When Our AI Suggested Targeting Renaissance Fairs – The Unexpected Marketing Insight That Changed Our Strategy
The "Worst" AI Recommendation We Almost Missed
Last month, our AI marketing platform at Awaken Marketing & AI made what seemed like a bizarre suggestion:
"Target Renaissance fair attendees, medieval history enthusiasts, and people searching for ‘how to start a guild’ for your B2B SaaS campaign."
At first glance, it sounded absurd. Why would a modern SaaS company market to people obsessed with the Middle Ages?
But instead of dismissing it outright, we dug deeper—and uncovered a game-changing audience insight that reshaped our entire marketing approach.
Why This "Bad" Idea Was Actually Genius
1. Hidden Audience Overlaps We Never Noticed
When we analyzed our best customers using, we found something surprising:
They were community builders (like guild organizers)
They valued tradition but embraced innovation (exactly what Renaissance fairs celebrate)
They responded to storytelling (rather than dry sales pitches)
The AI had detected behavioral patterns we’d overlooked.
2. Geo-Targeting Gold in Unexpected Places
We cross-referenced the data with local search trends and discovered:
📌 Cities with strong historical cultures—like Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston—had 2x higher engagement for our content.
📌 Event-based targeting (like conventions and fairs) performed 37% better than generic B2B ads.
3. A Breakthrough Content Angle
Instead of scrapping the idea, we repurposed the AI’s "medieval" angle into:
"Building Your Digital Kingdom: A Modern Guide to Scaling Your Business Like a 16th-Century Monarch"
The result? Our highest-performing lead magnet to date
How We Now Use AI Without the Guesswork
✔️ Pre-Launch Safeguards
Cross-check AI suggestions with SEMrush for keyword validity
Validate audiences using HubSpot’s CRM data before greenlighting campaigns
✔️ Human + AI Collaboration
Every AI recommendation gets reviewed by our local marketing teams in:
✔️ Turning "Bad" Ideas into Wins
Now, when AI suggests something strange, we ask:
🔍 What data led to this?
🔍 Is there a hidden audience here?
🔍 How can we adapt this creatively?
Key Takeaway: AI’s "Mistakes" Are Often Untapped Opportunities
The most powerful AI insights aren’t always the obvious ones. Sometimes, the weirdest suggestions lead to the biggest breakthroughs—if you’re willing to investigate.
Have you ever had an AI recommendation that seemed wrong… but turned out to be brilliant? Share your story in the comments!
#AIMarketing #DataDrivenMarketing #B2BStrategy
