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The differentiation problem in today’s content
Key takeaway cards for this data drop.
65% of marketers say they have differentiation anxiety. One of the biggest frustrations is consistently generating fresh, engaging topics that resonate with our audience while staying aligned with our brand voice and business goals.
71% publish content weekly or more. 66% have used original research in the past 90 days.
Customer intimacy and standing out from AI-generated content are the most appealing potential benefits. Internal justification and PR-focused messaging are the least appealing.
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Our CEO's take:
Everyone Said That
AI made content easy. It also made everything sound the same. In our latest Data Drop, 65% of marketers say they have differentiation anxiety, caught in a sea of sameness as output ramps up and originality gets harder to find. Watch Cashew CEO, Addy Graves break down what’s driving it.
Access the reportThe newsroom release published alongside this data drop.
The biggest challenge facing marketers today isn't creating more content. It's creating content that doesn't sound like everyone else's.
New research from Cashew found that 65% of marketers experience differentiation anxiety, the pressure to create content that feels fresh, original, and distinct in an increasingly crowded content landscape.
The study surveyed 206 senior mid-market and enterprise marketers across North America to understand how AI, content production, and originality are reshaping modern marketing.
While AI has made content creation faster than ever, marketers say standing out has become significantly harder.
"We've reached a point where everyone has access to the same AI tools, the same prompts, and the same information," said Addy Graves, CEO of Cashew Research. "The competitive advantage isn't producing more content anymore. It's having something original to say."
The findings reveal a widening gap between content volume and content differentiation.
Nearly three-quarters of marketers (71%) publish content at least weekly, while 66% have used original research in their marketing within the past 90 days, suggesting brands are increasingly searching for proprietary insights that competitors can't easily replicate.
The research also explored which marketing messages resonate most with today's marketers.
Benefits centered on helping brands better understand customers and stand out from AI-generated content ranked highest. By contrast, messaging focused on proving marketing ROI, and building credibility, ranked among the least compelling.
The results suggest marketers are shifting their priorities away from justifying marketing efforts and toward creating genuinely differentiated perspectives.
As AI continues to lower the barrier to producing content, originality may be becoming one of the few remaining competitive advantages.
Read the full report: Everyone Said That
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