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PR in an AI World

Posted on by Ilana Stark

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how we work, quickly and in very real ways. In communications, it’s already embedded into how we draft, research, and produce content. It can summarize information in seconds, generate a first draft in minutes, and accelerate workflows that used to take hours.

But here’s the tension we’re all navigating: AI makes content faster. It does not make it more credible.

And in my world, where reputation, trust, and public perception are the outcomes, that distinction matters.

Speed vs. Judgment

I work at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and reputation. My job isn’t just to create content, it’s to ensure that what we put into the world is believable, aligned, and trusted. AI plays a role in that process, but not the role many assume.

I think about it simply:

  • AI = speed 
  • Human = judgment 
  • Outcome = trust 

AI helps me move faster. It does not, and should not, make the final call. After all, just because something is created quickly doesn’t mean it’s right, and it definitely doesn’t mean it will resonate.

Where AI Actually Adds Value

Used well, AI is an incredibly effective assistant.

In my day-to-day work, that looks like:

  • Drafting early versions of press releases 
  • Summarizing background materials 
  • Compiling research 
  • Brainstorming angles 

For example, I might prompt AI to generate a first draft of a press release based on a set of inputs. It gives me a starting point quickly, something structured, something usable. But that draft is never the final product. It gets rewritten, refined, and pressure-tested against audience, tone, and real-world context. At the end of the day, the difference between content and communication is intent, and that requires human judgment. 

The Risk: “Confident but Wrong”

One of the most overlooked risks of AI is how convincing it sounds. AI can generate content that reads as polished, authoritative, and definitive. But you should not presume AI’s confidence and accuracy are one in the same. 

AI can misstate facts, generalize nuance, and flatten a brand’s voice into something generic. When everyone uses the same tools the same way, the output starts to sound the same. That’s not just a creative issue; it’s a credibility issue.

At Designsensory, we treat AI outputs as drafts, not decisions. Everything is reviewed, validated, and refined by a human before it reaches a client or the public. 

Where Humans Still Lead

I think about AI usage through the lens of risk.

  • Low-risk tasks (i.e. drafting, research, summarization): AI can lead. 
  • High-risk tasks (i.e. reputation management, messaging, trust): Humans must lead. 

If it touches public perception, brand credibility, or stakeholder trust, it requires experience, instinct, and context. That’s especially true in crisis communications where tone, timing, and nuance matter just as much as the words themselves.

AI can support the process. But it should never own the outcome. 

The Shift That Matters Most

What we’re seeing now isn’t just a change in tools, it’s a shift in where value lives. 

AI can generate content, and so, the real differentiator becomes what should be said; how it should be said; and why it matters. In other words: strategy and storytelling. The future isn’t about who can create the most content. It’s about who can create the most meaningful content.

The Skills That Will Stand Out

For professionals entering this space, the takeaway isn’t to avoid AI, it’s to use it intentionally.

The most valuable skills aren’t being replaced. They’re becoming more important:

  • Strong writing 
  • Strategic thinking 
  • The ability to ask better questions 

AI can generate answers, but it still depends on humans to define the problem.

If there’s one principle I come back to, it’s this: Use AI to enhance your work, but never let it replace your judgment. AI increases efficiency. It does not increase credibility. And in a landscape where trust is harder to earn and easier to lose, that distinction isn’t just important – it’s everything.

How to Get Maximum Output and Impact from Your Production Shoots

Posted on by Ilana Stark

By Kristin Majni, Director of Operations, Popfizz

Let’s be honest — for most business owners, hiring a production team feels a little like buying a car where the engine is invisible, the paint color changes halfway through the build, and every mechanic quotes you in a different currency. It’s high-stakes, it’s confusing, and it’s expensive to get wrong.

But here’s the good news: if you walk into that first conversation prepared, you stop paying for “art” and start investing in assets. Here’s how to navigate the production landscape without getting taken for a ride.

Stop Briefing “Vibes.” Start Briefing “Value.”

When you tell a production company, “I want it to look like a Nike ad,” you’ve told them nothing about your business. You’ve just told them you have expensive taste.

The shift is simple but powerful: instead of saying “I need a video,” say “I need to reduce my Customer Acquisition Cost on Meta” or “I need a content partner for organic Instagram, and I want to explore TikTok.” That single reframe changes the entire conversation — and the kind of partner you attract.

Our co-founder Joseph Nother puts it well: “If the production company doesn’t ask you where the video is going to live, how you want to use it, or who is supposed to click it — they’re artists, not partners. You want both. Art and science. Artist and partner.”

That’s your litmus test. Use it.

The Bid Trap: You’re Not Comparing Apples to Apples

You’ll get three quotes: one for $5k, one for $25k, and one for $75k. Most marketing directors and business owners default to the middle option or the cheapest. The problem is you’re likely comparing a freelancer with a camera to a fully insured agency with a post-production team behind them.

Before you pick based on price, normalize the bids with three questions — ask every single bidder:

1. Is licensing included? Don’t find out the hard way that the song in your video wasn’t cleared, or that the talent release didn’t cover paid ads. Ask upfront, and get it in writing.

2. What’s your revisions policy? Standard industry practice is two to three rounds:

  • Round 1 (Rough Cut): Major structural changes
  • Round 2 (Fine Cut): Small tweaks and polish
  • Round 3 (Approval Cut): Final sign-off

Here’s the red flag: if a company offers “unlimited revisions,” walk away. It doesn’t mean they’re generous — it means they don’t have a process, and they’re expecting the project to be a mess. You want a partner who respects your time enough to push for a decision.

3. Who owns the raw files? Some companies hold your own footage hostage after the project wraps. Make sure ownership of the raw files is spelled out clearly in your contract before you sign anything.

One more thing on budget: if you’re spending $100k on a video and $0 on paid distribution, you haven’t bought a marketing tool. You’ve bought a very expensive paperweight. As a rule of thumb, reserve 30–50% of your total project budget for distribution and paid amplification.

The Content Harvest: One Shoot, Multiple Platforms

Here’s where most brands leave serious value on the table.

The most expensive part of any production is getting people, lights, and cameras in the same room. Once you’re there, the marginal cost of capturing extra footage is minimal. So don’t just ask for a “commercial.” Ask for a content library.

Think about it this way — a single shoot can yield:

  • The Hero (16:9) — Website and YouTube. Your brand’s front door.
  • The Shorts (9:16 or 3:4) — TikTok and Reels. High-frequency, low-cost organic reach.
  • The Mutes — LinkedIn and Facebook. Around 80% of people scroll with the sound off. You need captions baked in, not added as an afterthought.
  • The Stills — Web and email. Have your photographer grab high-res shots during lighting setups. You’re already lit — use it.

One production day, built smart, can fuel your content strategy across every channel for months.

Production Partner vs. Vendor: Know the Difference

This one is worth paying attention to.

A vendor says: “Our shoot includes a :60, a :30, and a :15 edit.”

A partner says: “We’ll cover all your target channels. We’ll frame everything so we can crop for each platform, and we’ll film three different opening hooks to test which one converts better.”

Hire the person who cares about your conversion rate as much as your color grading.

Your Filter for the Next Production Call

Before you end any discovery call with a production company, ask them this:

“We have a $X budget. How would you split that between creative execution and the assets we need for our paid media funnel?”

Their answer will tell you everything you need to know.

Want to dig deeper into getting maximum impact from your next production shoot? We’d love to talk.

Trends and Strategies Shaping the 2026 Beverage Landscape

Posted on by Ilana Stark

What works in healthcare or financial services may or may not work in CPG. There are just as many differences as similarities when you go category to category — which is exactly why doing the deep dive matters. Events like the Beverage Forum exist for this reason: to connect a community around the best practices that actually apply to your world.

That said, one thing holds true no matter the category. From brand building to performance marketing, the playbook for how to start a brand is fundamentally different from how to scale it. Designsensory helps brands figure out what’s next.

If there’s one thing the latest Beverage Forum made clear, it’s that drinks are having a moment. 

While the broader economy has people watching their wallets, the beverage category keeps climbing — and it’s not just luck. Something deeper is happening: people have started treating what they drink the way they treat what they eat, as a real investment in how they feel and function.

Here in 2026, a few big themes are reshaping who wins and who gets left on the shelf.

1. Drinks That Actually Do Something

The era of the empty-calorie beverage is quietly fading. Shoppers are getting pickier, and they want something in return for their $4 or $6 or $12. That means protein, creatine, and electrolytes for recovery. Collagen, fiber, and probiotics for everyday wellness. Adaptogens and mood-boosting ingredients for the mind.

Retailers have noticed. Shelf space that once belonged to sugary staples is being reassigned — fast. And if you want the boldest prediction for 2026, it’s this: hormonal health is about to have its moment. Expect a wave of new products specifically designed around endocrine support and hormonal balance. It’s still early, but the runway is real.

2. Know Your Retailer (They’re Not All the Same)

Getting a product onto shelves used to be mostly about volume and price. Not anymore. Each major retailer has a distinct personality, and brands that don’t match the vibe tend to struggle.

For example, Sprouts is the nurturing one; they actively guide emerging clean-label brands and give them room to grow. Walmart, maybe surprisingly, is more open than people assume, as long as you can scale fast. Target is the tough one — their bar is high, and they have a very specific idea of who their shopper is. Hy-Vee and Albertsons are more democratic about it, essentially letting shoppers vote with their purchases to determine what stays.

The takeaway: before you pitch, know the room.

3. Getting Past the Sophomore Slump

A lot of brands nail their launch and then hit a wall. The initial buzz fades, the early adopters move on, and suddenly the sales chart isn’t looking so exciting. That’s the “sophomore year” problem, and it’s where a lot of promising brands quietly die.

The ones that make it through have a few things in common. They’ve figured out how to turn first-time buyers into regulars. They use smart, targeted marketing — increasingly AI-driven — to show how their product actually fits into someone’s daily life. And they keep their messaging simple. People don’t want a chemistry lesson; they want to know what it does for them.

This same logic applies to celebrity partnerships. A famous face still opens doors, but the “launch it and leave it” era is over. If the celebrity isn’t genuinely showing up for the brand over time, the novelty wears off fast. Authenticity isn’t optional anymore — it’s the whole game.

4. Brands Worth Watching

A few names are doing the 2026 playbook particularly well right now:

Goodboy Vodka is making the jump from regional hit to national RTD contender by leaning hard into cause-driven branding (“Every Pour Helps a Pup”) and creating the kind of unpolished, high-energy event content that actually gets shared.

Stateside Brands (Surfside) has carved out a niche in the no-carbonation space and is building a $20M entertainment hub — Stateside Live! — that essentially turns their brand into a destination.

Milo’s Tea holds nearly 40% market share by staying loyal to a clean, homemade identity while quietly building the infrastructure to support serious scale.

Lifeway Foods is parlaying its kefir reputation into the performance space with products like Muscle Mates™ (protein + creatine) and is smartly positioning dairy as a natural companion for people on GLP-1 medications.

Gratsi Wines is taking on boxed wine’s image problem not by defending the format, but by selling an entire lifestyle — the Mediterranean good life, distilled into a box — under the hashtag #GratsiLife.

In 2026, being a good beverage product isn’t enough. The brands that break through are the ones that feel like part of someone’s life — something they’d miss if it disappeared. Whether that means geofenced local campaigns or scrappy behind-the-scenes content, the goal is the same: go from something people pick up once to something they ask for by name.

Are you building for launch or building for longevity? Designsensory helps you build what’s next. Give us a call.

5 Signs You Might Need a New Website

Posted on by Courtney Borgers

Is your website holding you back? In today’s digital landscape, your website is often the first—and most important—interaction a potential customer has with your business. If it’s showing its age, it might be time for an upgrade.

Here are five key signs that you should start planning for a new website.

1. It’s Difficult to Update

If making simple content changes feels like a complex coding task or requires calling in an expensive developer for every minor tweak, your current setup is too complicated. Over time, the difficulty involved in updating your website will lead to outdated content and missed opportunities to connect with your user audience.

A modern Content Management System (CMS) should empower you to easily manage your site. Designsensory has expertise across multiple CMS platforms but primarily develops websites on WordPress, with flexible blocks and design options that allow you to quickly edit information or build a page from scratch. We load the content on your website prior to launch and provide training to make sure you are capable and confident in maintaining your website. Don’t worry—if you ever have any questions, we’re always happy to help!

CMS Usability Example: Covenant Health

Large computer screen showing Covenant health website.

Covenant Health was overwhelmed with maintaining over 80 different websites. Designsensory transformed their online presence and simplified their content management by streamlining all those sites into one powerful, cohesive multisite platform.

Covenant Health Client Story >

2. It Doesn’t Meet ADA Standards

Digital accessibility is not just a matter of good practice; it’s increasingly a legal requirement. An inaccessible website can exclude users with disabilities, potentially leading to lost business and even lawsuits.

If your site is not designed to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards, it is inherently difficult for visitors to use who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technologies. A new website build is the perfect opportunity to prioritize inclusivity and compliance. Designsensory builds all websites to meet WCAG 2 AA and follows best practices for ADA, so your website will be inclusive for all.

ADA Updates Example: Bush’s Beans

Three phones showing the Bush's Beans website and custom landing pages.

When Designsensory took over management of the iconic Bush’s Beans website, it was failing to meet modern accessibility standards. We redesigned pages and content blocks to meet color contrast requirements while maintaining their bold, bright brand colors.

Bush’s Beans Client Story >

3. It’s Not Optimized for Mobile Screens or Speed

If your website isn’t fast, people will leave. If it doesn’t look great on a smartphone, people will leave.

Slow loading times and a non-responsive design are two of the quickest ways to frustrate visitors and drive them to your competitors. Google also heavily prioritizes speed and mobile-friendliness in its search rankings. A new website from Designsensory is built using modern techniques that ensure lightning-fast performance and flawless display across all devices, as well as navigation menus that make sense no matter what devices your audience is using.

Website Mobile & Speed Optimization Example: Zoo Knoxville

Two mobile phones showing the Zoo Knoxville website.

Zoo Knoxville’s website was outdated and slow. Designsensory started from a user-first perspective and created a digital experience that aligned the Zoo’s mission messaging with a visitor-first design.

Zoo Knoxville Client Story >

4. It Has Outdated Branding or Design Trends

Look at your website. Does it reflect your current brand identity? Do the fonts, colors, and overall design feel contemporary?

Web design trends evolve constantly. If your site looks like it was built in a previous decade, it can make your entire business seem behind the times. A brand design refresh can instantly communicate professionalism and modernity, aligning your digital presence with your business’s current success and future goals. The expert digital designers at Designsensory can create a website that’s current and trendy, or something more classic—whatever aligns with your brand goals. Your new design will look great and can include detailed motion graphics and seamless user interaction to enhance your content.

Branding Updates Example: Arrowmont

Crafted "A" branding mark for Arrowmont.

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts showcased incredible art and artists, but struggled to translate that into a cohesive, creative brand. Designsensory moved forward with a full digital refresh AND rebrand, refining Arrowmont’s core visual identity and designing for the future.

Arrowmont Client Story >

5. It’s Not Following Updated SEO (And GEO!) Practices

If you’re creating great content but seeing little traffic, the problem may be your website’s foundation. A site with poor Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is fundamentally difficult for search engines like Google to crawl and understand.

Outdated or poorly coded websites often lack essential SEO features such as schema markup, proper site structure, or fast page load times. Rebuilding your site with SEO best practices baked into the core structure is crucial for long-term organic traffic growth.

While SEO is still important, it’s no longer enough to follow SEO best practices and call it a day. As more and more users turn to AI models for search, websites now need to incorporate GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) strategies to make certain their content gets attention. Designsensory can help your company build SEO and GEO strategies into your website from the ground up, ensuring that both traditional search engines and AI models can easily discover and promote your brand.

SEO + GEO Best Practices Example: See Rock City

Several screens showing the See Rock City website.

Rock City’s outdated website was struggling to perform in both traditional search and AI search. Designsensory developed a new website that followed SEO, GEO, and UX best practices from the ground up, integrating an intuitive user flow for ticketing and designing a digital visual identity to communicate the enchanting experience. Finally, we created a content and SEO strategy to implement on the new website to ensure that users from all over discover Rock City and all it has to offer.

A Bonus Sign: It’s Built on Old Technology

Older websites often rely on obsolete code and platforms. This creates a cascade of problems:

  • Poor User Experience (UX): Old technology limits the interactive features and smooth navigation that modern users expect. The loading speed, navigation, and design issues compound to make the website unusable, let alone ADA accessible.
  • Security Issues: Unmaintained or legacy platforms are a prime target for hackers, leaving your data and your visitors’ data vulnerable. If your website no longer supports security updates, plugin upgrades, or content refreshes, your site is not only looking stale but is also a significant security and privacy risk.

My Website Needs Updating. Now What?

If any of these signs sound familiar, it’s time to start planning your new, optimized, and secure digital home. Reach out to Designsensory today to schedule a consultation for your website redesign. Our web development process starts with experts listening to you to identify your pain points, with dedicated account and project managers prepared to keep things on timeline and under budget. Are you ready? Let’s design a website to carry your brand into the future.

The Brand Equation: How Customer Feelings Create Financial Value.

Posted on by Ilana Stark

Let’s be clear: when we talk about “brand,” we’re just talking about a logo or a tagline. Well, we are. But that thinking is small and dated. Branding started with farmers branding cattle to prove ownership, but in a market this crowded, a brand is what separates you from the noise. It’s the difference between a generic product and something people actually want. It’s the feeling of unboxing an Apple product or the baseline trust in Tylenol.

The goal is to build value that goes way beyond the physical product.

The Kinds of Brand Value

People don’t just buy what a product does; they buy what it means. A strong brand delivers on multiple fronts:

  • Functional Value: Does the thing work? This is table stakes. A generic pain reliever and Tylenol both fix a headache. You don’t win on this alone.
  • Emotional Value: How does the brand make people feel? Jeep feels rugged and free. Mercedes feels like you’ve made it. These feelings drive decisions.
  • Experiential Value: This is every single touchpoint. The UI on your banking app, the in-store vibe, the way the product is packaged. It all adds up to a memorable (or forgettable) experience.
  • Identity Value: What you buy signals who you are. Buying Allbirds says you care about sustainability. A luxury watch signals success. Brands become part of a person’s story.
  • Social Value: Brands can build communities, or “tribes.” Think about sports fans, online gaming forums, or a running club sponsored by a sneaker brand. It creates a sense of belonging.
  • Relational Value: This is about trust. Does the brand act like a reliable partner? Think of your bank or a tool brand that’s never failed you.

Identity vs. Image: Your Plan vs. Reality

To manage a brand, you have to know the difference between what you’re pushing out and what the customer is actually picking up.

  • Brand Identity is your strategic plan. It’s the name, logo, stories, and values you intend to project. It’s the lens through which you want the world to see your product.
  • Brand Image is the reality. It’s how consumers actually see the brand, based on their experiences, word-of-mouth, and whatever they see on social.

Our job is to close the gap between the two.

So, How Do You Measure This? (The Two Sides of Equity)

If a brand’s power is in the consumer’s head, how do we measure it? Brand equity is a two-sided coin: one side is what the customer thinks (CBBE), and the other is what the accountants can measure (FBBE).

1. Consumer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE)

This is the side we’ve been talking about—the total sum of what a person thinks and feels about a brand. It breaks down into two main parts:

  • Brand Awareness: This isn’t just familiarity. It’s two things:
    • Recall: Thinking “Coke” when someone says “soda.”
    • Recognition: Seeing the red can and knowing it’s Coke.
    • Top-of-mind awareness is the whole point—being the first brand that comes to mind when it’s time to buy.
  • Brand Knowledge: This is the network of associations people have with your brand—the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. For brand equity to be strong, these associations need to be:
    • Powerful: Easy to remember.
    • Positive: People actually like them.
    • Distinct: They set you apart from the competition.

Get CBBE right, and you get loyal customers who are less sensitive to price, more willing to try your new products, and more forgiving when you screw up. They become advocates who do your marketing for you. They don’t just buy the brand; they buy into it.

2. Firm-Based Brand Equity (FBBE)

This is the other side of the coin, where all that customer goodwill gets translated into dollars and cents. Firm-Based Brand Equity (FBBE) measures the brand’s value as a separable, financial asset to the firm. If CBBE lives in the customer’s mind, FBBE lives on the balance sheet.

It answers the question: “What is the brand actually worth to the business in financial terms?”

FBBE is the direct result of strong CBBE. Because customers recognize, recall, and feel positively about your brand (CBBE), they act in ways that create measurable financial outcomes for the firm. This includes:

  • Price Premium: The ability to charge more for your product than a generic equivalent.
  • Increased Cash Flow: More people buying your product more often.
  • Lower Customer Acquisition Costs: Your brand’s reputation does the selling for you.
  • Higher Market Share: Winning against competitors.
  • Increased Asset Value: The brand itself can be sold or licensed, adding billions to a company’s valuation.

Think of it as a bridge. CBBE is the foundation on one side of the river (the customer), and true business success is on the other. FBBE is the bridge that connects them. Throughout this series, we’ll explore how to build that bridge, from crafting stories to managing your brand for long-term financial growth.

Next up, we’ll get into brand storytelling—crafting the narratives that build these powerful connections.

Our Entries for the 61st Annual American Advertising Awards

Posted on by Hunter Foster

We’re so excited to share that our team has officially submitted several standout projects to the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Knoxville Awards.

Being based in Knoxville, Tennessee, we take so much pride in the work we produce for both local and national partners. This year’s submissions span a wide range of disciplines—from immersive branding and AI-driven social content to high-profile web experiences.

Here’s a look at our 2025-2026 Addy entries:

Zoo Knoxville – “Aviary: A World of Wonder” Campaign

  • Best of Show + Gold

For the launch of Max’s Aviary, we built a campaign celebrating macaws as nature’s most vibrant storytellers. Vivid, National Geographic–style portraits and evocative headlines invited guests to see these birds as dazzling, intelligent, and worthy of awe.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Chris Cable, Ilana Stark, Kate Ambos

Designsensory – Brand & Website

  • Gold

Our own flagship digital experience! Rebuilt from the ground up, the new DS website embodies our evolved identity: bold, intelligent creativity rooted in strategy. It functions as both a brand flagship and a high-performance business development tool.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Joseph Nother, Erik Vass, Ryan Lee

Raptor Coffee Social Media AI Content

  • Judge’s Choice + Silver

To match the bold character of Raptor Coffee, we brought their mascot, Wyatt the Raptor, to life using 3D modeling and cutting-edge AI technology. This project let us create high-volume, high-quality animated content that’s as layered as the coffee blend itself.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Hunter Foster, Ilana Stark, Joseph Nother, Chelsea Penticuff, Abby Webb

Bush’s Beans – Bluey Web Campaign

  • Silver

Collaborating with the global phenomenon Bluey, we developed a digital hub for Bush’s Beans that felt like an extension of the Heeler family home. Featuring interactive “sticker” animations and thematic recipes, the site successfully bridged the gap between fan engagement and in-store purchase.

  • Credits: Ryan Lee, Courtney Borgers, Colby Johnson, Kate Ambos

South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development – “Open for Opportunity” Campaign

  • Silver

Tasked with attracting business and talent to the state, we developed the “Open for Opportunity” campaign. By featuring real people from successful companies instead of stock imagery, we built an authentic and persuasive narrative for the state.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Joseph Nother, Erik Vass, Ryan Lee, Chelsea Penticuff, Abby Webb

Our Other 2026 Entries:

South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development – Branding

We executed a comprehensive brand architecture overhaul for the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development. The new system includes a modern brand mark inspired by Sioux tribal motifs, symbolizing precision and momentum.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Joseph Nother, Erik Vass, Ryan Lee, Chelsea Penticuff, Abby Webb

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts – Branding

Honoring 80 years of legacy, we reimagined the brand for Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. The new visual identity features the “Arrowmont Alpha”—a symbol designed for artist reinterpretation—and a modular design philosophy that echoes the creative process.

  • Credits: Erik Vass, Joseph Nother, Ben Maxey, Chris Wise, Ryan Lee, Barry Hylton, Chris Talbert, Courtney Borgers, Mary Blair, Jenna Newton

Good Gravity Entertainment – Branding, Video, Web

To launch our new unscripted entertainment division, we developed a modular, lunar-inspired “G” mark. The identity system is future-proof, anchoring everything from broadcast lower-thirds to responsive web layouts.

  • Credits: Ben Maxey, Joseph Nother, Erik Vass, Ryan Lee

LLM Ads Are Coming, Will They Redesign the Customer Journey?

Posted on by Ilana Stark

Advertising works best when context meets intent. For years, the digital marketing industry has operated on the understanding that Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are, at their core, high-intent environments. When a user arrives at a chatbot, they usually have a specific need, they are asking for help, and they are already mid-to-low funnel.

It is no surprise that OpenAI is beginning with embedded partners offering simple, low-friction conversions. However, the true disruption lies not in where the ads are placed, but in how they function.

Here is how LLMs are poised to shift the paradigm from display to dialogue.

Compressing the Marketing Journey

The most significant difference between a standard search ad and an LLM recommendation is the compression of the funnel.

In traditional digital marketing, discovery, consideration, and conversion are often fragmented steps across different sites and sessions. LLMs have the potential to collapse this entire journey into a single conversational arc. Because the interface mimics human dialogue, ChatGPT (and Gemini and Claude) doesn’t just wait for explicit intent signals—it can surface brand, product, or service options as contextually relevant answers that emerge naturally.

Why this changes the game:

  • Organic Embedding: Instead of a banner fighting for attention, the product becomes a citable solution within the answer.
  • Predictive Suggestion: By inferring patterns from similar user interactions, the AI can make predictions that feel far more tailored than a static display ad ever could.

In short: The ad unit is the conversation, and the recommendation is embedded organically within it.

The Architecture of Trust (or, The Data Analogy)

If the format is different, is it more convincing? Given the intimate data LLMs hold, the answer is likely yes—but not for the reasons you might think. It isn’t about intrusive targeting; it is about the role of the assistant.

To understand the future of AI influence, we can look to a classic science-fiction analogy: Spock vs. Commander Data.

  • Spock (Star Trek: TOS) represents the trusted friend. His logic helps shape decisions, representing classic word-of-mouth influence.
  • Data (Star Trek: TNG) is the evolution of that role. He is a machine, but a trusted one. He offers precise options, alternatives, and solutions that routinely influence the crew’s choices.

AI will occupy a cultural space similar to Commander Data. The operative word is trust. If users believe the information is verifiable and not manipulative, AI-embedded recommendations can reshape how people discover products. The influence won’t come from ad placement, but from the credibility of the assistant delivering it.

The Ambient Future

This trust becomes even more critical as the interface evolves. OpenAI is exploring voice-only and screenless devices (potentially in collaboration with Jony Ive). If the vision of a “Star Trek-style communicator” comes to fruition in 2026–27, AI becomes a constant, ambient presence.

In a voice-first world, there is no room for a sidebar ad. There is only one answer. This collapses discovery, recommendation, and transaction into a single, agentic moment.

The Bottom Line

LLMs have the potential not just to interrupt the customer journey, but to redesign it.

We are moving toward a future where ads are not perceived as ads, but as helpful solutions delivered by a trusted agent. For marketers, the challenge will be shifting from buying attention to earning relevance within the conversation.

Ready to future-proof your marketing strategy?

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Our 2025 Year in Review

Posted on by Hunter Foster

As we wrap up 2025, we can’t help but feel incredibly grateful. This wasn’t just a year of growth, it was about strengthening our foundation and getting crystal clear on where we’re headed. With our 25th anniversary coming up in 2026, we’re looking back at a year packed with major awards, strategic acquisitions, and partnerships that truly moved the needle.

Here’s what made 2025 one for the books.

Growing Our Team and Our Capabilities

This year, we made some big moves to level up both our work and our culture.

We brought on some serious talent – Stuart Hohl, Brian Fuson, and Lauren Schuster  – to join our Client Services, Creative, and Business Development teams, and they’re already bringing fresh energy and perspective to everything we do.

We also unveiled our agency rebrand, finally aligning our look with the forward-thinking work we’ve been creating all along.

But the biggest game-changer? Acquiring our sister production company, PopFizz. Bringing their incredible production capabilities in-house means we can move faster and push creative boundaries like never before.

Winning on the National Stage

Our work kept getting recognized in some pretty big places this year.

We took home a National Gold ADDY for our Wicked activation in Regal Times Square—a project that was equal parts crowdpleasing spectacle and behind-the-scenes execution.

And we won a People’s Voice Webby Award for Food Network Obsessed, which shows we’re leading the way in the ever-changing digital and audio world.

Building Partnerships That Matter

From our Tennessee backyard to regional powerhouses, our 2025 partnerships have been all over the map (in the best way):

In sports and entertainment, we deepened our relationship with The Volunteer Club by helping the NIL collective shift into its next era and partnering with them for the launch of a new University of Tennessee athlete interview broadcast series, Beyond the Orange.

We’re supporting The Memphis Chamber (the 2025 ACCE Chamber of the Year) on their innovative Digital Delta initiative, which is economic development work we’re really proud of.

On the tourism front, we’re deepening our roots in Gatlinburg by working with The Greystone Lodge. And, we partnered with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to launch a social media training program for counties across the state—something we’re excited to keep building next year.

Our media and experiential team has been busy with Discovery Park of America and Covenant Health, handling everything from influencer partnerships to traditional media buying. While our interactive and creative teams are continuing to grow our longtime relationships with Rock City and Bush’s Beans.

We also kicked off exciting new work with the Bowling Green Area CVB, helping tell their story in fresh ways through research and branding. And we’ve got a surprise up our sleeve—a whisky account we’re not quite ready to announce yet, but trust us, it’s worth the wait.

Where We’re Headed Next

As we head into 2026, a year in which Designsensory will turn 25, we know exactly where we’re focused. We’re leaning into AI to help us do more, faster. By automating the repetitive stuff, we’re freeing up our greatest asset: our people. The goal for 2026? Let technology handle the data and the grunt work, so our team can focus on what humans do best—the strategy, the empathy, and those wild what-if ideas that only people can dream up.

Beyond workflows, we’re also expanding our services to stay ahead of AI’s impact on digital marketing—things like GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)—while doubling down on what we’ve always done well: building interactive tools and systems now powered by AI.

Thanks for an Incredible Year

To our clients, our team, and our community, thank you! We’ve spent 24 years building something special, and heading into year 25, the momentum has never felt stronger.

Let’s keep breaking the mold in 2026. 

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