance reps in and win the next era of marketing. 

Ready to take your brand to the next level? 

Connect with us and let’s get started The Relevance Barbell way. 🏋️‍♂️

📌 Summary: The Relevance Barbell Strategy in 2026

Want the quick takeaways? Here is how brands can win the next era of marketing by balancing AI scale with real-world connection:

• The Content Commoditization Crisis: As AI content creation becomes faster and cheaper, the digital landscape is facing a mass commoditization of content. While anyone can produce content at scale, authentic storytelling is becoming scarce and highly valuable.
• What is the Relevance Barbell Strategy? Developed by VaynerX, it is a marketing framework rooted in finding balance between two extremes: Algorithmic Relevance (AI-driven, scalable digital content) and Analog Relevance (physical, real-world human experiences).
• Algorithmic Relevance (The Scale): Algorithms dictate what consumers see online. Brands must leverage AI and digital tech to earn attention, build awareness, and drive online discovery at scale.
• Analog Relevance (The Depth): As screen time rises, consumers crave tangible connection. Brands need to invest in in-person events, physical communities, and tactile experiences that cannot be replicated by AI.
• The Danger of the Middle Ground: Winning brands do not choose between digital or physical marketing, nor do they half-heartedly try both. Success requires gripping both ends of the “barbell”—using online relevancy to feed real-world participation, and using physical experiences to deepen digital community.

A historic heat wave, 20k+ steps a day, numerous portable chargers, and one week later, we’ve officially wrapped up Cannes Lions 2026. 🇫🇷

Bringing back our iconic Chez Vayner cafe, plus two new popups including the Creator Salon and Le Bar 55 speakeasy, we created our very own little corner on the Croisette. Packed with days of VX programming and panels, CMO circles, intimate roundtables, and more, we showed up to Cannes in full motion. We kept our ear close to the ground, kept our finger on the pulse of what’s new and happening, and compiled the VX Cannes Lions 2026 recap here. Let’s get into it. 👇

The Digital Revolution is Here. Analog is Following Right Behind It ⏰

Whether or not you made it to Cannes, it’s no secret that AI was the hot button topic of the week (and let’s be honest, in general too.) Everywhere you turned, there was a conversation happening around AI and the digital renaissance we’re seeing happen right now. As AI becomes more intertwined into our day to day life, it’s becoming inseparable to our industry as well. Brands are expanding their AEO capabilities, leaning into live shopping, asking questions about agentic discovery, and ultimately learning what is needed to stay digitally relevant. 

There’s also a complete 180 happening. With the emphasis on digital, people are also taking a step back, and in response, going the complete opposite direction. We’re simultaneously seeing a push for the IRL and a shift towards analog. All week long, brand activations were popping up along the Croisette, pulling in audiences with postcard writing stations and photo booths and activities that honed in-person community building. 

Sure, the conversations may have been centered around AI…but look at where they were happening. During one-on-one conversations in cafes, or in panels surrounded by an audience of intrigued marketers, but most importantly in spaces that focused on IRL experiences. 

This back and forth, between Extreme Digital and Extreme Analog, is what inspired what we at Vayner like to call The Relevance Barbell. 🏋️‍♀️ It’s the strategy we believe all marketers need to tap into, and it calls for brands to fully invest in both digital and analog. During Cannes week, we hosted our very own fireside chat about this very concept. Joined by Bridget Evans (Global Head of Business Marketing at Spotify) and Lia Haberman (Author of the popular ICYMI series), we dove into all the details of the Relevance Barbell effect and how it comes down to one crucial point. You can’t get stuck in the mushy middle. Going forward, this opens a new conversation and a call to action for all marketers to recognize the shift, and start investing in both their digital and analog strategies. Starting with building a more cohesive ecosystem that builds across content, IRL experiences, creator opportunities, commerce, AI, and more.

2026: The Year of the Cannes Lions Creator 🦁

If you’re a Cannes Lions Festival vet, you may have noticed something a little different this year. Last year, creators made some guest appearances, but it was far and few compared to the C-suite execs that normally make up attendance. But this year, creators made up the very fiber of Cannes Lions 2026. You could spot your favorite creators everywhere throughout the week. And they weren’t just attending. 

At our own Chez Vayner programming, we saw familiar faces like Connor Wood and Jason Tartick join our panels to share their unique, creator POV. Creator participation at Cannes wasn’t just for fun. It was a reflection of where marketing is right now, and where it’s headed. 

The creator economy is evolving, and it’s become a strategic priority, unavoidable for any modern marketer. Creator content has shifted. No longer is it about fulfilling promotional assets to amplify a campaign. Today, creators are legitimate business partners, becoming the always-on heartbeat behind true brand building in 2026. 

Creators bring a fresh perspective, deep knowledge and expertise of their craft, plus loyalty and trust from the audiences they’ve already built.  To truly drive relevance today, marketers need to recognize creator value and invest at scale. By working 1:1 with a multitude of creators, across various platforms and strengths, it’s a way of ensuring your brand is a part of the biggest conversations happening online and actually breaking through the noise to reach audiences. 

If there was any hesitation about bringing creators into the marketing mix, Cannes Lions just shut that down: Creators are here to stay.

It’s Never Too Late To Start Posting 📲

If Cannes proved anything, it’s that our mission at Vayner for social-driven, social-first content is as relevant as ever. The opportunities growing from social media are endless, and it’s never been a better time for people to take posting seriously. We’ve officially entered the “non follower era”  which means that followers matter less than they ever have (just think about how often you scroll through your FYP, rather than your Following.) A video posted organically can blow up overnight, sell out a product in 24 hours, or even secure you a flight to Cannes, France! 

And in today’s media landscape, there’s a niche out there for everybody. No matter how specific  your content may be, there’s a platform and an audience out there waiting for you. The best way to get started is first, by actually putting yourself out there and second, being consistent with it. The algorithm favors those who put in the work and keep up with it, so post everything and see where it takes you.  

Rapid Fire Learnings 🔥

At the time of posting this, we are officially 4 days and 1 international flight away from being at Cannes Lions 2026…but who’s counting?

We wanted to break down exactly what to expect this year and how to navigate the week so you can maximize every single moment, panel, and connection.

Over in Vayner world, we couldn’t be more excited for our pop up cafe Chez Vayner to return to Cannes for another year! Whether you’re a Cannes young lion, or an OG, we guarantee there’s always something new to learn or a connection to make along the way. 

The team has been in full gear prepping for Cannes, and because we’re not new to long walks along the Croisette, we’ve put together our very own Cannes Lions cheat sheet. 

Perfect to keep in your back pocket and read through before diving into all the marketing magic.

Take a look. 👇👀

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerMedia (@vaynermedia)

Cannes You Explain What It’s All About?

Cannes Lions is the biggest marketing event in the world made for marketers, and creators by marketers. It connects the many brilliant minds of our industry and creates opportunities to lean into the hot topics impacting the advertising and marketing world.

We’re embarking on our largest Cannes execution yet, from thought leadership panels and CMO circles, to specialty experiential moments at our Chez Vayner pop up, and more content taking you inside the festival than ever before.

🔑 Tip: It’s pronounced CAN, not CANS! 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerMedia (@vaynermedia)

What To Expect

Outside of the programming & award ceremonies, Cannes Lions is a huge opportunity for brands, and whether you’re in France or watching from online, you’ll see how some of the biggest brands are showing up and activating.

At Vayner, we’re showing up with four packed days of programming as well as the return of our very own popup, Chez Vayner cafe.

Chez Vayner is the heart of our Cannes footprint. An open-air French cafe, this space is specifically designed to foster high impact conversations. Whether you’re on the way to your next big panel, or looking to unwind and meet somebody new, we highly recommend a stop at Chez Vayner to add to your Cannes schedule.

🔑 Tip: Don’t be surprised by who you might run into at Chez Vayner! Cannes week is filled with senior marketers & c-suite executives, content creators, musicians, athletes, and so much more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerMedia (@vaynermedia)

Ok But…Is It Worth It?

There’s a LOT that goes into a Cannes trip so it’s worth asking…is it really worth the hype? 1,000,000,000% yes!

For those looking to grow and break into the industry, it’s also a great way to better understand what agencies are looking for when hiring young talent. This is the very idea behind our Young Lions Breakfast. Alongside Mimia Johnson (SVP, Creative Excellence) and Rob Lenois (Chief Creative Officer), we offer unfiltered industry wisdom & career insights that you won’t get from orientation.

🔑 Tip: Don’t let age or a lack of experience discourage you from checking out Cannes Lions opportunities! One of the best reasons to attend is to network and learn from the people and brands around you. Seek out opportunities, and if you can’t make it IRL, track the event and reach out to people to hear about their experience.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VaynerMedia (@vaynermedia)

You’ve Made it To Cannes. Now What?

If you find yourself at Cannes and unsure of where to go, or who to see, don’t worry. Take it from our CMO Avery Akkineni, a (soon to be!) six-time Cannes Lions attendee on what her schedule is looking like and the six things she’s most excited for:

Stop #1: Cannes Creator Kick-Off 📲

With the one and only Gary Vaynerchuk, we’ll be getting Cannes week started with a VaynerX style kickoff party, bringing together creators shaping culture for an evening dedicated to convos about the growing creator economy, platform shifts, and more. Consider it a deep dive into the rise of the individual empire & all things creatorpreneurism.

Stop #2: CMO Accelerator Cocktails 🍸

Joined by the incredible Jim Stengel, we’re celebrating the 2026 CMO Accelerator Program with an exclusive cocktail reception at Chez Vayner! Bringing together past, present, and future participants, this moment transcends the typical industry event and offers an opportunity for genuine networking & relationship strengthening.

Stop #3: Collaborating with The Marketing Academy 📚

The Marketing Academy is bringing its global audience to Cannes, and we couldn’t be more excited for the opportunities that come with a partnership like this one. TMA will be hosting their very own takeover at Chez Vayner, and it’ll be the perfect opportunity to bridge industry professionals and talented marketers into one space.

Stop #4: Avery’s Roundtable with The Female Quotient 🎤

The Female Quotient always puts together truly meaningful conversations. This session is no exception and is guaranteed to dig deep into some of the most thought provoking topics of the week.

Stop #5: Kargo’s Sea and Scene Kick-Off 🌊

A must see during your Cannes experience! Kargo’s programming is the ultimate way to get your week started on a high note.

Stop #6: Our Very Own Creator Salon🪞

Need a pit stop on the way to your next panel? Or a place to unwind and freshen up? Our Creator Salon is the perfect spot to break away from the action for a little. Plus, it’s filled with photo opps and gifting from our brand partners, so you won’t want to miss this one!

🔑 Tip: Go in with a schedule, but don’t be afraid to be spontaneous either! Some of the most memorable experiences can come from going with the flow, and adding something to your schedule out of pure curiosity.

Whatever your Cannes journey looks like, it’s bound to be a good one. We’ll be part of the action all week long, just steps away from the fountain, and oui truly can’t wait to see you there!  😉

Made it all the way to the end? 🇫🇷

Check out more of our programming and most importantly, enjoy everything that Cannes week has to offer.

Au revoir & Happy Cannes! 🦁🇫🇷

For fútbol fans across the globe, this week marks the beginning of the biggest game in the world. Hint hint: 🌎🏆🏟️

As big of a competition as this is for sports fans, it’s also a major opportunity in the world of marketing. With over a billion viewers, and millions of fans pouring over social media, the biggest brands are showing up center stage to be a part of the conversation. And in Duracell’s latest campaign, we not only saw how they’re celebrating this year’s game, but how they’re earning attention all season, with a specialty ⚽️-themed campaign, starring the one and only Lionel Messi. 

We sat down with Tara Monserrate, Senior Account Director at VaynerMedia, and part of the team that helped bring this vision to life, for a behind-the-scenes perspective on how exactly a campaign this monumental happens. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

Q: Anybody who tuned into the Big Game 2025 🏈 might have recognized the Duracell Scientist back on the field. What inspired the team to create a “sequel” to last year’s commercial?

A: The response to our Big Game campaign last year was incredible. The Duracell Scientist quickly became a recognizable and beloved character, and we saw an opportunity to continue building that world rather than starting over. We often talk about the importance of consistency in marketing, and this felt like a chance to strengthen the equity we’d already built.

Last year, we partnered with Tom Brady—the GOAT of American football—to help introduce our “Built Different” platform. As we looked ahead to the next chapter, we asked ourselves: who is the equivalent in the world’s game? The answer was obvious. Lionel Messi has spent decades redefining greatness through his consistency, longevity, and ability to perform at the highest level year after year.

Bringing the Scientist back allowed us to continue the story in a way that felt both familiar and fresh. We went from powering the GOAT of football to powering the GOAT of fútbol, creating a natural evolution of the platform while reinforcing what Duracell stands for: reliable, long-lasting performance. It gave us the opportunity to build on a character audiences already loved while partnering with one of the most iconic athletes in the world.

Q: The World Cup is a huge cultural phenomenon and this spot capitalizes on that moment. Tell us about the vision behind tying a Duracell campaign to one of the biggest sporting events (with one of the biggest athletes) in the world. 

A: What excited us wasn’t a specific event—it’s the growing cultural relevance of soccer and the opportunity to partner with one of the most iconic athletes in the world.

At its core, the “Built Different” platform celebrates exceptional performance, endurance, and reliability. Messi embodies those qualities in a way very few athletes can. He’s spent decades performing at the highest level, earning the admiration of fans across generations and around the globe.

For us, the partnership was an opportunity to connect Duracell’s product truth with a cultural icon whose career has been defined by consistency and excellence.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Duracell (@duracell)

Q: How did the collaboration between Duracell and Messi come about, and what made it feel like a natural fit?

A: The strongest partnerships happen when there’s a genuine connection between the brand and the talent. From the beginning, Messi felt like a natural extension of everything Duracell stands for.

Duracell has built its reputation on dependable, long-lasting power. Messi’s career tells a remarkably similar story. Year after year, season after season, he’s continued to perform at the highest level through discipline, preparation, and consistency.

That alignment made the creative process much easier because we weren’t trying to force a connection—the connection already existed.

Q: Tell us about the creative process: from ideation to execution, what moments or decisions stand out? What makes this spot “built different”? 

A: One of the biggest unlocks was realizing that fans already think of Messi as superhuman. Rather than simply showcasing his skills, we leaned into that perception and asked ourselves: what if even Messi needed a power boost?

That simple question led us to a creative idea that was playful, memorable, and deeply rooted in the product. We wanted to create something that felt entertaining first and advertising second.

What makes this spot “Built Different” is that every creative decision ladders back to the platform. The humor, the storytelling, the Scientist, and Messi himself all reinforce the same core idea: exceptional performance is powered differently.

Q: What ideas or goals shaped this campaign? What do you hope for audiences to think about, or remember, after watching it? 

A: Our goal was to create a campaign that people genuinely enjoyed while reinforcing what makes Duracell different.

We wanted audiences to remember the humor and entertainment value of the creative, but we also wanted them to walk away with a stronger association between Duracell and powerful performance. 

The best advertising creates both emotional connection and brand recall. If consumers remember Messi, remember the Scientist, and remember that Duracell is the battery built for reliable performance, we’ve done our job.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Duracell (@duracell)

Q: This campaign is more than just a hero spot. There are social media activations, retail tie-ins and a sweepstakes competition included as well. Tell us about the creative process behind this surround sound campaign and its importance. 

A: Consumers don’t experience brands through a single touchpoint anymore. They discover content on social, encounter products at retail, engage with creators online, and interact with brands across countless channels throughout the day.

Because of that, we approached this as an ecosystem rather than a standalone commercial. The hero film established the story, but every additional activation gave consumers another way to engage with the campaign.

Whether someone discovered it through social content, limited-edition packaging, retail displays, or the sweepstakes program, we wanted every touchpoint to feel connected and reinforce the same creative idea. That’s what helps turn awareness into participation.

Q: How has the campaign performed so far? Any insights you can share on views/engagement, sales, etc?

A: We’re incredibly encouraged by the response so far. We’ve seen strong engagement across social platforms, positive audience sentiment, and meaningful participation across the broader campaign ecosystem.

What’s been especially exciting is seeing how fans have embraced the creative concept and engaged with the campaign beyond the hero film itself. The conversation around the partnership has extended into social content, retail activations, and fan-generated engagement, which speaks to the strength of the idea.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

Q: For the soccer fans and Messi die-hards…any fun BTS moments from working with the 🐐that you can share?  

A: One thing that stood out immediately was how incredibly focused and professional Messi was throughout the entire process. No matter how many people were on set or how ambitious the production became, he remained calm, prepared, and fully engaged.

There was also a surreal quality to watching the Duracell Scientist and Messi interact between takes. It’s not every day you see one of the greatest athletes of all time sharing a scene with a fictional scientist carrying batteries. Those moments definitely reminded everyone how unique this project was.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in bringing this to life, and how did the team pivot to solve it?

A: The biggest challenge was balancing scale with simplicity.

When you’re working with a global icon like Messi, there’s a natural tendency to make every aspect of the campaign bigger and more complex. We constantly challenged ourselves to simplify and stay focused on the core idea.

Ultimately, the strongest campaigns are often the clearest ones. By maintaining discipline around a single story and a single product truth, we were able to create something that felt both entertaining and strategically focused.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Duracell (@duracell)

Q: Out of all the surround sound activations, which one surprised you the most in terms of driving engagement, and why?

A: The limited-edition packaging was one of the most exciting surprises.

What started as a retail execution is quickly becoming something fans actively want to collect, share, and talk about. It reinforced something we often see in modern marketing: when you give consumers a tangible way to participate in a campaign, engagement can extend far beyond traditional advertising.

It became more than packaging—it became part of the experience.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to another brand marketer trying to pull off a massive sports-tentpole and celebrity-driven campaign, what would it be?

A: Start with a strong strategic truth before you start thinking about the celebrity.

The most successful partnerships aren’t built around fame—they’re built around alignment. The talent should amplify the story you’re already trying to tell, not become the story itself.

When the brand truth, creative idea, and talent all reinforce one another, the work feels authentic. And when it feels authentic, audiences respond in a much more meaningful way.

Most brands think Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is just SEO with a new name. They’re wrong!

After analyzing how Fortune 500 brands show up in AI, our resident expert, Zubin Mowlavi (EVP, Commerce) identified three critical things most teams still don’t understand about winning the AEO game:

1️⃣ You’re playing two games at once.

AEO has two distinct layers:

• 🧱 Layer 1: Foundational Training Data. This is the compounding asset built from millions of reviews, mentions, and editorial content. It determines if the model knows you at all. 
• 🧱 Layer 2: Live Retrieval. Models like ChatGPT and Perplexity actively search the web in real-time. Well-structured content can be cited here in as little as 7 to 14 days.

That means if you aren’t optimizing for both layers…you’re missing half the surface area. The brands winning right now are the ones who recognize the value in both of these layers, and work to implement the combo in their AEO strategies. 

2️⃣ Your product catalog is the bare minimum.

A catalog might get you considered, but organic signals earn the recommendation. Here’s what most brands miss: the AEO analysis that tells you where you’re invisible (or not showing up in LLM search and retrievals) is exactly what you need to reverse that. 

Once you can identify the gaps from your AEO data, brands can start identifying prompts that work for products. From there, your data can be used to brief future social content and help strengthen your visibility even more. 

3️⃣ You can’t buy your way in (yet).

Right now, every brand is on equal footing on the organic side. Brands building real equity today are creating a moat for when paid ads eventually arrive. Meanwhile, the brands waiting for their “perfect moment” are only falling behind and, transparently, will have to play catch up against other leading brands. 

The winners will be the brands that treat organic content as their AI & content strategy. 💫 And remember, AEO isn’t a sprint or a one-time thing. It’s a gradual process, and a compounding asset that brands can slowly build now for major results ASAP. Your next steps are simple and it all begins with getting your brand in the answers. 

Ready to Rethink Your Strategy? 🤔

If this breakdown has you second-guessing your current approach to AEO 🤝 Connect with us!

About Zubin Mowlavi

Zubin Mowlavi is the EVP of Commerce at VaynerX and our resident expert on AI search behaviors and modern digital strategy. With a 20+ year background founding and scaling digital commerce agencies, Zubin bridges the gap between traditional SEO and cutting-edge digital growth, especially as AEO strategy begins to take precedence. 

His expertise lies in turning market signals and emerging tech into enterprise products that unlock scalable growth. Zubin has helped Fortune 500 brands strengthen their share-of-voice in zero-click results and developed playbooks to accelerate retail-media growth across global platforms like Amazon and Shopify. 

Wrapping up another successful year at POSSIBLE Miami, we saw some of the biggest trends taking over our industry and what it means for brand marketers looking towards the future. 

Live on the ground in Miami, and part of the action all week long, we have the full recap from Peter Chun (Global EVP of Platforms, Algorithms, and Culture, VaynerX). Consider it our PC with PC (POSSIBLE Chat with Peter Chun, of course!) 

Check out the top marketing trends from POSSIBLE, and the steps you can take to make it work for your brand. 🔥👇

📲 How to Work with Creators in 2026

What Was Said ➡️ You know them, you love them, but is your brand using creators to their full potential? Creators have solidified their place as a core part of brand infrastructure and a crucial element to modern marketing. Creators have the ability to not only help your brand become discovered, but also connect with audiences in a way that creates true brand loyalty. 

What We Heard ➡️ Marketers are going about their creator strategies all wrong. Stop briefing creators with the solo intent being to create more reach. Simply relying on creators to amplify your messaging is holding back their creativity, and their ability to perform what they know best. Instead, consider creators uniquely across different elements. Attribute creators to different areas, such as media or retail, and measure that accordingly across different stages of the funnel. See who, and what, is actually making a difference and how they’ve crafted it to their specific area. 

💍 The Marriage of Short Form & Long Form Content

What Was Said ➡️ Inside the walls of POSSIBLE, and within our industry as a whole, there’s a general energy that everything needs to be shorter. We know that our next generation is used to a different viewing experience. Attention spans are shorter, and a lot of information can be crammed into smaller durations because of the new generation’s quick recall ability. 

What We Heard ➡️ Yes, short form content is taking over, and it’s incredibly important for marketers to prioritize. But, the brands that are actually leading the charge aren’t only using short form content. The ones with the most success are the ones who meld the two. When short form and long form content are intertwined, we can see a more thoughtful approach and strategy take place. 

Marketers, consider this. Instead of just focusing on short form content, use it as your “bait.” Allow it to capture attention, and lay up with your long form content, which can work to build relationships with your more committed viewers. 

Essentially: short form for relevance, long form for loyalty, and the duo for total brand awareness. 

☀️The Future is Bright w/ the next generation of marketing leaders from Miami Ad School

What Was Said ➡️ Aboard the SS Vayner, we hosted a panel with a few of our brilliant marketing minds, in partnership with Miami Ad School. Bringing along the future of marketing to hear more about what we do at VaynerX, we answered the questions they have about entering the workforce, what an average day and workflow looks like, and how we’re innovating to keep up with new tech and trends. 

What We Heard  ➡️ The next generation of marketers is up for the challenge. There’s a lot that our new grads need to prepare for, from AI noise to changing industry trends and signals. But having the MAS class on site showed us that the next generation of marketing leaders are ready to go, with questions (and answers) raring to go. Our advice to marketers is to stop underestimating the next gen, and go beyond your marketing lens. Today’s market is built on relevance, which the upcoming class knows better than anybody. They know how to be creative, and create things that actually perform well, regardless of a marketing background.

⌚️Analog Experiences in a Digital World

What Was Said ➡️ People crave human interaction. Chalk it up to the pandemic, or an increasingly AI-driven and online world. Whatever it may be, we’re seeing consumers crave the exact opposite. All of POSSIBLE was filled with one-on-one networking and IRL panels, and it doesn’t just stop here. People are actively embracing counter-cultural, real-life analog experiences. Just think of today’s biggest trends, from running to book to mahjong clubs! 

What We Heard ➡️ To win, brands must adopt a “Barbell Strategy.” You need to focus on producing relevance IRL, in addition to dominating the digital space. It’s all about organizing experiential marketing with amazing content production. You need both, and when you can execute them together, expect to see big results. 

Looking for more conversations around today’s biggest marketing topics? We’ll be back at Cannes Lions this upcoming summer, and we’re ready to dive into even more. Check out what we’re doing and register to join us. 🦁🇫🇷

For brands today: Reach is easy. Trust is hard.

In a B2B landscape flooded with AI-generated content, getting eyeballs on your brand isn’t enough anymore. The biggest hurdle marketers face today isn’t just getting noticed, it’s getting believed.

According to a recent LinkedIn study, 94% of marketers believe that trust is the ultimate key to success. Aboard the SS VaynerX at Miami POSSIBLE week, Pedr Howard, Ryan Barthelmes, Vita Molis, and Kaylen McNamara sat down for a panel that explores this stat, and what it takes to turn passive awareness into real, authentic connection with your audiences.

If you’re anywhere in the world of B2B marketing, check out the full recap here. 👇

Bridging The Gap: Awareness vs Actual Belief

Today’s B2B marketers are tasked with bridging the gap between awareness and actual belief in the brand, and that starts with: 

• Relevance ➡️ For brands stuck in today’s mid funnel, organic social creative can help brands break through the noise. The algorithms in place make sure that your content is finding the people who it will actually resonate with, making it a huge unlock for consideration and validation. 
• Confidence ➡️ With various stakeholders at play, it can take up to 9 months for a campaign decision to be made. The best way forward through a lengthy process? Building trust throughout it. It starts with consistency in your messaging, and can combat any of the hesitations that might build along the way. 

The Three C’s of B2B

Elevating and evolving your B2B marketing for today starts with the three C’s: credibility, creators, and creativity.

1. Credibility

Credibility is rooted in your messaging. A brand has to have a thorough understanding of their own vision and mission, but it doesn’t stop there. If its employees and executives can also weigh in on this opportunity, offering more reach and connection, it helps build what Vita Molis calls the “credibility stack.” From there, it can only grow, reaching customer advocates and peers until you have a network built out. 

2. Creators

Creators have completely changed the way we market. In a world where followers matter less and less, and organic content can amass hundreds of thousands of impressions, brands need to prioritize creator-led content. Culture fits are important, and you have to find the right person for your brand, but it’s certainly important for those looking to take things to the next level. 

3. Creativity

Creators bring a fresh POV and sense of creativity that can bring in new audiences, and they’re doing it with organic content. The quality needs to be there, but when it is, your messaging can scale across channels and across demographics. 

The Age of Authenticity

Today, authenticity is the true cheat sheet, and ultimate shortcut for gaining relevance, connection, and community. Opportunities to connect with your audience, and show them how you’re maintaining brand identity and vision, offers a glimpse into your own authenticity. 

Something that’s becoming more and more important, is hearing from the people behind the brand. Executives who can offer their insights, and are honest about what they’re seeing and hearing from their industries, are growing online. That inside POV, of someone on the ground at their company, can really break through to an audience. 

TLDR? Here’s the Closing Thoughts from Our Panelists

For those wondering what tangible steps they can take next, or what the best way forward is, we closed our panel out with the following question: 

“What is the most important shift that brands should be making in their creator and content strategies going forward?”

🤳 Just try it. Take that step, produce content, and let the process take hold, without aiming for perfection. 

🤑 Dollars follow attention. Brands need to understand the investment behind true production and realize that producing relevance at scale is the most important thing they can do.

📈 Relevance is key, but so is a measurement framework that understands what is driving the brand. Knowing where engagement comes from is the only way to feed the areas that are having the most success.