AI-dvertising!

I still remember the first ad that gave me goosebumps. It was Cadbury’s “Kuch Khaas Hai” — a young woman running onto a cricket field, dancing joyfully as her team won. That ad wasn’t just about chocolate. It was about freedom, celebration, and joy. It was a story.Think back to Nirma’s iconic “Washing Powder Nirma” jingle. Or Amul’s witty hoardings that commented on everything from politics to cricket. These weren’t just ads. They became part of our cultural memory.

Some of the old Amul Ads that I still refer back to

They lived rent-free in our minds for decades.Fast forward to today, and we’re in a new era — the AI era. Ads are sharper, hyper-personalized, and optimized to within an inch of their lives. Algorithms know what you’ve searched, what you’ve abandoned in your cart, even what you might want next week. Efficiency is the new creativity.

But here’s my question: can AI make you feel?AI can generate 20 variations of an ad in minutes. It can predict click-through rates, test headlines, and tweak visuals endlessly. Yet, how many ads from the past five years can you honestly say moved you? How many jingles stuck? How many storylines lingered?I don’t deny AI’s power. It’s a phenomenal tool.

But it often feels like the soul of advertising — the human touch, the flawed brilliance — is getting lost. Creativity back then wasn’t just about selling. It was about connection. Even if you didn’t buy the product, you remembered the story. You felt something.Perhaps the real challenge for today’s brands isn’t just about adopting AI, but about balancing it.

Let the machines crunch the data, optimize the spend, and spit out endless options.

But let humans craft the story. Because at the end of the day, people don’t bond with algorithms. They bond with feelings, characters, and memories.Advertising shouldn’t just make us click. It should make us feel. And if AI is to be the future, maybe it’s time we teach it not just to sell — but to storytell.