The Economist’s billboard campaign, which gained significant traction in June 2025, is a modern evolution of its classic 1980s “White out of Red” style. Featuring punchy, anonymous copy, the campaign aims to reassert the value of human intelligence in the age of generative AI.
Campaign Themes
The ads use the publication’s signature wit to position The Economist as the ultimate tool for “supercharging your human intelligence”.
- Human Intelligence vs. AI:
- “Make AI worried you’re going to take its job” – A reversal of the common fear that AI replaces humans, suggesting a well-informed person is more capable than an algorithm.
- “Do you have an unprompted opinion?” – A jab at AI’s reliance on user prompts to generate content.
- Intellectual Confidence:
- “Take the ‘Humble’ out of IMHO” – Encouraging readers to have well-founded, unapologetic viewpoints.
- “Have people say ‘that’s interesting’ and mean ‘that’s interesting'” – Suggesting the magazine provides truly unique insights.
- The Reading Experience:
- “Fake it ’til you make it to the newsagent” – A witty take on the “fake it ’til you make it” mantra, implying real credibility comes from the knowledge found at the newsstand.
- “Don’t jump to conclusions. Stroll there while enjoying the view” – A nod to deep, slow-form journalism over reactionary news cycles.
