Introduction: The Next Layer of AI
Artificial intelligence in business has evolved quickly. First came automation, then data-driven optimization, then generative models. Now, a new shift is emerging: the move from prompts to intents. Instead of telling the machine what to generate, we define why we want something — and let the system handle the form.
This shift is best described through the analogy of vibe coding. In vibe coding, developers build software from intent rather than syntax, enabling faster, more intuitive development. A similar transformation is underway in advertising and marketing, which I call vibe advertising.
Vibe Coding: A Model for Intent-Based Creation
Vibe coding is a movement in software engineering where code is generated based on the intent of the developer, expressed in natural language or higher-level constructs, rather than through rigid syntax. Instead of writing line after line, the developer specifies outcomes and constraints. The system fills in the details.
– “You author intent, the machine handles form.”
– It allows developers to think strategically instead of syntactically.
– It abstracts away complexity while preserving accuracy.
Sources:
– Medium: The Future of Vibe Coding
– MIT Technology Review: AI and Intent-Based Programming
From Vibe Coding to Vibe Advertising
If vibe coding redefines software creation, vibe advertising does the same for creative work. Traditional advertising has long relied on briefs: a static set of inputs from which creatives produce assets. But briefs are snapshots in time — they don’t adapt in real time to shifting culture, consumer behavior, or brand signals.
With vibe advertising:
– A brand expresses intent — tone, values, desired outcomes.
– The system generates hundreds of creative variations aligned with that intent.
– Real-time data flows back into the system, adjusting outputs instantly.
It’s not about automating ads. It’s about re-architecting the creative process itself.
The Technical Stack Behind Vibe Advertising
Beneath the metaphor lies a technical architecture:
1. Brand embeddings: AI models trained on a company’s assets — tone of voice, product catalog, cultural references.
2. RAG (retrieval-augmented generation): Each ad is generated by pulling from a brand’s live knowledge base, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
3. Bandit-driven optimization: Instead of static A/B tests, reinforcement learning dynamically routes budget to the best-performing creatives.
4. Guardrails: Policies ensure ads remain safe, inclusive, and aligned with brand standards.
This stack is not futuristic — it is already in production in forward-looking e-commerce platforms.
Rethinking Measurement: From Clicks to Incremental Profit
Traditional marketing often worships the click-through rate (CTR). But businesses do not run on CTR; they run on profit.
Vibe advertising measures success differently:
– Incremental lift: isolating the real effect of advertising versus organic sales.
– Lightweight marketing mix models (MMM): accessible even for smaller businesses.
– Profit attribution: focusing on contribution to revenue, not vanity metrics.
As I often say: “Success isn’t CTR; it’s incremental profit, measured by uplift with guardrails for brand safety.”
Sources:
– Harvard Business Review: The End of Click-Through Metrics
– BCG: Modern Marketing Measurement
Why Businesses Should Care Now
The economic impact is direct:
– Speed: Thousands of ads can be generated and tested daily.
– Localization: Ads adapt in real time to cultural contexts and consumer moods.
– Cost savings: Traditional video or static creative production can cost thousands per asset. Vibe advertising brings the marginal cost close to zero.
For e-commerce brands, this means competing with giants without needing their budgets. “It doesn’t just make ads — it makes your business impossible to ignore, even if you’re just starting out.”
Case Example: E-Commerce at Scale
Consider a retailer launching a new product line. In the old model, they brief an agency, wait weeks, and receive a handful of variations. With vibe advertising:
– The product catalog is ingested directly.
– AI generates 20–30 video variations per product in minutes.
– Each variation is tested live across Google, Meta, TikTok.
– Budgets are shifted in real time to top performers.
The result: higher ROI, faster feedback loops, and reduced creative fatigue.
Governance and Ethics
No discussion of AI in marketing is complete without addressing ethics. Vibe advertising requires:
– Transparency: Ads must be clearly labeled as AI-generated.
– Cultural sensitivity: Guardrails must prevent stereotyping or bias.
– Human oversight: Especially in sensitive categories (health, finance, politics).
AI is not replacing human creativity. It is augmenting it — freeing human talent to focus on strategy, storytelling, and brand vision.
Sources:
– WEF: Responsible AI in Marketing
– OECD AI Principles
Visual Example: Same Intent, Different Vibes
A single intent can generate very different outcomes depending on the ‘vibe’ expressed. For example, when generating an ad concept for ‘dogs wearing sunglasses,’ one image produced a warm, affectionate vibe that makes viewers want to hug the puppies. Another variation created a humorous vibe, with two dogs resembling a married couple in a playful, almost satirical way. Both stemmed from the same intent — yet the emotional impact was entirely different. This is the essence of vibe advertising: transforming intent into distinct emotional experiences.
Conclusion: The Presence of Giants
In vibe coding, developers stopped thinking about syntax and started thinking about outcomes. In vibe advertising, marketers stop thinking about prompts and start thinking about vibes — the brand’s true intent.
This shift allows businesses of any size to act like giants from day one. As I like to say:
“Act Big. Become Big.”
Author
Eilon Zarmon is the founder & CEO of AdGPT.COM, a New York–incorporated SaaS platform with R&D in Tel Aviv. A former advertising executive turned AI entrepreneur, he focuses on building autonomous systems for ad creation, budget optimization, and e-commerce growth.
