Why There’s More Content in 2026… But Worse Results

Merriam-Webster named "slop" the 2025 word of the year - and it explains everything about where AI-generated content is heading. Elizabeth Maxson, CMO of Contentful, reveals the uncomfortable truth about AI adoption: 96% of CMOs say it's a top priority, but only 65% are making meaningful investments. The gap between enthusiasm and execution is costing teams momentum. She breaks down research conducted with The Atlantic, surveying 425 global marketing leaders. The findings expose why teams are stuck in experimentation mode, what top performers do differently, and why soft skills matter more than prompt engineering. We explore evidence-based creativity, the rise of the full-stack marketer, and simple personalization strategies that actually move the needle - including the geo-tagging change that increased event attendance by 51% and the Lorem Ipsum homepage trick that drove 250% more engagement. If you're tired of tools that promise speed but deliver sameness, this episode is your blueprint for moving from workslop to real strategy.   Chapters: 00:00 The Volume Trap: More Content Doesn't Equal Better Content 01:27 The Optimism-Execution Gap: Why CMOs Aren't Investing 10:05 AI Slop: When You Recognize Your Own ChatGPT Output 13:04 The Homepage Login Discovery 15:50 Why Simple Geo-Tagging Works 18:34 The Lorem Ipsum Homepage Experiment 19:29 Ruggable's Cat People vs. Dog People Strategy 28:00 The NASCAR Slide That Almost Went Wrong 31:17 Hiring Full Stack Marketers: Soft Skills Over Hard Skills 43:00 Course Correction Year: Two Pieces of Homework ----Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.