If you’re on the internet these days, you’d be hard-pressed to not run into AI slop.

The term, which refers to low-quality AI-generated content that is beginning to proliferate on social media platforms like Instagram and video platforms like YouTube, is often bizarre and is sometimes even funny. But for some brands concerned about brand safety and suitability, having ads run against such content might be no laughing matter.

On YouTube, though, ads for brands are sometimes appearing next to such AI-slop content. A look at several YouTube pages that post AI slop revealed some major brands’ advertisements showing up against those pages’ content, which ranges from simply strange to AI-generated misinformation.

One channel, called Pan-African Dreams, has shared misinformation and recently made the news for posting a lengthy deepfake video that falsely depicts Pope Leo XIV delivering a speech praising Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader of Burkina Faso, prompting a response from the Vatican. In mid-May, the video had racked up more than 1 million views on YouTube. Marketing Brew observed brands including HBO Max, Amazon Hub Delivery, theater ticket seller TodayTix, and the tourism site Visit Florida appearing against content on the channel.

Another AI slop channel, Banana Adventure, posts bizarre videos mostly centered on Minions, the characters from the Despicable Me franchise, as well as other characters like the Joker. Marketing Brew observed ads for Amazon Hub Delivery, Android, and Tia Health next to that channel’s content.

Keep reading here.—JS

It was the kiss cam seen ’round the world—and on just about every brand account.

When the former CEO and former head of HR at software company Astronomer were caught in an apparent moment of infidelity at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, it immediately set off a social media frenzy, with nearly 200,000 posts and more than 46 million engagements, according to intelligence platform Meltwater.

Brands were eager to get in on the action. The official accounts for Neon, Ryanair, NYC Sanitation, Duolingo, Chipotle, and Aldi posted the now-viral image of the couple with (sometimes stretched) references to their brand, while Netflix, Paramount Plus, Tesla, Ikea, StubHub, and the Seattle Mariners baseball team posted more subtle nods.

Beyond that, multiple sports teams and fans have re-created the moment on kiss cams at recent games.

At face value, it may have felt like a simple moment of collective humor—after all, adultery is pretty universally frowned upon. But in addition to putting brands at risk of backlash, experts tell us it could also put them at risk of potential legal action.

Too much, too far? Since brands began posting about the event, some people have spoken out against their involvement, citing the personal nature of the moment and its impact on both parties’ families.

“I think it’s fair game as an individual to clown on the main character of the day, but brands don’t need to participate in schadenfreude,” David McNamee, social media creative lead at social media agency Benchmob, wrote in a post on LinkedIn.

Keep reading here.—KH

Upfronts week is a tried-and-true tradition in the TV and marketing worlds. Healthcare? Not so much. But that hasn’t stopped point-of-care digital health company PatientPoint from participating in the annual event the last two years.

Typically, upfronts include a presentation from major media networks and then a commercial commitment component from companies interested in advertising with that media company’s programming, Kasha Cacy, chief media officer at full-service agency Known, told Healthcare Brew. Often these presentations are full of glitz and glam, celebrity appearances, and lots of media bragging.

At traditional upfront presentations, the goal is to lock in Q4 TV inventory, get a competitive price advantage, and find advertisers for popular programming like live sports and events. “Those three factors tend not to be as strongly at play in a healthcare space as they are in electronics or some of the other spaces,” Cacy said.

For PatientPoint, this meant bringing Mike Varshavski, a healthcare influencer known as “Dr. Mike” and a family practice provider who’s known for being outspoken online in an effort to debunk misinformation, to the stage.

Keep reading on Healthcare Brew.

Executive moves across the industry.

• Sonos made Tom Conrad, previously interim CEO, permanent.
• Iris Worldwide tapped FCB New York alum Alex Abrantes as its chief creative officer, North America.
• Publicis brought on board WPP alum Laurent Ezekiel.