Meta ads are crazy nowadays.

Not only does Meta seem to change its interface every other time you log in, but the platform is constantly rolling out new AI tools, automations, and “helpful” recommendations.

And while some of these tools can be useful, they can also make running ads feel overwhelming, confusing, and downright strange.

I recently experienced this while creating an ad campaign for a capoeira school.

As I was setting up the campaign, Meta started suggesting AI-generated images that were supposed to help promote the business.

The problem?

They were… horrifying.

We’re talking typos, extra feet, strange proportions, uncanny-looking people, and images that looked nothing like something you’d actually want representing a real business.

It was honestly wild that Meta was suggesting these images as campaign-ready creative.

And it got me thinking:

Sometimes, being conspicuously human is actually the better marketing strategy.

AI Isn't Always the Answer

AI can be an incredible tool for marketers.

It can help brainstorm ideas, write copy, analyze data, and speed up tedious tasks.

But there’s a difference between using AI to assist your marketing and letting AI completely take over the customer experience.

Especially for membership-based businesses.

People don't join a dance studio, martial arts academy, aerial studio, or other community-based business because they want to interact with an algorithm.

They want to know:

Who are these people?

Will I fit in?

Will I feel comfortable there?

Are the instructors actually good?

Is this a place where I can belong?

Those are deeply human questions.

And a perfectly polished AI-generated image isn't necessarily going to answer them.

Your Imperfections Can Actually Help

Real photos of your students might not have perfect lighting.

Your instructor might not be standing in the exact right position.

Someone might be mid-laugh in the background.

The image might not look like it came from a professional photoshoot.

That's okay.

In fact, those imperfections can make your business feel more real.

A potential student can look at a photo and think:

"Oh. Those are real people."

"That looks fun."

"I could actually see myself doing that."

That's incredibly valuable.

For membership-based businesses, connection often matters more than perfection.

Don't Let Meta Make Your Ads Look Like Everyone Else's

One of the biggest risks with all of Meta's new automation and AI features is that it becomes incredibly easy to let the platform make decisions for you.

Meta wants to optimize your ads. That's its job.

But your job is to understand your audience and your business.

Don't blindly accept every recommendation just because Meta says it will improve your campaign.

Look at the creative. Read the copy. Ask yourself whether it actually represents your business.

And most importantly:

Would you be excited to see this ad if you were a potential customer?

Because the best-performing ad isn't always the one that looks the most polished.

Sometimes it's the one that feels the most real.

Sometimes, Human Wins

AI isn't going away—and it shouldn't.

There are plenty of ways it can make marketing faster and more effective.

But as the internet becomes increasingly saturated with AI-generated content, real human connection may become even more valuable.

So the next time Meta suggests a weird AI-generated person with six fingers and three feet for your ad…

Maybe don't use it.

Use the picture of your actual students laughing after class instead.

Sometimes, being conspicuously human is the best marketing strategy you have.

And at More Members Marketing, that's something we think about a lot: using technology to help membership-based businesses grow without losing the human connection that makes people want to join in the first place.