Advertising Week Confronts AI's Dual Edge As Strategists Push For Authentic Human Connection

Among the marketing, media, and tech leaders gathered at Advertising Week New York, the conversation kept circling back to one core conflict: the push for AI automation versus the pull of human authenticity. In a world where consumers can see thousands of ads a day, this tension is forcing a return to a focus on human connection, pushing marketers to find new ways to earn, rather than just buy, a moment of attention.

Victoria Jervis is a strategist navigating this environment for her clients. As the Senior Director of Paid Social at Cosmo5, founder of her own consultancy, Victoria K Digital, LLC, and former social manager at industry giant Tinuiti, she has built a career on driving awareness and conversions for brands. Jervis explains that, as technology frees marketers from tedious tasks, they can reinvest that time in building genuine connections by finding the right voice for the right community. For her, this means looking everywhere, from pop culture icons to hyper-local creators, and digging into the forums where real conversations are happening. "Putting a face to the story helps build connection in the age of AI, whether it’s a household name like Flavor Flav or a geo-located micro-influencer. It provides a spokesperson that acts as a peer review to amplify your brand," she says.

• The new focus group: Jervis views Reddit not just as a tactical listening post, but as a foundational element in the broader strategic shift towards a unified discovery ecosystem where search and social converge. "I'm a big proponent of utilizing Reddit. It’s the new focus group. When you listen to that community, you get the authentic responses of real people and understand what you need to put in your ads," she explains.

• The tangible generation: Focusing on community is especially important for reaching younger audiences. Jervis points to a deep-seated desire among Gen Z for real-world connection after the isolation of the pandemic, creating a powerful loop for brands that can deliver it. She says, "Because Gen Z went through the pandemic, they are looking for tangible, community experiences. When you create those real-world events for them, they are intrinsically motivated to post and share with their friends. That’s how you close the loop and bring it back to social."

Case in point: the Duolingo and Marriott collaboration is a prime example of turning digital interaction into a lived, shareable experience that is authentic and earned. Jervis adds, "It’s about moving beyond simply finding a creator and declaring it a partnership. Find something that makes sense by listening to how all the pieces work together. The Duolingo and Marriott collaboration, for instance, connects a user learning Spanish with a tangible opportunity to practice by traveling to Spain with a relevant hotel offer. That's a partnership that creates a logical, valuable experience."

• The new AI mantra: As many in the industry consider their relationship with AI, Jervis describes the current mood as a state of "AI purgatory." The technology's arrival has left many brands unsure how to proceed, caught between fear and curiosity. Adding to this anxiety is the push toward full automation from major platforms like Meta. Jervis, however, offers a different take, emphasizing AI’s role as a powerful tool designed to free strategists from tactical minutiae. "Use AI to amplify, not as the base. It will take over the tedious work, but that just frees us up to do more strategy. Since we're not bogged down by manual, day-to-day tasks, we can really dig into how we can stand out for our brands," she explains.

Jervis cautions, however, that an over-reliance on these tools can be a pitfall. She points to the risk of ad platforms like Meta's Advantage Plus and TikTok's Smart+, which, despite promising efficiency, can operate as a black box that obscures the real humans behind the data points. For Jervis, the strategist's work should be to look beyond the dashboard and ask a more fundamental question. She says, "Ultimately, the goal is to find the actual people. When you find those people and truly hone in on that community, you’ll stand out against everything else."

These trends, Jervis notes, point toward a single discovery ecosystem. The lines between search and social are blurring, driven by the behavioral changes seen on platforms like Reddit and TikTok. That's why a cohesive, human-centered strategy where all teams are speaking the same language is so important. "Authenticity wins in the noise," she says. "That’s what separates the winners from the doom-scroll."