In the Age of AI, Human Storytelling Still Reigns Supreme: Why Advidly is Betting on People over Perfection
In a world flooded with AI-generated content and relentless algorithmic churn, there's a quiet revolution that's in play, one that's rediscovering the unparalleled value and necessity of the human voice.
And Skyler Stroup, founder of creative marketing agency Advidly, has been a vocal advocate of this subtle movement. While many race toward automation, Stroup has affirmed that it's these distinctly human stories that cut through the noise, and that's the philosophy that runs through every operation of his business.
Despite keeping human creativity at the forefront of Advidly, Stroup is no stranger to both sides of the storytelling coin.
With a background in digital marketing for one of the travel tech industry's top startups on one hand and a career as a signed musician with a prominent American record label on the other, Stroup has embodied a unique convergence of corporate strategy and raw creativity. This blend, he says, is at the heart of Advidly's success.
Advidly began with a simple yet radical idea, that every brand has a story which deserves to be told with emotion, nuance, and integrity, especially for founders and small businesses that don't see themselves as "marketers." These entrepreneurs are often closest to the magic of their work, yet paradoxically too far from articulating what makes them exceptional - and here's where Advidly comes in, to give a voice and identity to their brand through strategic collaborations and comprehensive marketing services rooted in creative expertise.
"We excavate the story from them and give it life through compelling video, content, and activations," Stroup explains. "The idea is to uncover what's already there and help them see the value in their own story." Team Advidly in Action
For many, this is no easy feat. Cultural conditioning around humility often makes self-promotion feel uncomfortable, and at times, even embarrassing. But Stroup argues that this connection is vital for brands, and that doesn't stem from brashness or bravado, but honesty and authenticity, something that the audience seeks most from companies.
"You don't have to be the next billionaire or run the next conglomerate. That's not how the real world works." Stroup states. "Even if you're a humble plumber, your brand is built on trust, and that's the narrative your marketing needs to reflect. Not some persona that you think you have to adopt to be taken seriously, one that's removed from you, or who your brand is underneath."
This philosophy, for Stroup, is more than just a talking point. It's a sharp critique of the current marketing landscape. As AI tools become more ubiquitous and widely adopted, from chatbots, AI-image generations to cloned avatars that deliver pitch-perfect videos on demand, many businesses are embracing speed, volume, and cost efficiency over substance, leading to an existential crisis in the creative world. Stroup, a passionate spokesperson for creativity and artistic integrity, sees this trend as both inevitable and dangerous.
"There's a real risk of creativity collapsing into redundancy," Stroup says. "If every brand uses the same tools to say the same things, then differentiation disappears. And more importantly, so does trust."
In Stroup's view, AI is a tool, a powerful one that would help facilitate tasks, but it's not a substitute for vision, and it's certainly not a match for human instinct, the very thing that drives the human race.
"We were early adopters of AI platforms," Stroup notes. "But after a year of using it across projects, the patterns started to repeat. There's only so much polish you can apply before it all blends into the same beige." Where AI scales by contributing to the already crowded content noise, Advidly refines. The team is strengthened by a collective of creatives from marketing, entertainment, and independent film backgrounds, and through their artistic prowess, they've deliberately built a foundation that challenges formative content creation.
Advidly's work goes beyond aesthetics. They aim for emotional resonance and connection, which, in today's saturated market and diminishing attention spans, is the key to customer retention. That's why their focus is not just on what a business does, but why it matters, what lies behind the name of the brand, its colors, and its offerings, and affirming to them that these stories are worth telling.
In a recent quote, Author Joanna Machiejewska said, "I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes." As these words resonate across Stroup's philosophy, he insists that at its best, marketing isn't about ego or attention. It's about trust. And trust, he believes, will always require a human touch.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
4 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
US Pro Athletes Reject Antitrust Exemptions For College Sports
Professional players unions for the five major US sports leagues -- baseball, soccer, basketball, football and hockey -- appealed on Monday for American lawmakers to reject antitrust exemptions or legal liability shields in new regulations for college athletes. While compensation for professional players seemingly knows no limit, college athletes in the US have only been allowed to begin profiting from their performance and reputation in recent years. Now, professional players are weighing in as Congress works to develop a national framework for student athlete profit-sharing, with pros saying they felt a duty to protect future union members while they played in college. "Granting an antitrust exemption to the NCAA and its members gives the green light for the organization and schools to collude and work against student athletes," the unions' statement said. "Historically, antitrust exemptions have been used to set prices, limit wages, and restrict access to opportunities provided by open markets, all while shielding abuse from legal recourse." The joint statement was sent by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA). The US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce is considering the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act after a House settlement last month ensured National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes will receive revenue sharing from their schools for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) profits. In a statement last week Congressman Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican, said a national framework governing such profit-sharing was long overdue, and praised the SCORE Act saying it "delivers the stability, clarity and transparency" student athletes and colleges need. A 2021 Supreme Court decision held that the NCAA is subject to antitrust laws. In their joint statement, the players' unions called for transparency and fair-dealing. "It is not hard to imagine a situation where NCAA and its members collude to restrict revenue sharing and deny student athletes fair compensation with the confidence of immunity against legal action. Indeed, they have been doing exactly that for decades. "The NCAA should not have a blank check to impose their will on the financial future of over 500,000 college athletes."
Int'l Business Times
13 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Japan's World Barber Classic Tries To Bring Back Business
Hundreds of rowdy spectators, many heavily tattooed, roared Monday at a Tokyo arena usually reserved for boxing -- except the contestants were not athletes, but barbers. A dozen Japanese and foreign contestants were taking part in the World Barber Classic, showing off their hairdressing skills surrounded by national flags and the blare of hip-hop tunes. The event is part of a bid by Japan's struggling barber industry to attract young male clients lost in recent years to hair salons, which are popular for their high-quality services. "In many countries, men getting their hair cut by barbers is an established culture," whereas in Japan young men favour salons, competition organiser Sho Yokota told AFP. "What we're trying to achieve is to elevate a men's cut, or barbering, as a culture for men." Popular culture in Japan driven by boy-band idols and young male actors steers men towards longer coiffures instead of the shaved, cropped or slicked-back styles usually associated with barbers. A TV trend at the turn of the century which made top hairdressers into fashion icons also increased the popularity of salons over traditional barber shops. There are around 110,000 barber shops currently open in Japan, but twice as many salons. Most Japanese barbers are elderly but a new generation has emerged, armed with social media savvy. Among them is contestant Shoma Sugimura, who made it to the final three on Monday. "Our haircuts are often manly," the 29-year-old, whose neck and shaved head were covered in tattoos, told AFP. The competing barbers were tested on their self-expression Monday, with each given a minute to woo the audience with a speech. Barbers in Japan are renowned for their skill, organiser Yokota said, but were often viewed as lacking showmanship. "I think hair is more than just hair," judge Giancarlo Burgos, from Los Angeles, told AFP. "It's a way of communicating yourself, but also connecting people. It's a language that anybody can understand." Another contestant Takumasa Suzuki, 32, told AFP he was trying to emulate American barber culture to bring business back and keep the barber trade alive. "In Japan, people just go for trendy haircuts," but in the racially diverse United States, "they want their haircuts to encapsulate their own culture and heritage," he said. "If barbershops in Japan can become a place where we can help customers express who they are, then I don't think we will vanish." Barbers react after competing in the World Barber Classic in Tokyo, part of a bid to bring back young male clients to shops AFP Popular culture in Japan driven by boy-band idols and young male actors steers men towards longer coiffures instead of barber styles AFP
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
Impact Of US Tariffs Varies Across European Union
European countries are not all equally exposed to the US market and so will not suffer the same consequences should President Donald Trump go ahead with his threats to impose 30-percent tariffs on the European Union. Ireland, with a major pharmaceutical industry, is in the front line along with Germany, for whom the United States is a major outlet for its cars, steel and machine tools. France is less exposed, even if it does have aeronautics, food, wine and luxury goods companies that risk losing markets. The EU as a whole has an annual trade surplus with the United States of $235.6 billion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), which reports to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Only China has a higher amount. Ireland has the largest surplus among EU members, at $86.7 billion. That is largely due to the presence of major American pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson. They all set up in Ireland to benefit from a 15 percent corporate tax, compared to 21 percent in the United States. These companies can thus host their patents in Ireland and sell on the American market, where drug prices are traditionally higher than in the rest of the world. Ireland also hosts most of the European headquarters of American tech giants, such as Apple, Google and Meta, also attracted by the attractive Irish tax system. Overall, pharmaceuticals account for 22.5 percent of EU exports to the United States, according to Eurostat, with many major players having announced major investments in the United States. Germany, the EU's largest economy, is under particular pressure due to its dependence on exports: it has a surplus of $84.8 billion with the United States, thanks to its large automobile, chemical, steel and machine industries. The United States accounts for 23 percent of the revenue of Mercedes Benz. While some of that is accounted for by SUVs manufactured in the United States and exported, they risk being hit by any tariff reprisals from the EU. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) reacted promptly to Donald Trump's announcements on Saturday, calling on the EU and the United States to "quickly find solutions and to avoid an escalation". Italy and France, with surpluses of $44 billion and $16.4 billion respectively, according to US statistics (French data says the surplus is much smaller), would appear to be less affected. But some sectors are heavily exposed. The food and wine industries would be particularly affected in both countries, as is also the case for Spain. A 30-percent tariff would be a "catastrophe" for the French wine and spirits sector, Jerome Despey, head of the viticulture branch of the FNSEA union, said Saturday. Coldiretti, Italy's main agricultural organisation, said Saturday that tariffs of 30 percent would cost US consumers and Italian food producers some $2.3 billion. Like Germany, Italy is also concerned about its automotive sector. Franco-Italian manufacturer Stellantis (particularly Fiat and Peugeot) has suspended its forecasts for the year due to these uncertainties. Exposed French sectors also include aeronautics and luxury goods. LVMH, the world's largest luxury conglomerate, makes a quarter of its sales in the United States. About a fifth of France's exports to the United States come from the aerospace industry, much of it from Airbus. Austria and Sweden also have surpluses with the United States, $13.1 billion and $9.8 billion respectively. US trade deficits AFP
