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In conversation with Editor Ankur Sharma, The News Strike, Vibhor Gulati, Founder of Defodio Digital, says digital marketing has in many cases become overly dependent on algorithms, leading brands to follow repetitive hooks, edits, and structures that may deliver short-term engagement but often make content feel interchangeable. Gulati argues that true brand recall is built when marketers break predictable patterns through unexpected, human, and sometimes imperfect creative choices that feel made for people rather than platforms. In the AI era, he adds that relying only on data risks losing the cultural intuition needed to stay relevant, since metrics can show what audiences are doing but rarely explain the deeper emotional or contextual reasons behind their behavior.
1. Has digital marketing become too dependent on algorithms, weakening the role of brand intuition and creative risk-taking?
Yeah, I think in a lot of cases it has. You can almost tell when something is made “for the algorithm” versus when it is made for people.
A lot of brands are just following patterns now. Same kind of hooks, same edits, same structure. It works to an extent, but it also makes everything feel interchangeable after a point.
The funny part is, the content that really stands out is usually the one that breaks this pattern. It feels a little unexpected or even slightly imperfect.
So I would not blame algorithms entirely. They are just tools. But if you let them drive all your decisions, you end up playing too safe. And safe rarely builds recall.
2. In the AI era, will marketers relying only on data lose the human insight needed for cultural relevance?
To an extent, that is already happening. Data is useful, but it only tells you what people are doing. It does not fully explain why they are reacting a certain way.
Cultural relevance comes from understanding context. For example, a trend might look great in terms of engagement, but if you do not understand the tone behind it, your version can feel out of place. Audiences pick up on that very quickly.
AI definitely makes things faster and more efficient, but it cannot replace observation and instinct. The presence in conversations, awareness of behavioral changes, and sentiment analysis all still need a human perspective.
Without that, marketing can start to feel a bit disconnected, even if the numbers look strong.
3. Are communities becoming a stronger growth engine than paid media for digital-first brands?
Yeah, this shift is already happening. Paid media can get you visibility, but it does not always build trust.
Communities and creators matter a lot here. When you keep seeing someone you trust talk about a product, it does not feel like an ad anymore. It just feels like something they actually use. That repeated exposure builds familiarity and over time, trust.
Even in smaller niches, you will notice that a creator with a loyal audience can drive better responses than a big campaign. Simply because people actually listen to them.
Paid media still plays a role, but it works much better when it is amplifying something that people already believe in.
4. As video and creator ecosystems dominate, is written content losing relevance or evolving into a deeper trust layer?
I do not think it is losing relevance. If anything, its role is becoming more clear now.
Video is great for catching attention. But once someone is interested, they usually want a bit more detail or clarity. That is where writing comes in.
It could be something as simple as a caption or even comments. People do read before they decide, especially when it comes to products or brands they are considering.
So it is less about one replacing the other. They kind of work together. Video pulls you in, writing helps you stay convinced.
5. Is content as we know it dying, or is the real shift from information-led content to emotion-led storytelling?
Content is very much alive, but what works has changed. Earlier, simply sharing information was enough because access was limited. Now, information is everywhere.
What people respond to more today is how something makes them feel. It could be relatable, funny, slightly nostalgic, or just very real.
You will often notice that a simple, relatable piece of content performs better than something that is more polished but less human.
So the shift is not away from content, it is towards storytelling that connects on a more emotional level.
