Marketing Taste in the AI Era: How to Build It on Your Team

Hey there,

This week, I'm juggling baby bottles and nap schedules when my brother-in-law texts me. He's building an event planning app and wants help with Meta ads. He's thinking users and subscriptions. I'm thinking we need to back up first.

What are the actual benefits? Who's it for? What problems does it solve? Why should people choose this app?

We went deep. I grabbed GPT, Claude, Runway, and Canva, and crafted a little campaign with copy, visuals, and motion (10 ads, 2 variations each). Four tools later, we had something that didn't look like everything else out there.

That got me thinking.

Why is everyone in marketing talking about taste?

Everyone on LinkedIn is talking about "taste" right now. It's the marketing buzzword of the moment. Makes sense: the old playbook isn't cutting it anymore.

More marketers are interested in brand marketing activities after a decade dominated by performance.

But here's what bugs me: nobody's really talking about how you actually develop taste. That's what I'm tackling with my HubSpot Media team, because the truth is:

We have a generation of marketers who can calculate CVR and ROAS in their sleep, but can't write a headline or hook worth remembering.

Why does taste matter now in AI content?

If you're chasing faster and cheaper AI content, you're going to blend in. And blending in is the fastest way to forgettable.

There's an AI tool for everything: research, copy, design, dev, video, you name it. But most of what's being created looks the same. My feed is full of hacks, tricks, and content that checks all the boxes but doesn't stick with me.

The brands people remember don't always win because they're the fastest. They win because they know what they want to say and say it in a way that connects.

That's taste: knowing what's good when you see it.

How do you build taste on your marketing team?

Here's what I'm doing with my team:

• Study the Greats: Not just Ogilvy quotes on LinkedIn. Go back in time (60's, 70's, 80's). I'm talking about copywriters and creative directors who actually built brands and moved product. Stephen King (JWT), Leo Burnett, Gary Halbert, Emily Heyward (big fan of Red Antler), the teams at Chiat/Day and W+K.
• Better Inputs: If you're using AI tools, what you put in determines what you get out. My Copy Chief GPT is trained on Robert W. Bly's Copywriter's Handbook because I want it thinking like an agency pro.
• Design Basics: You don't need to be a Photoshop or Figma expert, but know how whitespace works. Understand readability, visual hierarchy, color palettes, contrast, balance, framing, and typography.
• Watch Creators: Study how YouTubers write titles, design thumbnails, and pace their videos. Study how TikTok creators hook people in the first three seconds. Study audio and video platforms.
• ICP Culture: This doesn't mean be well-versed in the latest memes, fashion, music releases, and movies. It's about understanding what your customer's day looks like. What problems keep them up? What language do they use? What are the conversations in their industry?
• Write More: Writing is the most important skill in marketing. Keywords and topics aren't enough. You need strong headlines, angles, and hooks. Don't just write about "5 LinkedIn Growth Strategies." Grab me through an angle: "How HockeyStack's Founder Drove 100 Demos Through LinkedIn Growth Strategies."

Most importantly, I'm giving my team reps. Showing examples. Talking about what works and why. Taste is something you build in practice.

Where brand and performance meet

I'm focused on building a culture where we balance brand and performance. We've got all these new tools. But the real difference maker is still the same: our judgement. Our taste.

If you're leading a team this year, how are you starting to think about this shift from pure performance marketing to something that actually grabs people's attention?

Until next time ✌️
Kyle