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