Quickly optimize your content

Built Different just landed on the masthead. What began as a newsletter title, ‘Perspectives of a Marketing CEO,’ quickly outgrew its old suit in twelve issues flat. So we gave it a new name, a bigger lens, and we’re off to the races.

When I launched this thing, the goal was to pull the curtain back on how decisions actually happen when the numbers swell and the clock refuses to blink.

Two large shifts have hit since. First, AI stopped being a shiny add-on and became the core infrastructure race. Second, every serious operator (from 10-person boutiques to global holding agencies) is now asking us the same blunt question. Do we own the pipes, or do we rent them? They’re asking that quest question because it drives everything today - valuation, margin, and even headcount strategy.

My inbox felt the change first. Every issue here sparks email chains that outrun the newsletter itself and roll across time zones. Founders, bankers, brand chiefs, policy architects — they volley questions sharper than some I have heard on Wall Street. My point is that this audience outgrew the wrapper, so the wrapper had to grow or step aside.

Introducing Built Different—a bimonthly field report that shows how decision-layer AI, creator intelligence, and smart M&A are rewriting the marketing playbook before the ink on last quarter’s plan is even dry.

Built Different keeps the cadence, keeps the zero-varnish tone, and widens the lens to match how quickly capital, talent, and tech now collide.

Digital marketing is no longer a channel game. We run full-stack decision engines where data, AI, and creator intelligence fire in a single loop. Brands that wire that loop first capture compounding margin. Agencies that miss the window watch head-count fees fade. Investors see the shift, which is why decision-layer tech keeps pulling bids even as discretionary ad spend plateaus.

Now the numbers. LUMA’s latest tracker shows meaningful marketing-tech deals rising more than twenty-five percent quarter on quarter. That is not froth. Buyers want control of the data-to-creative pathway because that is where outcomes lock. Wall Street is acting in concert. Late June, Barclays trimmed growth expectations for two legacy holding giants and wrote that revenue will remain flat until those firms rebuild their decision layer . Hourly billing cannot cover the spread when AI can crank out two hundred variants before the first coffee refill.

Inside C-suite calls the talk is sharper. Integration windows are shrinking. Boards no longer applaud signed term sheets; they ask how soon the new gear fires live. Ninety days is the line. Miss it and the win turns into burn. There is also the creator loop. Smart shops treat every post as streaming telemetry. Content goes live, the model ingests engagement vectors, the next brief lands inside forty-eight hours. That cycle was a gaming-studio move five years ago; it now runs in toys, beauty, home improvement, even insurance.

Those pressures set the price ladder. Loud logos do not command the highest multiples. Premium flows to platforms proving the jump from data arrival to creative decision clocks under thirty seconds.

We chose ownership early. RAD Intel maps micro-communities before media dollars move, routes every creator interaction back into the model the moment it happens, and pushes every saved dollar into second-wave momentum plays. Skechers cut paid-social waste by half on that loop and shoved the savings into a Super Bowl burst that returned three-and-a-half times spend. Private equity noticed. During diligence walk-throughs this spring, partners measured time to margin in weeks, not quarters. Their line, not mine — most performance assets bend EBITDA inside twelve months, RAD bends it in roughly half that time. Compression like that becomes its own moat.

Own first-party intent. The cookie clock is almost silent and legislators on both oceans are drafting tighter rules. Deterministic IDs inside your walls will cost less today than next month.

Run a latency sprint. Pick one live product line, start a timer when new data lands, stop when the first creative decision fires. If you see more than forty-eight hours, you found your next cap-ex request.

Audit the creator pipeline. Ask whether every influencer post lands in your model within a day. If not, someone else will weaponise that blind spot in their next pitch.

Acquisition cadence stays hot. Assets guaranteeing data sovereignty keep clearing double-digit EBITDA multiples because brand counsels refuse another privacy rerun. LLM-native performance shops will trade quickest because they drop margin into the ledger on day one. Integration playbooks become page one of every diligence deck. Time to value replaces logo counts as the deciding metric.

A quick twist on platform trust. LinkedIn video engagement climbed fifty percent year on year, and premium CTV metrics mirror that rise. Mid-tier creators aged forty-five and up now deliver the cheapest CPMs in 2025. Audiences reward authenticity over pyrotechnics, and CFOs see it.

Twelve issues later, and the inbox tells its own story. Every send sparks threads that sprint past the original post, rolling across time zones and igniting month-long exchanges in email and LinkedIn DMs—conversations sharper than some I have heard on Wall Street. That momentum demanded a bigger frame, so Built Different steps in to carry the weight.

We’ll continue to keep our energy focused. Expect more deal intel, first-mover consolidation snapshots, and brand-adoption wins in the next issue. For now, the only question that matters is clear. Are you ready to own the pipes, or will you keep renting them?

To RAD,

Jeremy Barnett, Co-founder & CEO, RAD Intel

Maria Brown, Head of Comms, RAD Intel

The flattening has begun. Brand voice is starting to blur.

As more companies lean on the same AI tools to generate messaging, the edges will soften until eventually everything just sounds the same. Polished. Safe. Invisible.

Scroll LinkedIn for five minutes and it’s obvious. Every founder is “disrupting.” Every update is “AI-powered.” Every product is “game-changing.”

I’ve been doing this a long time and have to ask, if everyone’s a thought leader, who exactly is leading?

This sameness isn’t new—but now it’s accelerating. Campaigns miss. Partnerships underdeliver. Strategy meetings feel like déjà vu.

It’s not simply a creative issue these days. It’s a strategic one.

That’s why clarity is quickly becoming the most valuable asset in marketing. And smart teams are shifting how they get there.

Instead of chasing more content, they’re adopting tools that sharpen decisions. Institutional AI—not just generative, but agentic—is powering platforms like RAD Score, built to help marketers move with speed and precision.

These aren’t content machines. They’re clarity engines. Helping teams test, refine, and launch with more confidence—and far less guesswork.

Because the goal isn’t to make more noise. It’s actually to connect.

For years, marketers have relied on historical experience and gut instinct to shape creative, choose influencers, and predict campaign outcomes. Sometimes it works. Often it doesn't.

What we've learned working with performance-driven teams is this—confidence comes from knowing, not guessing.

This is where RAD Score is playing a major role with brands today—not as the centerpiece, but as a compass for digital marketers looking to stand out in a sea of sameness.

With RAD, brand teams can make sense of what’s likely to resonate before they hit publish. They can build stories that say something that's different while removing the pressure of guesswork. Marketing campaigns become grounded in emotional insight. And that's why it's in demand.

For many clients, this tool is unlocking the freedom to experiment within clearer guardrails. To push bold creative, knowing the message is mapped to what the audience already cares about.

It means teams spend less time defending their choices and more time doubling down on what’s working. When a single campaign drives 3.5x stronger ROI, like we’ve seen in the field, that clarity becomes contagious—not just within marketing, but across leadership.

It’s not about chasing perfect. It’s about creating alignment from the start. That’s the difference when you lead with clarity, not just content.

In an era of noise, these are the rules that separate the scroll-past brands from the ones that stick.

• If you don't know where your buyer is digging online, that's a problem. Going viral isn’t a strategy. It's a side effect of alignment between message, moment, and audience. Marketers need to tap into that alignment. When content connects emotionally, it performs.

• Say less. But mean it more. Today’s best brand campaigns aren’t louder—they’re sharper. Skechers didn’t need 10 posts to explain their value. They needed one creator with the right message, at the right time. Our data helped identify who that was and why they’d land—before a dollar was even spent.

• Your brand voice isn’t your tone. It’s your point of difference. Tone can be mimicked. Style can be copied. But understanding what makes your message click and your audience act is a deeper kind of differentiation. RAD Intel helps brands uncover what actually moves people so they can repeat it with confidence.

Economic headwinds are real. Budgets are tighter. Leadership is asking hard questions... because they are getting asked by their board. But while many companies are retreating into safer bets and templated playbooks, the breakout brands are doubling down on precision.

The ones who win aren’t producing more. They’re producing with purpose.

At RAD Intel, our agency partners tell us the same thing. One high-performing message can unlock 10X opportunities across a client portfolio. When a brand sees results, they don’t dip a toe in. They scale. That’s what happened with our wins in beauty, retail, lifestyle, and home.

And that’s not a fluke. That’s the power of clarity.

I’ve spent my career in emerging tech, helping early-stage companies find their voice. The ones that succeed don’t lead with hype. They lead with substance.

They understand that a pain point is not a marketing angle—it’s a business opportunity. And that clarity, not cleverness, is what cuts through.

The market is flooded with noise. The brands that win are the ones that speak directly, think clearly, and move quickly. They don’t chase trends. They build trust.

Because great brands don’t win by saying everything. They win by saying the right thing, to the right people, at the right moment of need.

RAD Intel was built for that moment. And RAD Score is the cengine powering it.

AI has endless potential for creativity. But be careful; it won’t kill brand originality in one big moment. It will erode it quietly.

We’re watching an entire industry chase scale while losing substance. The irony? AI can generate more content than ever, but it can’t create connection unless you tell it where to aim.

The brands that win won’t be the ones producing the most. They’ll be the ones who stand for something—and back it with insight, not noise.

So if your brand is scaling content, pause and ask the following:

• Is it actually cutting through?

• Are you tracking performance beyond impressions?

• Or just publishing at volume and hoping something sticks?

The future belongs to those who say the right thing—and can prove it. Not by shouting. Not by spinning. But by saying less, with data to back it up.

📩 Want to see how RAD Score can sharpen your message, deepen your brand impact, and drive performance you can prove? Reach out: mariabrown@radintel.ai

The new year always brings a sense of anticipation—a chance to look ahead and imagine what’s on the horizon. It’s also an opportunity to reflect and ask the big questions about ourselves, our industry and the clients we serve. At RAD Intel, we’ve spent years at the forefront of the creator economy, helping brands unlock the power of authentic connections. It’s no accident we’ve made it this far in such a highly competitive space. Asking the right questions—then leveraging those insights to create AI technology that addresses real-world challenges—has been integral to our success.

In fact, asking the right questions is how we stay ahead. The creator economy is constantly evolving, and staying at the forefront requires blending the art of storytelling with the science of data. Our proprietary AI technology then allows us to dive deeper into what drives real engagement while uncovering the trends shaping tomorrow’s consumer behaviors.

What truly sets us apart, though, is our connection to the people leading these changes. From the world’s top brands and in-demand agencies to the most influential creators online, we collaborate with those redefining what’s possible. By operating at the intersection of technology, creativity and expertise, the RAD team keeps its focus sharp—and always on what’s next, and how we’ll lead the way forward.

So, what is next? At RAD Intel, we focus on the forces evolving the industry and listen closely to the rumblings of upcoming shifts. Combining insights uncovered by our AI, the expertise of our network of industry leaders, and a healthy dose of good old-fashioned intuition, we’ve identified the key predictions we believe will shape 2025—and redefine how brands connect with their audiences.

1. TikTok Ain’t Goin’ Anywhere: Despite ongoing debates about its future, TikTok will remain accessible in the US. There’s just too much money at stake and the platform is too embedded into US-based culture. Its unique ability to foster immediate and direct connections makes it indispensable for brands targeting younger demographics, especially Gens Z and Alpha. Also, recent “warm spot in my heart” acknowledgments from President-elect Trump further suggest that TikTok will continue to play a significant role in the US social media landscape.

2. Creators Joining Brand Boards: Influencers are evolving beyond content creation, stepping into strategic roles within brands. Their deep understanding of consumer behavior and market trends positions them as valuable assets in decision-making processes. We anticipate a growing presence of creators on advisory boards and even Boards of Directors, reflecting their integral role in brand development.

3. AI as a Creative Collaborator: AI has become an essential partner in content creation – helping ideate in ways we humans never thought possible. In fact, Generative AI tools are now capable of driving campaign concepts and producing content, leading brands to acknowledge AI systems alongside human creatives. This collaboration enhances efficiency and opens new avenues for innovation.

4. Equity-Based Partnerships with Influencers: The traditional cash-for-promotion model is evolving. Influencers, recognizing their substantial impact on brand growth, are beginning to negotiate for equity stakes in the companies they endorse. This shift aligns the success of both parties, fostering deeper collaboration and shared objectives.

5. Platforms Offering Creator Stock Options: Social media platforms are acknowledging the value creators bring by exploring equity programs for top-performing influencers. By offering stock options, platforms aim to solidify loyalty and align incentives, ensuring sustained growth and mutual benefit.

6. (Truly) Influencer-Led Campaigns: Brands are increasingly entrusting influencers with complete creative control over campaigns. This trend leverages the authentic connections creators have with their audiences, resulting in more genuine and effective marketing efforts. Influencers are becoming the new creative agencies, driving brand narratives in innovative directions.

7. Focus on Micro-Communities: The shift from mass audiences to micro-communities is gaining momentum. Brands are targeting smaller, highly engaged groups, recognizing that niche audiences can drive higher ROI through personalized engagement. Brands ranging from Sperry to Sephora have already capitalized on micro-influencers and created their own micro-communities where customers advise and support each other. This approach fosters stronger brand loyalty and more meaningful consumer relationships. Rise of Virtual Influencers: AI-generated digital influencers are emerging as significant players in the marketing arena. These virtual personalities are building real-world empires, complete with merchandise, partnerships, and dedicated followers—one of the most prominent examples being @lilmiquela with 2.5M+ Instagram followers. The line between virtual and human creators is blurring, offering brands new avenues to explore in audience engagement.

8. AI's Precision in Predicting Consumer Behavior: Advancements in AI are enabling unprecedented accuracy in delivering hyper-personalized experiences that resonate on a personal level, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. With RAD Intel’s AI-powered insights, brands can actually predict individual consumer behaviors from purchase timing to content preferences to finetune campaign strategy.

9. Mass Adoption of AI in Marketing: Brands: That Innovate and Adapt, Win: The evolution of influencer marketing offers exciting opportunities for those ready to embrace change and harness the power of AI. Mass adoption of AI in marketing is no longer just a trend—it’s the new standard. By leveraging AI to analyze data, predict consumer behavior and deliver hyper-personalized experiences, brands and creators can navigate an ever-shifting digital landscape with confidence.

Those who innovate and adapt will stand out. By understanding these trends, brands can foster authentic connections with their audiences, driving long-term growth in a competitive marketplace. As we head into 2025, the fusion of human creativity and cutting-edge AI technology promises to push boundaries, redefine possibilities, and elevate the creator economy to new heights.

Whether we’re right on some or all of the above – next year is set to be exciting. The opportunities ahead are immense, and success will belong to those willing to experiment, adapt, and lean into the tools driving this evolution. AI is no longer optional— and in marketing, it is absolutely an essential partner in navigating the complexities of today’s digital ecosystem. Brands that pair technology with a commitment to authentic storytelling will not only keep pace but also set the standard for meaningful engagement and measurable results. For creators, the landscape has never been more promising. Their voices, insights, and creative leadership are becoming central to how brands connect with their audiences. From influencing strategy to earning seats in the boardroom, creators will play a key role in shaping the future, proving that their value extends far beyond engagement metrics. As we look toward 2025, one thing is certain: the intersection of AI and human creativity will define what’s next. At RAD Intel, we’re excited to be at the forefront of this transformation, helping brands and creators turn possibility into reality. The future of marketing is here—and it’s only getting better. If you’re interested in learning more about what we do, or how we think about the modern world of marketing, please reach out via email at mariabrown@radintel.ai.