The Brief | The first all AI ad, Apple updates & Gen Z’s going bush

By Lucy

The Brief Pinterest MidYear Trend Report

Battle of The Bots

If you’re still trying to figure out whether to use Claude, Gemini or ChatGPT — this side-by-side test is worth a scroll. From coding Mario to mimicking your writing style, Peter Yang puts all three to the test across real use cases.

Some surprisingly sharp insights in here, but in essence:

Claude is a code-and-copy beast (and weirdly great at tone).
ChatGPT still wins on everyday magic.
Gemini is the quiet achiever, especially if you’re on a budget or building for video.

If you’re trying to keep up (or stay ahead), this one’s worth a read.

iOS Gets Juicier

At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2025 / WWDC25 (think of it as Fashion Week for Apple tech), Apple dropped more updates than a group chat on a Friday night.

This year’s headline act? A sleek new Liquid Glass look across devices – think shiny, translucent, Vision Pro-style vibes. iOS 26 brings smarter call screening (it tells you who’s calling before it rings), live translation for calls, a new all-in-one Games app, and AI-powered custom emoji.

Meanwhile, the iPad is finally catching up to grown-up computers (hi, resizable windows), MacOS gets clipboard history (about time), and your Apple Watch now comes with an AI workout buddy who hypes you up. So yes, Siri is basically your PT now.

From Prompt to Primetime

Google’s new AI video generator, Veo 3, is here, and we’re not sure humanity is ready.

This thing can whip up ultra-realistic videos with sound. Think sizzling onions, chatting people, and ambient city noise, all completely AI-generated from a single prompt. And while it’s not flawless (yet), the results are genuinely jaw-dropping. While OpenAI’s Sora made waves last year, Veo 3 is cranking the dial up a few notches.

Our personal take is that the tech is phenomenal, especially the audio element. The addition of audio takes AI video from “cool toy” to “creative superpower”, which gives it huge potential for brands, content creators, educators, you name it.

And people have been quick to jump on.

If you caught the NBA Finals this week, you may have spotted something unhinged. We’re talking about the ad featuring a man riding an alligator on top of an inflatable pool, and an alien chugging beer (just to name a few of the scenes).

No, you weren’t hallucinating. That was the first fully AI-generated fintech commercial — made by one guy, in just two days, for $2,000 using Veo 3 for visuals and sound, and Gemini + ChatGPT for the script.. And it aired on national TV.

The ad was for Kalshi, a platform where you can trade on real-world outcomes (think markets for sports, egg prices, politics).

This is real-world, real-money, prime-time proof that AI isn’t just disrupting creativity, it’s rewriting the entire marketing playbook.

So what does this mean for creatives? For agencies? For the $7M Superbowl Ad spot?

Is this the start of low-budget, high-dopamine, brand-adjacent madness replacing the slick, sentimental 60-second tearjerkers of old? Are we entering an era of limitless creative possibility, or the end of craft (or humanity?) as we know it?

And what about anyone with a grudge? Using just a single photo they could create a lifelike video of someone doing or saying things they never did. And the implications for that are pretty wild.

That’s the state of AI right now: fast, surreal, and wildly effective.

But where is it going next? That’s where things really get interesting….

We’re entering the agentic AI era. That means AI won’t just respond to what you ask, it will do things for you.

We’re already seeing early signs: OpenAI’s Operator can run tasks on your computer. Gemini Live can watch your screen while you work and help in real-time. Claude is leaning hard into dev tools and async agents.

Agentic AI means your tools won’t wait for instructions. They’ll book your meetings, sort your inbox, make travel plans, and maybe write you a campaign brief while they’re at it. It’s like going from an intern who takes notes to a colleague who finishes the job before you ask.

The shift from reactive to proactive is huge, and it’s happening faster than most people realise. If models like Veo 3 show what AI can generate, agentic AI is about what it can orchestrate.

So yes, Veo 3 is amazing. But also? Buckle up. The next wave of AI isn’t just generating content — it’s running the show. And we’re anticipating a wild ride.

For Every AI, There’s an IRL

If Google Veo 3 is the action, then this is the equal and opposite reaction.

According to Pinterest’s 2025 Midyear Trends Report, Gen Z isn’t doubling down on tech. They’re logging off, with searches for “digital detox vision boards” up 273%. So while Veo 3 is generating photoreal beer-chugging aliens, Pinterest users are dreaming of forest retreats, thrifted interiors, and off-grid book holidays.

From Scroll Fatigue to Rustic Retreats

Gen Z is curating their own kind of calm, not just in their travel plans, but in their homes. The platform has seen a huge spike in searches for earthy, nature-inspired interiors: “natural wooden bed” is up 859%, “dark rustic kitchen” by 290%, and “thrifted home décor DIY ideas” a whopping 645%.

The farmhouse cottage aesthetic is also on the rise, with people searching for ways to blend antique charm with natural textures like brick, timber, vintage finds, and garden cottage touches. This is designed as a form of escape, and it’s taking over one thrifted trinket shelf at a time.

Nature Travel and Literary Escapes

It’s not just the interiors getting a glow-down. Travel trends are shifting too, as more people seek out nature-based getaways and slow-living escapes. Pinterest is seeing increased interest in everything from forest retreats to book club vacations. “Nature retreat” is up 72%, “book club retreat ideas” up 265%, and even “aesthetic hiking pictures” is climbing steadily.

The takeaway here is that whether it’s through a mountain escape or a secondhand market haul, Gen Z is craving real-world connection, natural textures, and a break from the algorithm.

Too Fast, Too Delicious

The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) in the UK has banned a Twix ad for “encouraging unsafe driving.” The ad in discussion is a cinematic, over-the-top car chase that ends with two identical caramel-coloured cars with identical drivers crashing into a Twix-style sandwich, then continuing to drive on (once they’ve shared a Twix, of course).

Never mind that it was clearly absurd, physics-defying, and involved no pedestrians, road signs, or reality, because five complaints later, the fun police rolled in.

Despite Mars Wrigley’s defence that the ad was “fantastical” and “impossible to recreate,” the ASA decided viewers might take driving tips from chocolate commercials.

Our take is that it’s pretty clear it’s satire, not street racing. Was it really worthy of being banned? What’s your take?

And if completely unhinged AI ads are ok, but a chocolate-themed car-chase spoof is not, then it’s going to be a rocky road ahead for ad regulators.

Keen To Dive In?

If you love what we’ve shared above and want to be kept in the loop with our weekly email, The Brief, you can sign up here. We’ll only send you things we love and think you’ll find useful, and you can unsubscribe at any time. And if you need some help exploring any of the above within your own marketing strategy, or you need a rebrand, a custom website built from scratch, Google or social ads, print materials, blog posts – or the whole lot – we’d love to chat. Drop us a line here.