By Ashley JoEtta, Carolyn Lange

Image by Nicole Todd

You know the feeling.  

The writing checks all the boxes. Grammar? Fine. Structure? Present. But you’re three paragraphs in, and nothing’s landed. You’re not bored, exactly. Just…disconnected. We get it. AI-generated content can feel like the industry equivalent of a knockoff handbag: technically correct but missing the soul. In a sea of auto-generated sameness, people are craving content that sounds like it came from someone who gets them.  

That doesn’t mean swearing off AI. It means using it well and knowing how to add the human layer that keeps readers reading. 

At 2A, we don’t fear the tech—we use it. Joyfully and strategically. It helps us write faster and get out of our own heads. But we never let it replace the part that matters most: knowing our audience, holding your brand voice, and shaping a story with a bit of soul. 

When humans and AI work in harmony… 

You can feel it. When someone’s really shaped an idea and turned it over in their minds, it leaves a trace of intention, texture, and warmth. (Yes, B2B tech can have cozy stories.)  

Here’s what that might look like: 

• A point of view. There’s a pulse behind the prose. Real people have opinions. Great content does, too. 
• Intentional rhythm. Sentences vary in length and cadence, so content reads naturally. 
• Tone that fits the brand. It doesn’t just say the right things. It sounds like you. (Our tone? Smart, clear, and a little bit spicy.)
• Specificity. The messaging is grounded in real-world examples, offers concrete advice, or speaks from personal experience with a turn of phrase you can’t just copy and paste. 
• A sense of story. Even in B2B content, a good narrative structure pulls you through by giving you a reason to keep reading.
• Quotes, references, or punchlines. The kind of stuff you’d only get from a real person with a real perspective.
• A little imperfection. Maybe there’s an odd analogy. Maybe a dad joke sneaks in. That’s flavor. 

When AI is left to its own devices…  

The humans might just bounce. When the only fingerprints on the draft are digital, it’s obvious: 

• Repetitive phrasing. You know the ones: “Whether you’re an enterprise or SMB…” or “With the ever-evolving digital landscape…” You’ve read them hundreds of times. You’ve skipped them hundreds of times. 
• Keyword soup. Scalable, secure, seamless, innovative, robust, transformative… yawn.
• Over-structured sentence patterns. Every sentence begins with a prepositional clause, ends with an em dash, and sounds like it’s trying to win an award for formality. 
• Zero personality. It exists. It says a thing. You read it. But it could’ve come from anyone, and might as well be for no one. (It definitely wasn’t from us.)
• No story, just summary. You’ll get bullets and benefits, but not a sense of why it matters. 

Use AI, just don’t stop there 

We use AI all the time: to kickstart drafts, poke holes in our logic, suggest a dozen options we hadn’t thought of, or help us pressure-test structure and voice. But the magic doesn’t come from the model. When our storytellers use AI, they follow up by shaping structure, adding brand voice, and replacing autopilot phrasing with something real. 2A relies on human ears, human judgment, and human standards. 

Want content that sounds like you? Let’s talk. We promise not to write “leverage” in the first 100 words. (Probably.) 

Nerd Corner with Dr. Ash 

Corpus bias: When the data used to train a model doesn’t reflect the full range of voices, perspectives, or language patterns that exist in the real world. 

Most large corpora (the datasets AI models train on) skew toward what’s been published the most: dominant voices, formal registers, U.S.-centric norms. The result? Outputs that feel generic, repetitive, or off-brand. 

That’s why the human layer matters. A model can predict the next word. You can decide if it actually belongs. 

By Ashley JoEtta

Image by Nicole Todd

Great messaging should be a unifier—a story everyone can tell with confidence. But too often, organizations end up with different versions of their story across departments. Leadership talks vision, sales fine-tunes the pitch, engineers dive into the details, and partners add their own spin. Without a shared foundation, the message morphs along the way, leaving customers with more confusion than clarity. 

That’s where 2A comes in. We’ve spent over a decade helping companies—from scrappy startups to global enterprises—cut through the noise and land on messaging that sticks. Our messaging and positioning frameworks (MPFs) aren’t solely documents; they’re blueprints for how teams talk about what they do across sales, marketing, and leadership. We’ve refined our approach through hundreds of engagements, striking the ideal balance between structure and adaptability. 

To break down what makes a great MPF, we sat down with Director of Consulting Sarah Silva, who has helped lead countless 2A messaging sessions. Here’s what she had to say. 

Why do companies trust 2A’s MPF process? 

Sarah: Because we make it collaborative. Messaging is hard. When you’re too close to your product, it’s tough to see what really resonates. Our process brings teams together in working sessions, where we challenge assumptions, debate word choices, and land on messaging that actually feels right. Clients trust us because we don’t just write—we listen, refine, and push for clarity. 

How does 2A prepare for MPF development? 

Sarah: Our storytellers are strong writers first. Tech expertise comes with research and curiosity. Before a session, we dig deep—reading client materials, analyzing competitors, and tapping into our own experiences. But the real magic happens in the room. We don’t just stick to a script; we follow the conversation, ask the right follow-ups, and help teams see their own messaging in a new way. 

What’s a common misconception about MPFs? 

Sarah: That they’re painful to build. A lot of teams think it’ll be a slow, frustrating process. But we make it engaging, fast, and productive. We get stakeholders talking, debating, and landing on messaging they actually believe in. 

How do MPFs set businesses up for success? 

Sarah: MPFs make everything easier. We provide short, medium, and long copy blocks, benefit statements, and use cases—so teams aren’t starting from scratch every time they need content. Most clients immediately use their MPF to build ebooks, infographics, and sales materials, which makes content creation faster and keeps everything consistent. 

What’s an unexpected way 2A approaches messaging? 

Sarah: Instead of starting with writing, we start with themes. Before defining pillars and benefits, we identify the big ideas driving the messaging. That sparks discussion and helps teams recognize their strengths from a new angle. It’s a step that surprises people but makes a big difference. 

How does 2A balance creativity with clarity? 

Sarah: We meet clients where they are. Some want playful, conversational messaging, while others need a more direct approach. Either way, we make sure the messaging is crisp, compelling, and ready to use. 

Need messaging that sticks? We’ve got you. Whether it’s a product, solution, or joint messaging framework, 2A helps teams land on messaging that works. Let’s chat.

By Ashley JoEtta

Image by Emily Zheng

As the program manager behind 2A’s case study practice, Sal is key to ensuring each layer of creativity and collaboration is concocted and delivered in the smoothest way possible. 

Balancing the layers of creativity with impact 

Like the illustrious Megan Thee Stallion, Sal Thee Program Manager is a lover of community. Sal wants everyone in their circle to feel invited to the table—including 2A’s clients. Before bringing her talents to the B2B world, Sal spent their time working with art non-profits, galleries and museums in Seattle. In those spaces, Sal provided close support to artists whose work is centered on social impact and community. From curating exhibitions to managing the behind-the-scenes minutia needed to produce a gorgeous and awe-inspiring show, Sal deeply understands the intricacies of planning and implementing a project that shines and delights audiences. That’s why she approaches each project like she’s building the layers of a perfectly shareable lasagna, considering every ingredient, potential taste pairings, and the baking (and cooling) times required. And let’s be honest—a healthy pinch of anxiety doesn’t hurt when it comes to planning. 

Bringing flowers to life for 2A’s clients 

With a passion for ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, Sal brings their talent for refinement to all of 2A’s creative endeavors. Whether she’s packaging an AWS case study, finessing a Google Cloud blog, or uplifting 2A’s marketing strategy, Sal is never afraid to delve in with both hands to create beautiful arrangements. When focused on uniting flowers, branches, and other natural elements, Sal considers the harmonies of mass, lines, and colors. With grace, they find the places where minimalism sparkles. She takes this elegance and infuses every 2A project with intentionality, taste, and vigor. This guarantees fresh and effective 2A templates, models, and processes that lead to kick-ass deliverables on a global stage. 

Remembering technology can be elegant, too 

At 2A, Sal loves collaborating with humans who care about preserving and enhancing the collective. When she first started at 2A, Sal managed a case study with AWS, Siemens, and Unlimited Tomorrow—a project focused on developing affordable and accessible prostheses. Here, she gained a deeper understanding of 2A’s storytelling, creativity, and collaboration powers. While attending the interview and listening to the customer explain how AWS and Siemens were helping their robotics team provide prostheses for children and adults around the world, Sal confirmed that they had brought their talents to the right place. In her own words: “I really love that our clients empower companies like Unlimited Together to create positive change in the disability community.” 

Ready to create your next case study with 2A? Sal will ensure the process layers in creativity, brings harmony to your stakeholders, and elevates your solution.