Putting the ‘U’ in ‘UGC’ | Aaron Peever - Creative Director, MAVAN | Episode 22

Aaron Peever is an award-winning copywriter and Creative Director who has worked on national campaigns for brands like Mastercard, Wendy’s, Scotiabank, and Kia. Aaron’s background in comedy writing and performance gives him a unique ability to effectively channel a brand’s voice and personality, blending humor with insightful advertising strategies. 

 

In this episode we discuss:

• Crafting brand messages requires thorough understanding and consistent tone
• Every marketing effort must have a clear, purpose-oriented goal
• User-generated content is effective for its authentic presentation and cost efficiency
• Strategies in leveraging influencers have shifted towards format rather than reach
• Using AI for ideation aids in the creative process requires human finesse

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00:05) Introduction to the podcast and its purpose

(0:00:32) Introduction of guest Aaron Peever

(0:01:19) Aaron's background in comedy and transition to advertising

(0:02:23) The value of comedy skills in advertising and marketing

(0:03:49) Common mistakes in copywriting and annoying ad tropes

(0:05:15) Frustrations with client feedback and dilution of creative ideas

(0:07:11) Examples of large campaigns worked on at traditional agencies

(0:08:41) The opportunity to work on tangential brand projects with big budgets

(0:09:14) Examples of working with Wendy's and Mastercard

(0:10:12) Enjoying Wendy's food during remote work on the Wendy's campaign

(0:10:12) Discussion about eating Wendy's as a creative team

(0:10:45) Story about a pitch for a tobacco company

(0:11:49) Conversations about client expectations and integrity

(0:12:48) Example of hiding water bottles for an environmentally friendly appearance

(0:13:14) Contrasting differences between working at a large agency and a growth agency

(0:14:12) Importance of understanding a brand's personality for effective copywriting

(0:15:02) Comparing brands to characters and the need for consistency

(0:15:57) Old Spice's consistent branding and personality

(0:17:22) Challenges of non-creatives giving feedback to designers

(0:19:57) Advice for non-creatives to effectively communicate with the creative team

(0:21:03) Struggles with creating effective ads and getting alignment on the goals

(0:22:18) Importance of communication and aligning on the objective of the ad

(0:24:13) Benefits of user-generated content (UGC) ads and making ads that don't look like ads

(0:26:37) Challenges with influencers and the shift towards UGC

(0:30:38) The value is in the format, not necessarily the influencer, for UGC ads

(0:31:46) Validity of mommy bloggers and the influence of consumer behavior

(0:32:26) The evolution of advertising and the importance of media literacy

(0:32:57) Speculation on the future of advertising and the impact of AI

(0:34:32) The current state of generative AI tools and their limitations

(0:35:09) Identifying AI-generated content and the need for human touch

(0:36:25) AI tools for transcription and content rewriting

(0:37:24) Using AI to eliminate baseline arguments and explore new ideas

(0:38:07) The early stage of AI in creative ideation and collaboration

(0:38:51) The skepticism and limitations of generative AI

(0:39:31) The benefits of AI in visual concepting and client collaboration

(0:40:55) The time-saving aspect of AI in the creative process 

(0:41:35) The importance of optimizing tasks for AI integration

(0:42:06) Focusing on what humans are better at 

(0:42:23) Staying ahead of AI

(0:42:29) Shifting focus to what AI can't do

(0:42:33) Promoting MAVAN growth agency

(0:42:43) Closing remarks and subscription reminder