(I stumbled on this completely AI generated UGC ad the other day)
It’s dominated the paid social space for years
And it is still the weapon of choice for performance marketers on Meta and TikTok
I can almost say that 100% of our clients at NUSA STUDIOS use it in their marketing mix
But I think we're about to hit a turning point, where its effectiveness begins to soften
Here’s why:
1) It’s everywhere
👉 Every brand and their dog is using it
👉 This has led to a 'sea of sameness' within ad creatives, and consumers are learning to tune it out
👉 Audiences can now spot fake UGC from a mile off
2) The market is oversaturated
👉 It’s never been easier to make UGC
👉 Low barriers + systemised production = a flood of supply
👉 Agencies are churning it out at scale, and that scale is killing its effectiveness
3. AI-generated UGC is on the rise
👉 Synthetic content is cheaper and faster to produce, which makes it even more appealing to brands
🤔 But the more we use it, the less impact it has
It’s starting to feel like a race to the bottom
What once felt raw and authentic now feels... manufactured
In fact, I’m even questioning the definition of UGC itself because most UGC isn’t really user-generated at all
It’s content made by creators who have been hired to act like genuine fans
(Tom Davies wrote a brilliant piece on this - worth checking it out)
So what’s next?
This is maybe a far out prediction but I think the flurry of AI generated content will make personality-led content much much more valuable
Long-term, I think UGC will take a backseat & be slowly replaced by documentary-style, story-first creative that feels more personal and less manufactured
Would love to hear your thoughts👇
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