Comparative Analysis of Brand Copywriting in the Generative AI Advertising Era

Abstract

The rapid diffusion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed digital advertising practices, particularly within social media environments where brand communication increasingly relies on concise and engagement-oriented copywriting. While existing research has predominantly examined consumer perceptions of AI-generated content, limited attention has been directed toward understanding how advertising copy itself has evolved within AI-assisted marketing contexts. This study aims to examine changes in persuasive and linguistic characteristics of brand advertising copywriting in contemporary digital advertising environments following the diffusion of generative AI technologies. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 240 Instagram advertising captions published by six Malaysian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands across two temporal phases: the pre-generative AI diffusion period (2020–2022) and the generative AI adoption period (2023–2025). Captions were analysed using a structured coding framework capturing emotional appeal, informational content, conversational tone, cultural localisation, engagement prompts, and narrative framing. The findings indicate that conversational tone and emotional appeal represent dominant persuasive strategies across FMCG advertising copy, with increased use of engagement-oriented and narrative-driven communication observed during the generative AI adoption period. These results suggest an evolution toward more relatable and interaction-focused brand messaging within algorithm-driven platforms. These patterns reflect broader changes in digital advertising communication practices rather than direct evidence of AI-generated content. The study concludes that contemporary advertising copy reflects hybrid human–AI communication practices shaped by technological advancement and platform engagement demands. The findings contribute theoretically by extending AI advertising research toward message-level analysis and offer practical implications for marketers seeking to develop culturally resonant and conversational social media copywriting strategies in AI-assisted communication environments.