A Friend Called Future: Can your audience still tell what’s real?
In July, AI’s influence on trust and authenticity took center stage. From fake influencers to a return to handcrafted design, the signal is clear: people want real connection, not just clever automation. In this issue, we unpack the headlines, share findings from our Faces of the Future study, and explore how WongDoody is helping brands lead with transparency, creativity, and human intent.
Trust by Design: The Fight for Authenticity in the AI Era
This past month, the line between authenticity and automation blurred in the public eye. As AI-generated influencers went viral, audiences and creators pushed back on content that felt more synthetic than sincere. The message? Realness still matters. That cultural shift is exactly what we set out to explore in Faces of the Future, our latest research study on how people perceive AI-generated humans in advertising. We uncovered a clear trend: audiences connect most with what feels intentional, emotional, and human, regardless of how it was made. Here’s how that tension showed up in the headlines:
AI Influencers Are Going Viral ... and Losing Trust
What happened: “Mia Zelu,” an AI-generated influencer, gained over 165,000 followers during Wimbledon—before being exposed as synthetic. She’s not alone. AI avatars are landing brand deals and building audiences at scale.
Why it matters: The backlash wasn’t about the tech. It was about transparency. Followers felt misled, and that emotional disconnect eroded trust.
In our study: Participants responded positively to AI-generated faces until they learned the truth. Once disclosed, trust dropped significantly. Clarity and context were everything.
AI Beauty Is Here, But at What Cost?
What happened: Vogue’s August issue features a Guess ad with an AI-generated model — flawless, symmetrical, and synthetic. The quiet credit: “Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI.”
Why it matters: It’s a milestone moment: fully AI-created beauty in fashion’s top magazine. But it’s also reigniting concerns about unrealistic standards.
In our study: AI faces risk reinforcing narrow ideals. Consumers, especially younger ones, want diversity in age, ethnicity, and body type. It must reflect real-world beauty, not erase it.
Fashion’s Analog Aesthetic Is a Strategic Choice
What happened: Brands like Saint Laurent and Brunello Cucinelli are prioritizing tactile techniques, slow fashion, and craft-led visuals.
Why it matters: In a world where anything can be generated, audiences are gravitating toward what feels thoughtfully made. Handcrafted is becoming high-trust.
In our study: Participants responded most strongly to AI visuals that felt emotionally grounded. The perceived “why” behind a creative decision influenced how trustworthy it felt.
BOTTOM LINE: Authenticity is no longer a creative preference: It’s a strategic advantage. In an era where nearly anything can be generated, how and why you create matters more than ever. Read the full article on scaling content without losing soul.
Watch On Demand: Accelerating AI Impact Through Experience Design
How do brands turn AI ambition into measurable outcomes? In our latest LinkedIn Live, WongDoody hosted experts from IBM and WongDoody to explore how experience design is shaping the future of agentic AI. The conversation spotlighted the Mitsubishi Intelligent Companion—an AI designed to assist drivers intuitively and unpacked why trust, context, and creativity are critical to scaling real-world impact.
Why Digital Twins Are the Future of Scalable Content
From fashion to FMCG, brands are embracing Digital Twins—hyper-realistic 3D product models—to speed up production, cut costs, and deliver content at scale. In a recent HORIZONT feature WongDoody’s Michael Duldner breaks down why this shift isn’t just about tech, it’s about strategy. Think faster time-to-market, AI-enhanced customization, and consistent brand assets that move seamlessly across touchpoints—from social to e-commerce to print.
From Skyler’s podcast spotlight on leadership to a major new Adobe partnership powering the next wave of AI marketing, here’s what’s been happening across WongDoody and the broader Infosys ecosystem.
From Melrose Place Dreams to Leading a Global Agency
Our CEO, Skyler Mattson, recently joined Amanda Healy Collins on the Badass Women in Business podcast to reflect on the path from her early days in LA advertising to leading WongDoody today. In the episode, she shares lessons from two decades of growth, the power of staying curious, and how leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about building the right team to find them. It’s about asking the right questions, staying open, and surrounding yourself with brilliant people who push the work forward.
WongDoody Helps Supercharge Adobe x Infosys Partnership
Infosys’ expanded collaboration with Adobe is set to supercharge the Aster platform, bringing together cutting-edge AI, data, and creative tools to redefine enterprise marketing. As a core contributor to Aster, WongDoody will help deliver through human-centered design, emotionally resonant storytelling, and scalable creative solutions. This partnership enhances our ability to create intelligent, personalized brand experiences powered by Adobe’s tools and Infosys’ engineering strength. For our clients, it means faster, smarter, and more impactful marketing outcomes.