☕ The real deal

Why Aerie is still saying no to AI use in its marketing.

April 06, 2026 View Online | Sign Up | Shop It’s Monday. Lunch plans at Possible? Handled. Join us for a conversation on what actually breaks through in the age of AI—and what marketers should do next. See you in Miami! In today’s edition: What you see is what you get Texas energy Go figure —Katie Hicks, Jennimai Nguyen, Kristina Monllos BRAND STRATEGY Keep it real Aerie As AI continues to be the biggest buzzword in marketing, apparel brand Aerie made waves last fall when it publicly committed to not using the technology in any of its campaign images. Stacey McCormick, CMO of Aerie, told us that deciding to not use any AI-generated people or bodies in its campaigns was a natural next step in evolving its 2014 “Aerie Real” pledge, in which the brand committed to not retouching images of its models. That initial pledge led to a boost in sales for the brand, and so far, McCormick said the commitment to not use AI is also resonating with customers. When the brand shared the updated pledge on Instagram last October, it quickly became its most popular post with more than 40,000 likes. In Q4 2025, McCormick said Aerie saw a “big jump” in brand awareness in the double-digits, and the brand’s earnings report shows that Aerie sales were up 23% over Q4 2024. “As we grow the brand and we get in front of more people, we really want to make sure that not only does our customer base who knows us know it,” McCormick said. “But we want to make sure people who are joining us understand that what you see is what you get.” In its latest campaign, Aerie cast actor Pamela Anderson, who has become known for her decision to go mostly makeup-free, as the face of the brand. In the hero spot, Anderson asks an AI tool to generate “unique” and “natural” images of models with little success. We spoke with McCormick about the continued commitment to showing real people, what went into making its latest campaign, and where the industry is headed on generative AI use. Continue reading here.—KH From The Crew Expense it to content Join Ramp’s Nathan Allebach, Social Media Lead, as he breaks down what actually makes brand content land today—from tone to timing to knowing when to not post at all. It’s all part of The Next Phase of Social and Creator Marketing in NYC on May 12, where top marketers are sharing what’s working now (and what’s not). TV & STREAMING Table steaks Paramount+ Since 2023, Paramount+ has taken up residence at South by Southwest with The Lodge, an interactive, multilevel popup that shows off its latest titles. This year, one particular show got an extra special treatment. Dutton Ranch, a Taylor Sheridan-helmed Yellowstone spinoff that stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, takes place in Texas—setting the perfect scene for Paramount+ to announce the upcoming show in a grandiose OOH building projection. For four hours on three nights at the Fairmont Austin, an animated fiery logo blazed across the building’s facade, followed by a message for the entire state: “Texas, you’re on notice. Beth and Rip are coming.” The streamer also partnered with a number of select steakhouses to serve DR-branded Angus ribeyes and themed cocktails, available for a little less than a week. In all, it was an IRL introduction to an extension of a world that fans already know and love, and the team knew they had to make it count, Shawn Silverman, SVP of program marketing at Paramount Direct to Consumer, told us. “Dutton Ranch is a massive priority for us,” Silverman said. “We knew we wanted to be [at SXSW] with Dutton Ranch, and in order to do that, we wanted to do it in a really big and bold way that aligns with the spirit of Beth and Rip.” Read more here.—JN BRAND STRATEGY History in the making Ancestry American history is rife with stories of important figures. Some of those stories are legends, told so many times that it’s impossible to hear a historical figure’s name without thinking of a tale that goes with it. George Washington and the cherry tree myth. Benjamin Franklin and his kite. Others, though, are barely a footnote. Throughout this year, with America’s 250th birthday in July, familial history company Ancestry is telling some of the lesser-known stories of people who made a difference—250 of them—with a new campaign, “The Stories of US,” from its in-house brand team. During the Golden Globes in January, the company kicked off the campaign with a 30-second spot questioning why some stories are known but others aren’t, encouraging people to dig into their own personal history. As part of that effort, Ancestry is showing up in cities across the country to highlight various people who are important to those cities with events and out-of-home advertising. In New York in February, Ancestry spotlighted the first Black officer in the FDNY, Wesley A. Williams, for his efforts to save a family from a tenement fire on the Lower East Side in 1929. As part of the campaign, the company brought together descendants of both Williams and the family he saved. “The way that we’re thinking about America’s 250 is that it’s the backdrop,” Attica Jaques, CMO of Ancestry in the US, told Marketing Brew. “We could have told the ‘Stories of US’ anytime, right? It helps us to have grounding in terms of authentic storytelling…[Few marketers can] talk about how individual people help shape and make up America the way that we can.” Continue reading here.—KM Together With Klaviyo New innovations are here. Klaviyo launched 75+ new features to help you build stronger connections, deliver better support, and drive performance across every channel. From AI-powered campaign creation to advanced customer agents and richer messaging like RCS, it’s everything you need to scale personalized experiences. Explore what’s new. Level up your career with these resources from our sponsors! Hear that? It’s sports audio delivering sustained attention in marketing moments that matter—learn more. Consumers share how they’re discovering new products in a crowded marketplace FRENCH PRESS Morning Brew There are a lot of bad marketing tips out there. These aren’t those. Sound the alarm: A guide to crisis management and staying on message. Bargain hunter: Tips for optimizing brand visibility within Google’s AI shopping features. That’s efficient: Understanding a new YouTube feature that enables creators to like comments in bulk. Tell us what you think: Got a minute? Share your thoughts in this survey + be entered for a chance to win a $250 AmEx gift card. Your two cents could be worth a lot more.* *A message from our sponsor. IN AND OUT Francis Scialabba Executive moves across the industry. General Motors tapped Uber alum David Mogensen to serve as CMO of Cadillac. Jack in the Box hired Pizza Hut marketer Katelyn Zborowski to serve as CMO. McDonald’s promoted Skye Anderson to the newly created role of McDonald’s USA COO. SHARE THE BREW Share the Brew, watch your referral count climb, and unlock brag-worthy swag. Your friends get smarter. You get rewarded. Win-win. Your referral count: 0 Click to Share Or copy & paste your referral link to others: marketingbrew.com/r/?kid=77999182 Written by Katie Hicks, Jennimai Nguyen, Kristina Monllos, Jasmine Sheena, and Kelsey Sutton Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. Get smarter in just 5 minutes Business News: Morning Brew Tech & AI News: Tech Brew Markets News: Brew Markets Real Estate News: The Playbook Money & Career: Bossy   Take The Brew to work CFO Brew HR Brew Revenue Brew IT Brew Retail Brew Healthcare Brew Interested in podcasts? Check out Marketing Brew Weekly on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. ADVERTISE // CAREERS // SHOP // FAQ Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here. View our privacy policy here. 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