The Human Stack: Why AI Can't Replace Imagination in B2B Brand Building | Shawn Perritt S6:E14

Written by Mike J Midgley | Nov 27, 2025 9:14:46 AM

Welcome to the Force & Friction Podcast, where we break down what really moves the needle in GTM, RevOps, AI, partnerships, and SaaS growth.

Today, we're cutting through the noise on brand trust in the AI era and getting straight to why human creativity is more critical than ever. I'm joined by Shawn Perritt, the VP of Brand Strategy and Creative at Acquia, to break it down.

With over 20 years of experience building brands for giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Coca-Cola, Shawn brings a no-nonsense philosophy he calls the "human stack." He argues that as AI makes everything look the same, the real differentiator for B2B brands is the ability to turn raw imagination into tangible impact.

Shawn warns against the trap of "high-def sameness" and the brand trust erosion that comes from using AI as a simple cost-cutting tool. Instead, he advocates a "think first, prompt second" approach, where AI becomes a force multiplier for human curiosity and original thinking, not a replacement for it.

We get into the two types of companies emerging in the AI era, the 95% problem in brand marketing, the real power of unmeasurable human connection, and Shawn's take on how original thinkers will secure the last unfair advantage.

Shawn Perritt

Shawn is a global VP of Brand Strategy at Acquia, Creative Director, and B2B disruptor with 20+ years of experience spanning ad agencies, freelance, and in-house roles within the B2B tech sector.

He's worked with major brands like Microsoft, IBM, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes-Benz. Shawn is passionate about breakthrough ideas, empowering brand leaders and believes in the power of turning imagination into impact.

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Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:

1. The AI Double-Edged Sword: Brand Trust on the Line

Shawn gets right to the point, highlighting the core conflict facing brands today: the internal push to adopt AI is met with external backlash when it shows up in content.

"The cruel irony here is we're all being told to use AI within the workplace, and we're being championed and celebrated to use AI... But something really interesting happens when that AI then goes out of the house and becomes part of our external brand expression. For a lot of companies, the internet is there waiting to just tee off on these brands if they dare use any kind of AI-generated imagery or content."

This isn't a small problem. The very tools meant to boost efficiency can kill the brand trust you've spent years building. As Shawn notes, the downstream impact is real, creating a wall between you and your audience.

He points out that while some brands like Coca-Cola succeed with AI through transparency and heavy investment in quality, many others are getting called out, facing public criticism and legal headaches. This exposes a clear dividing line in how companies are approaching AI.

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2. Two Types of Companies: Cost-Cutter vs. Force Multiplier

Shawn identifies a fundamental split in how businesses are using AI.

"There are two types of companies. There are companies that look at AI as a way to cut costs and increase speed, and then there are companies that are looking at AI as an innovative tool as a force multiplier to help amplify their existing human stack."

Companies in the first group are heading for trouble, churning out generic content that doesn't connect. The second group, however, understands that AI's real value is in augmenting human creativity. These organizations focus on hiring what Shawn calls "Swiss Army Knives", curious, relentless problem-solvers.

When you combine AI with this kind of human talent, you get infinite scalability. This is the heart of the "human stack" philosophy: use technology to enhance your people, not replace them.

3. The Human Stack: Think First, Prompt Second

To fight the urge for instant, often mediocre, AI results, Shawn offers a clear, practical mantra: "think first, prompt second."

"What I try to tell my team is, slow down. Apply some original thinking, you know, 10 prompts minimum, because it's still gonna be faster than the way we used to do it. Let's really get in there, and let's really beat this thing up, and let's see what it can do."

The more original thought you put into AI, the more original the output. This isn't about rejecting the tool; it's about using it with intention. Shawn pushes his team to constantly seek new inputs from books, films, and real-world experiences to fuel their creative process.

"AI builds on what exists, and people imagine what does not. So the better your cocktail of experiences, the more you travel, the more interesting things you do, the more you create, you know, the more interesting, unique idea you're going to have."

This isn't just theory. Leading AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are hiring top human thinkers like Rick Rubin and Jony Ive to build humanity directly into their technology.

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4. The 95% Problem: What's Memorable Isn't Always Measurable

Shawn tackles a major issue in B2B marketing: the obsession with measuring the ROI of everything. He argues this focus on attribution is a trap, especially for brand building.

"It's important to remember that what's memorable as a brand isn't always measurable. And brands may very well have not been meant to be measured. Your favorite brands know this, and that's why they're your favorite brands."

The goal of brand marketing, he states, is to build "mental availability." You need to be top-of-mind when the 5% of your market is ready to buy. That means nurturing the other 95% with memorable experiences that don't have a neat and tidy ROI calculation.

This is where human-centric activities like events become non-negotiable. In a world of endless video calls, face-to-face connection matters more than ever. You can't always track the direct impact, but the "revenue in the room" and the power of real human connection are undeniable.

5. The Last Unfair Advantage: The Original Thinker

Looking ahead, Shawn makes a clear and direct prediction.

"My hope and my prediction is that the original thinker will have the last unfair advantage. Because when AI continues to level the playing field, it's gonna expose... not a lot of people, but maybe their skill sets. And the people that can come up with the original ideas are going to be fewer and far between, and they're going to be, I think, valued in a lot of ways."

As AI handles the routine creative work, the ability to generate truly new ideas will become a rare and valuable skill. The brands that win will be those that build a culture of creativity, empower their teams to think differently, and commit to being human.

As Shawn says, in a B2B world that's often "boring," the brands that have the courage to be human are the ones that will stand out.

Final Thoughts:

Shawn Perritt's human stack philosophy provides a straightforward, no-fluff counter to the hype and fear around AI. He makes it clear: technology is a tool, not a substitute for human imagination.

The future of brand building won't be won by the most complex algorithms, but by the most curious and creative minds.

By adopting a "think first, prompt second" approach, B2B brands can cut through the noise and build real connections. As AI advances, the companies that invest in their human stack, the curious, the creative, the original thinkers are the ones that will not only survive but dominate.

The most disruptive thing a B2B brand can do right now is simple: be unapologetically human.

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Mike Midgley runs a portfolio career, a dynamic hands on digital entrepreneur, founder of the Scrubbing Squad, NXD, strategist, public speaker, Winning by Design certified Revenue Architect and Host at The Force & Friction Podcast.

Mike has achieved multiple exits over a 30+ year career, raised Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times.

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