Every month, we track what’s breaking through the noise — and what’s falling flat — across the fragmented media spaces we operate in.
Between AI hype cycles, geopolitical shakeups, and an ever-shifting algorithmic landscape, the last two months have been a masterclass in how (and how not) to capture attention in fragmented media spaces. Here's what’s been cutting through — and what’s collapsing under its own weight.
What's Cutting Through
1. Relatable messengers are outperforming institutional voices
In Latin America and Southeast Asia, creators who speak from lived experience — like nurses, farmers, and teachers — are becoming trusted narrators in public health and civic campaigns.
Example: In April, community health workers in the Philippines posted TikToks under the “Know Your Numbers”campaign, encouraging blood pressure checks. Their content reached three times the engagement of official government PSAs. 🔗 See their TikTok here
2. Local language = higher trust
Campaigns that prioritize multilingual or indigenous-language content are consistently outperforming monolingual messaging in rural and underserved regions.
Example: Bolivia has taken a lead in preserving indigenous languages by launching the Ibero-American Institute of Indigenous Languages (IIALI) and integrating Quechua and Aymara into public campaigns. 🔗 More on Bolivia’s initiative
3. Culturally resonant campaigns are winning hearts
In China, International Women’s Day campaigns moved beyond boilerplate empowerment slogans, celebrating women’s identities in a way that felt grounded and real.
Example: Brands like SK-II and Aesop launched content that acknowledged local gender dynamics while amplifying women’s stories through short films and editorial content. 🔗 Read the Vogue Business coverage
4. Niche influencers are outperforming celebrity campaigns
Mega-celebrities are out. Community-rooted creators are in — especially in campaigns aiming to build trust or shift behaviour.
Example: TikTok’s 2025 What’s Next report notes a sharp rise in impact when brands collaborate with niche influencers who speak to specific demographics, from climate-conscious Gen Z to diaspora communities. 🔗 TikTok’s 2025 Trends Report
What’s Falling Flat
1. Overreliance on AI-generated content
AI is a powerful tool — but when it replaces human voice and oversight entirely, audiences notice. Generic visuals and soulless copy are being met with apathy — or outright backlash.
Recent backlash: In 2023, Amnesty International used AI-generated images to depict protests in Colombia. The goal was to protect activists’ identities, but the visuals were called out as misleading and inauthentic — and the images were later pulled. 🔗 The Guardian coverage
Also in the line of fire: In 2024, Google released an Olympics-themed ad powered by its Gemini AI. What was meant to be an emotional tribute landed flat, with users calling it tone-deaf and robotic. Google quietly removed the ad after public criticism. 🔗 Campaign Asia report
And most recently: In April 2025, Oakland First Fridays used AI art on a promo flyer for its arts festival — sparking backlash from local artists who felt the move undercut the event’s very mission. Organizers walked it back and issued a public apology. 🔗 SF Chronicle coverage
2. Misaligned brand messaging
Campaigns that try to "stay neutral" in the face of social crises — or lean on outdated tropes — are falling flat or getting ratio’d. Audiences expect moral clarity and cultural sensitivity.
Recentbacklash: During recent escalations in Gaza and Ukraine, numerous global brands issued vague “calls for peace” that backfired, appearing both tone-deaf and evasive.
Takeaways
✦ Forget global templates. Content that resonates is built with cultural intelligence — not copy-paste strategy decks.
✦ Relevance beats reach. People trust those who speak to their context, not above it.
✦ AI can scale a message — but it can’t replace voice, values, or emotional truth. When the humans disappear, so does the impact.
✦ Vague neutrality isn’t strategic — it’s forgettable. Audiences expect moral clarity, not fence-sitting.
Final Thought
Cutting through isn’t about being louder — it’s about being sharper. In 2025, audiences scroll fast, call out inauthenticity faster, and reward content that feels real, relevant, and respectful of context.
At StratComLab, this is our craft. We help mission-driven teams find the story that works — and make it stick.
