I just spent $20k on branding because of AI

I never thought I’d spend thousands of dollars on branding within the first 14 months of a startup, but it felt necessary.

We’re seeing a massive sea of sameness as the barrier to entry for building a startup drops to near zero with AI.

It’s an exciting time to be working in growth since anyone can truly become a 10x marketer now. The challenge is not drowning in a sea of startups that all look the same.

To preface, here are some of the major shifts we’ve seen in marketing over the last decade:

Campaign optimization → creative optimization

HTML → Drag & drop

Static assets → video assets

Blogs → founder-led social content

Long videos → short-form content

SMS → in-app notifications

SEO → AEO

Radio → podcasts

The list goes on, but these shifts have always been driven by new technologies and consumer behavior.

The App Store and iPhone led marketing teams to move from SMS to in-app notifications. TikTok drove the rise of short-form content.

So, what’s the current shift?

As platforms like Meta began automating campaign creation, I realized ad creative would be the final lever for optimization.

I see the same pattern in startup growth today. With tools like Lovable, Cursor, and ChatGPT, anyone can spin up a startup overnight and compete with your company.

To stand out, you have to focus on how your brand makes people feel. That starts with branding and copy.

I’m putting my money where my mouth is and investing nearly $20K to revamp the GrowthPair website.

How I’m thinking about standing out

1. Aim to sound human

Most startups will use AI to write copy. I did too when I first started using ChatGPT.

But if you want to stand out, a conversational tone crafted by real copywriters will make your brand sound alive. Example:

Old h1 header copy:

We pair you with top offshore marketers while saving you 80% on payroll.

New h1 header copy:

The smartest marketing teams are already global.

2. Bespoke websites win

When I first built the GrowthPair site, I bought a $90 Webflow theme to create the MVP. It worked well enough with a few tweaks over the year, but now it’s time for a fully bespoke site— one built specifically for an offshore marketing company.

Here’s a look at the before and after of the new design:

Old landing page header:

New landing page header:

3. Continuity between channels

Given my nature, I’ve always obsessed over this. I never wanted customers to feel like they were seeing eight different companies as they moved from our socials to our website to a discovery call.

Many startups struggle here. It’s worth spending the time to ensure your brand feels cohesive across every touchpoint.

4. Founder-led brand

While this isn’t part of the $20K spent on branding, it’s something I invest hours in weekly to keep the brand human.

I don’t focus much on company social accounts. Instead, I share from my personal account.

That humanizes the brand.

I’m not just another company built on top of AI. I’m a face and voice behind the business. I share real experience and lessons that give the brand credibility and life.

If I were starting any B2B (and even B2C) company today, I’d immediately prioritize content production from personal accounts. It’s one of the most effective ways to stand out in this new era.

It’s hard to measure the ROI on branding. But I’m confident this investment will pay off in every possible way.