Thinking
A little further
down the thought.
Perspectives on human behaviour, paid media, AI and the decisions that shape growth.
How Media Buyers Can Win in the Age of AI
Improve conversion signals, sharpen creative judgment and connect advertising to business results.
AI Internet Fears: Why Taste and Human Touch Matter More
The latest AI internet warnings raise a question for brands: what makes you worth choosing? Why taste, human judgment and credible answers matter more than output.
We Built and Deployed a New Website in Two Days. Taste Was the Hard Part.
Second Order redesigned and deployed a complete website in two days. AI accelerated production, while human taste shaped its identity, language and final decisions.
The 5 Skills AI Can't Buy
Curiosity, courage, creativity, compassion and communication become more valuable as AI automates routine media work. Here is why these five skills matter now.
The State of Display: Now and Next
Display advertising still offers scale, but its future depends on better formats, transparent supply paths, credible attribution and a stronger user experience.
This Is the Cable Moment
AI is lowering the cost of building credible products and making focused niche businesses viable. The result could be a cable-style shift in who gets to build.
Think First. Everything Else Is Already Built.
AI makes production faster and cheaper, which raises the value of strategy. The real advantage is framing the right problem before deciding what should be built.
Reach is everywhere. Belief is not.
Reach creates exposure, but belief creates action. Brands now need human context, credible intent and culturally relevant work to earn trust in crowded media.
Human signals shaping advertising and media right now
Attention, relevance, trust and intent reveal more than impressions alone. Reading these human signals helps advertisers turn platform data into better decisions.
Why Everyone Is Bored - and Nothing Is Remembered
Content fatigue is not caused by a shortage of media. It comes from abundant, optimised work that lacks surprise, meaning and the emotional weight memory needs.
Trust is the new scarce attention currency.
Attention can be bought, but trust must be earned. Advertising with human intent and cultural context has a better chance of being noticed, believed and remembered.
AI’s New Front: Advertising Isn’t Just Changing, It’s Getting Reckless
AI is moving advertising from media placement to system-level influence. Brands must measure how assistants shape discovery, recommendations and commercial choice.
Why Creators Are Questioning How AI Is Built
Creators are questioning whether AI training respects consent, copyright and compensation. Responsible adoption requires licensing, transparency and agency.
The Attribution Lie: Why Skipping CTV Is a Self-Inflicted Wound for Advertisers
Last-click attribution undervalues CTV because television shapes demand before conversion. Better measurement connects attention, memory and upstream influence.
An Introduction to Second Order Agency
Second Order combines paid media, commercial advisory, creative direction and human intelligence to turn performance signals into clearer growth decisions.
SEO vs AEO: Why the Future of Search Isn’t About Rankings. It’s About Answers
SEO makes content discoverable; AEO helps it become a clear, credible answer. Both require useful content, technical clarity, authority and genuine expertise.