How to Stand Out in an AI World: Mark Schaefer on Being Audacious in Marketing

In a world drowning in AI-generated content, how can marketers and businesses stand out? Mark Schaefer, best-selling author and host of The Marketing Companion podcast, argues that the answer lies not in competing with AI on competence, but in out-humaning it through bold creativity. In this episode of Chatting GPT, host Maryrose Lyons speaks with Schaefer about his new book, Audacious, and how businesses can thrive in an AI-driven marketing landscape.

The End of Competence as a Differentiator

Schaefer's central insight is both simple and profound: competence is no longer enough. AI can now match or exceed competent human output across many domains. Writing competent copy, creating competent designs, producing competent code—AI handles these tasks with increasing proficiency.

"Competence alone is no longer enough," Schaefer explains. "AI matches or exceeds competent output, so humans must out-human AI by leading with imagination, critical thinking, and audacity." This shift requires a fundamental rethinking of what makes marketing effective.

The implication is clear: businesses that rely on competent execution alone will find themselves commoditised by AI. The path forward is to develop capabilities that AI cannot easily replicate—creative vision, strategic thinking, emotional resonance, and boldness.

The Small Business Advantage

Counterintuitively, Schaefer argues that small and medium-sized businesses hold a structural advantage over large brands in the AI era. Large organisations are often locked into agency contracts, legal caution, and risk-averse cultures that stifle bold marketing. Every creative decision must pass through multiple approval layers, diluting audacity into mediocrity.

Small businesses, by contrast, can move quickly and take risks. They can experiment with provocative messaging, unconventional channels, and bold creative choices without navigating corporate bureaucracy. This agility becomes a competitive advantage when markets reward differentiation over scale.

The Liquid Death Example

Schaefer points to Liquid Death as proof that audacious marketing works at scale. The water brand built a provocative identity that defied every marketing convention—positioning water as rebellious, using heavy metal aesthetics, and creating content that looked nothing like traditional beverage advertising.

The result: Liquid Death became the fastest-growing beverage brand in the world. The brand did not succeed despite its audacity—it succeeded because of it. In a crowded market, only bold differentiation cuts through.

The lesson for businesses in Ireland and the UK is that playing it safe is now the riskiest strategy. When AI can produce competent, conventional marketing at scale, conventional marketing becomes invisible.

The QR Code Cover: Practicing What You Preach

Schaefer's book Audacious embodies its own message. The cover features a QR code that, when scanned, reveals an AI-generated infinite cover that changes each time. The book itself was uploaded to AI, with sample art, creating an interactive experience that demonstrates the very creativity Schaefer advocates.

"When you call a book Audacious, then it better be audacious," Schaefer notes. This commitment to practicing what he preaches gives the book credibility that conventional marketing books lack.

Strategic AI Adoption

Despite his emphasis on human creativity, Schaefer is not anti-AI. His recommendation is to focus AI adoption on existing strengths. Identify what your business is known for, then apply AI tools to amplify that capability—rather than chasing every new AI feature.

This focused approach prevents the overwhelm that many businesses experience. Instead of trying to implement AI everywhere, identify your core competencies and use AI to make them stronger. A construction firm might use AI to enhance project visualisation. A professional services firm might use AI to accelerate research. The key is alignment with existing strengths.

Looking Forward

For marketers and business leaders in Ireland and the UK, Schaefer's message is both challenging and liberating. The challenge: competence is no longer sufficient. The liberation: you are now free to focus on what humans do best—imagination, connection, and bold creative vision.

AI Institute (Ireland & UK) supports this transition through AI literacy programmes, AI training for teams, and AI strategy for leadership teams. The goal is not to replace human creativity with AI, but to amplify human creativity through AI—enabling organisations to be more audacious, not less.

Want the full conversation? Watch the Chatting GPT episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_bIF0MPx0