Marketing’s Existential Crisis: What the Happened?
Let’s be real—marketing is in shambles.
Brands are pushing low-quality products at premium prices.
Algorithms are dictating human behavior instead of just reflecting it.
AI is spitting out garbage content that people instinctively recognize as soulless.
Consumers are exhausted, skeptical, and disengaged—because marketers have trained them to be.
So how did we get here? And more importantly—how do we fix this mess?
In a raw, unfiltered conversation, Michael Munson (author of Sponsorship Stories), Jay Mandel, and Jacob Sanders tackled some of the biggest challenges facing marketing today:
The rise of "sh*tification"—why everything from jeans to streaming services is getting worse
How AI is warping consumer behavior and influencing language itself
Why modern marketing is obsessed with performance over substance
The myth of “endless growth” and the corporate accountability crisis
How marketers can rebuild trust, respect, and honesty in the industry
If you care about the future of marketing—or want to understand why everything around you feels like it’s slowly falling apart—this conversation is for you.
📺 Watch the full discussion and explore the key insights throughout this article.
How Did We Get Here? The Rise of "Sh*tification"
Q: What Inspired the Article on MAC and the Concept of “Shtification”?*
Michael Munson: “I wanted to capture the moment we’re in—where everything seems to be getting worse, but no one is sure why. The MAC is playing an important role in calling this out. People are frustrated—whether it’s their chocolate chips shrinking from 12 ounces to 10 or their favorite jeans falling apart in months. It’s not just the products; it’s a symptom of a deeper issue.”
Jacob Sanders: “People have been conditioned to not care. Marketers pushed nonsense for years, and now consumers have become nihilistic. They expect manipulation, accept declining quality, and don’t bother questioning it anymore.”
Shtification*—a term popularized to describe how once-great products and services are declining in quality—has become a universal experience. Whether it’s fast fashion, food portions, or digital services, consumers are noticing the slow but deliberate erosion of value. Yet, instead of fighting back, most have resigned themselves to it.
Michael Munson: “If you’re not pushing back, you’re accepting it. And if you’re accepting it, you’re embracing it.”
AI, Ethics, and the Illusion of Intelligence
Q: Can Ethical Marketing Save Democracy?
Michael Munson: “I asked an AI chatbot, ‘Can ethical marketing save democracy?’ It responded, ‘Save is a strong word, but it can strengthen it.’ That was a moment of validation—because marketing isn’t just selling things, it shapes how people think and interact.”
Jacob Sanders: “Most people aren’t using AI to challenge their assumptions. They’re using it to find shortcuts. They’re avoiding the hard questions and using AI to ‘win’ rather than to reflect.”
Jay Mandel: “AI isn’t just a neutral tool—it’s trained on biased data. If it tells us that ethical marketing is important, it’s because the collective knowledge already knows it’s true. But are marketers paying attention?”
AI isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s a reflection of the information it’s trained on. The problem? Marketers are using AI to justify and optimize the same broken tactics rather than question them.
The Death of Skills, the Rise of Performative Values
Jacob Sanders: “We’ve replaced real skills with what we think are values—but they’re not values, they’re just vibes. People are managing expectations and perceptions rather than actually doing anything.”
Marketing used to be about understanding people, creating real value, and fostering trust. Now, it’s a race to manipulate data, automate engagement, and seem innovative without actually being innovative.
Michael Munson: “Companies used to be built on tangible skills. Now, success is based on managing expectations. People don’t need to be competent, they just need to perform well on LinkedIn.”
This shift from doing to appearing to do has eroded not just marketing, but the entire business ecosystem.
The Corporate Accountability Crisis
Jacob Sanders: “We’ve reached a point where marketers don’t even think they need to talk to people anymore. They don’t think about sales, about business fundamentals, or about how their actions impact democracy. They’re just running ads, chasing clicks, and moving on.”
Michael Munson: “Most companies refuse to admit failure. They chase ‘exceptionalism’ instead of ‘excellence.’ But real excellence comes from confronting brutal facts, being transparent, and working to improve.”
Jay Mandel: “Consumers see through this. They know when brands are lying. But because so many companies are doing it, they feel powerless to change it.”
The MAC argues that businesses must own their mistakes, address consumer frustration, and rebuild trust. Companies like Starbucks, which admitted they had lost their way, are rare—but they’re proving that honesty can be profitable.
What Can Be Done? The Power of Consumer Action
Q: Can Consumers Push Back Against Shtification?*
Michael Munson: “At some point, people will push back. If you raise the price of chocolate chips by 20% in a month, someone will stop buying them. That’s how markets work—if people say ‘no,’ companies have to adjust. But consumers have to be aware enough to take action.”
Jacob Sanders: “We don’t need everyone to start a revolution. We just need people to stop accepting every price hike, every shrinkflation scam, and every dishonest ad as ‘just the way things are.’”
While it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of corporate deception, history shows that consumer action can drive change. The MAC is calling on marketers and consumers alike to start demanding better.
Final Thought: Why the MAC Exists
Jacob Sanders: “The MAC isn’t here to sugarcoat things. If you’re a marketer and you don’t see the connection between your work and democracy, you’re part of the problem. Start asking, ‘Does this make sense?’ If it doesn’t, push back. Otherwise, don’t complain when the world keeps getting shttier.”*
Jay Mandel: “We’re building something different. Slow, intentional growth. Real conversations. No fluff. Because marketing doesn’t have to be a race to the bottom.”
Michael Munson: “At the rate we’re going, ‘shtification’ will be a college major. But if we do this right, maybe we can prevent that from happening.”*
Join the Movement
The Marketing Accountability Council (MAC) is challenging marketers to be better.
📖 Read Michael Munson’s full article:
It’s Time for Sustainable Marketing
📺 Watch the full conversation above and decide for yourself: Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?
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