Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked across nearly every communication discipline, from public affairs to global PR, content, SEO, and now AI-powered strategy, but I’ve never seen an evolution as fast or as foundational as what’s happening at the intersection of AI and marketing.
That’s what I recently explored on the Blockhash Podcast, where I had the chance to share how my work at Avenue Z is helping redefine what it means to influence in the era of AI.
From Search to Sentience: Marketing’s Next Era
Search is no longer limited to Google. Consumers are now asking ChatGPT what car to buy, using Perplexity to compare fintech apps, or turning to Grok for crypto advice. These platforms are the new taste-makers.
At Avenue Z, we call this AIO, or AI Optimization. Like SEO before it, AIO is quickly becoming a required capability for every brand that wants to influence what large language models say about them and how users find them in the first place.
We’re not just thinking about websites anymore. We’re looking at how PR, social media, product listings, and even sentiment affect what AI tools surface and how they position a brand. For example, in our recent AI Visibility Index report for blockchain, we found that sentiment plays an outsized role in whether or not a project is even mentioned by LLMs.
Why Avenue Z Is All-In on AI
Avenue Z was built to integrate brand reputation and revenue impact, from CNBC to ChatGPT. Our agency is an ecosystem of performance marketing, earned media, and digital strategy working together to answer one question: How do we make our clients more visible, more credible, and more profitable?
This is especially critical in AI. We’re working with clients on both ends of the AI spectrum:
- Education & Readiness – Helping leadership teams understand LLMs, how they work, and what’s influencing them.
- Implementation & Strategy – Advising on internal tools, change management, and responsible deployment.
Simply generating content with AI isn’t enough. It’s about understanding how AI ranks, recommends, and represents your brand, and ensuring that every lever, from backlinks to TikToks, is aligned with your messaging.
Content Strategy in the Age of Dopamine
Social media has shifted. It’s more than a feed now. It’s an algorithmic war for attention. Winning that war demands velocity, creativity, and precision.
We’re helping brands use generative tools to do more than churn out content. When used strategically, these platforms accelerate insight, personalize output, and scale thoughtfully. Think:
- AI-powered creative testing for segmented audiences
- Voice-trained content generation aligned with brand tone
- Guardrails to ensure originality, authenticity, and relevance
At Avenue Z, we don’t believe in “Gen AI slop.” We believe in AI-assisted craftsmanship that is fast, strategic, and always human-edited.
What’s Next?
We’re doubling down on AIO research across industries, from fintech to fashion, with AI Visibility Index Reports that help brands understand where they stand today and how to grow tomorrow.
We’re also exploring strategic acquisitions to expand our capabilities, enhance our tech stack, and continue building the most forward-thinking marketing agency in the space.
If you’re a founder, marketer, or brand leader navigating the chaos of digital visibility in the AI takeover, we should talk. Because influence is shifting fast, and the ones who win will be the ones who understand the shift first.
