Why Red Branch Media Embraces a Human-First Approach in a World Obsessed with AI

As the head of a full-service marketing and advertising agency that’s been in business for 15 years and has been using AI competently and in a leading capacity for the last five years, yeah, you heard that right—before most people were actually using AI at all. We’re such advocates for AI; we speak on it, advise on it, train companies how to leverage it (AI readiness I think a friend called it), use it prolifically, and AHEM LOVE IT.

I want to write about why we are leaning into a more human approach while many other agencies are going full AI.

We get it.

It’s tempting.

It’s what we wanted to do at first. 

When I first started exploring AI, I was as tempted as anyone to lean in fully, automate everything, and let the machine take over. And why not? AI promises speed, efficiency, and scalability—things every agency craves. AI is such a powerful tool that it can feel like it’s more powerful than humans, but the fact of the matter is, it’s not. You need to have an understanding of the human psyche behind it.

As we dove deeper, we realized something fundamental. AI can’t replace the human element.

The Temptation of AI: Why It’s So Appealing

Many agencies are going all-in on AI, automating their processes, and automating creativity, strategy, and communication to algorithms. From a business perspective, I get it. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and trendy. But there’s something AI can’t replicate—the human psyche, emotional depth, and the very real pain points our clients are dealing with daily.

We see the temptation: Imagine never having to wait for that one genius designer to finish a project or never getting stuck on copy revisions. AI offers an attractive efficiency. But what happens when the machine misunderstands your client’s tone? When it misinterprets cultural nuance? When it fails to see the real issue a buyer is struggling with?

Why We Choose a Human-Centered Approach

A lot of people don’t realize the kind of work Red Branch Media does. That’s (quasi)intentional. We have built our reputation on providing quality, collaborative work that is not only strategic and serves as a guide for everyone—from startups to enterprises—but also creates a sense of working with a friend.

And we know the challenges that buyers of TA/HR Tech face. How could I not? I started in the space building a community of half a million people—all of them struggling with the same issues that buyers of HR Tech are dealing with every day. Now, while some of those issues have changed over the years, the main human drivers behind them haven’t.

So, while you can hand your marketing over to an AI tool or a competitor that’s gone ‘full AI’, we’re not ready to hand it the keys to the car JUST yet. We believe humans do marketing best because we’re selling to each other. We’re talking to each other. Quite simply, we KNOW the buyer. We hang out with them.

We can understand the pain that comes from not having the implementation done on time like they promised their boss (and weave it into your nurturing sequence). We totally get your prospects are biting their nails because the project they championed has gone so far over budget that they don’t know if they’re going to keep their job (and help them choose your technology that will help sort it out). And while AI can offer a seemingly easy solution for building a succession plan, it hits snags during a pandemic or say…political upheaval. We understand these scenarios better than an AI could because we’ve lived through them and know what we would want to hear.

No algorithm can truly grasp that fear.

Sure, AI can help you write a snappy email or pull data at lightning speed, but it can’t feel the anxiety of that prospect whose career is on the line. That’s where we come in. We don’t just market solutions; we understand the real-world stakes behind them. Our team builds marketing strategies designed to reach humans, with all their complexities and emotions.

AI: A Tool, Not the Solution

Do we use AI to make ourselves faster and more efficient? Absolutely. Do we gather our thoughts and let AI assist us? Sure. But at Red Branch Media, AI is simply a tool—a vehicle we use to streamline processes, gather insights, and enhance our strategies. It makes us faster and more efficient, but it doesn’t define us.

We are leaders in AI, but it’s simply a tool. If you asked an Uber driver, “What do you do for a living?” and he said, “Car,” that wouldn’t make any sense because that’s simply the vehicle in which he works. The same is true for Red Branch. AI is simply the vehicle in which we do our work—it’s not the work itself.

We lead in AI, but we lean into humans.

The Red Branch Difference: Authentic, Human-Driven Success

I can’t tell you if this approach will make us the richest or most outwardly successful marketing agency. Maybe it won’t. But I can guarantee this: it makes us the most effective. Because at the end of the day, we understand something AI never will—our clients are humans, with human concerns, fears, and goals. And it takes another human to truly understand that.

At Red Branch Media, we believe that when you focus on people, the results follow. We use AI to enhance, not replace, the human experience. And in a world obsessed with automation, we’re proud to lead with empathy, understanding, and the human touch.

Interested in seeing how we can help you thoughtfully implement AI-powered marketing in your organization? Let’s talk!