Latest news with #Coign
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This corny ‘conservative credit card' ad signals a very scary future for AI
A fresh glimpse at our AI-filled future arrived this week, in the form of an unmemorable ad by a company most people have never heard of. The ad is kind of flat and will probably scan as goofy to everyone outside its target demo, but don't write it off just yet: It could signal the beginning of some very big (and scary) changes. Why you're catching the 'ick' so easily, according to science Waymo is winning in San Francisco Supersonic air travel gets green light in U.S. after 50-year ban lifted The upstart fintech company Coign claims to be a 'conservative credit card company,' a distinction that boils down to the founders' pledge to never donate to liberal causes and candidates. And while that self-definition raises some questions, it pales in comparison to the actual ad. The 30-second clip is a patriotic parade of red-blooded, red-voting Americans boasting about recent Coign-fueled purchases such as deer-hunting gear, a stack of cartoonish gold bars, and the 'biggest American flag' available. But here's the most striking thing about the ad: All of those situations, and all of the actors, were created by AI. There's something a little off about Coign's ad, to be clear. The pacing of the phony satisfied customers' movements feels too jittery at times, and there's an eagle at the end that is not exactly natural looking. While the ad is spiritually the same AI slop as Shrimp Jesus, it doesn't carry the same overtly synthetic visuals. In that regard, it's a lot more casually AI-generated than many of its predecessor ads. When Coca-Cola released an AI-generated holiday spot last fall, it sparked an uproar. Creatives were livid about such a monumentally successful company neglecting to splash out on an all-human production, and even casual observers noticed the glaring flaws in the video: The truck's tires glided over the ground without spinning, Santa's hand was bizarrely out of proportion with the Coke bottle it gripped, and the entire ad sat squarely in the 'uncanny valley.' The same goes for the ad Toys R Us released last year using OpenAI's text-to-video tool Sora: The kindest thing one could say is that its human characters looked marginally more lifelike than the unsettling, motion-captured Tom Hanks from The Polar Express two decades earlier. So far, AI-generated ads have been rare enough and mostly the domain of heavy-hitter companies, making them lightning rods for attention and backlash just about every time a new one is released. The simple fact that they were AI-made has been enough to generate headlines, even before factoring in the slop. But maybe not for much longer. If the Coign ad is any indication, there may be an entire class of AI ads coming that will be subject to far less attention—and far less scrutiny. We're at a precarious moment with AI, collectively feeling out its least objectionable uses through trial and error. So far, uncanny ads from massive companies have triggered backlash, but when lesser-known brands dabble—especially without obvious visual glitches—they often escape notice. Advertising legend David Droga once noted the existence of a 'mediocre middle' in marketing and entertainment, and that may be exactly where AI quietly thrives: in ads from companies too small to spark outrage. Advertising, after all, is already the most disposable and least emotionally protected form of media—expensive to make, widely avoided, and largely unloved. That makes it the perfect Trojan horse for AI—slipping past scrutiny not because it's good, but because few people care enough to notice. On a moral and economic level, the advertising industry should not be diving headlong into a technology that makes large swaths of professional workers expendable. And on an aesthetic level, just because AI technically can create an ad doesn't mean it can create a good one. Once a seemingly harmless use case eases people's minds about a given technological breakthrough, it's only a matter of time before the more flagrantly objectionable use cases take hold. The facial recognition tech that first allowed Facebook users to tag their friends in photos was eventually used to strengthen the surveillance state and threaten privacy everywhere. Today's drones that make aerial photography easier become tomorrow's drones that mistakenly blow up weddings in other countries and threaten to displace delivery workers. Obviously, AI is going to play some role in humanity's future. The size of that role, however, is not yet set in stone. As machine learning creeps into all creative fields, workers need regulations to ensure the technology doesn't spread too far too fast. The good news is that a majority of Americans seem to want AI regulation. Although the House of Representatives recently passed a major tax and spending bill with a provision forbidding state governments to regulate AI over the next 10 years, that clause is getting bipartisan blowback. According to a recent poll, 81% of voters agree that 'advances in AI are exciting but also bring risks, and in such fast-moving times, we shouldn't force states to sit on the sidelines for a full decade.' Even the CEO of generative AI company Anthropic is a full-throated advocate for stricter AI regulation. The people have spoken. Whether they are listened to is another matter altogether. A single, silly credit card ad may seem an unlikely step toward a dystopian future of unfettered AI and full unemployment, but if we laugh it off now, the bill may still come due later. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fast Company
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
This corny ‘conservative credit card' ad signals a very scary future for AI
A fresh glimpse at our AI-filled future arrived this week, in the form of an unmemorable ad by a company most people have never heard of. The ad is kind of flat and will probably scan as goofy to everyone outside its target demo, but don't write it off just yet: It could signal the beginning of some very big (and scary) changes. The upstart fintech company Coign claims to be a 'conservative credit card company,' a distinction that boils down to the founders' pledge to never donate to liberal causes and candidates. And while that self-definition raises some questions, it pales in comparison to the actual ad. The 30-second clip is a patriotic parade of red-blooded, red-voting Americans boasting about recent Coign-fueled purchases such as deer-hunting gear, a stack of cartoonish gold bars, and the 'biggest American flag' available. But here's the most striking thing about the ad: All of those situations, and all of the actors, were created by AI. There's something a little off about Coign's ad, to be clear. The pacing of the phony satisfied customers' movements feels too jittery at times, and there's an eagle at the end that is not exactly natural looking. While the ad is spiritually the same AI slop as Shrimp Jesus, it doesn't carry the same overtly synthetic visuals. In that regard, it's a lot more casually AI-generated than many of its predecessor ads. When Coca-Cola released an AI-generated holiday spot last fall, it sparked an uproar. Creatives were livid about such a monumentally successful company neglecting to splash out on an all-human production, and even casual observers noticed the glaring flaws in the video: The truck's tires glided over the ground without spinning, Santa's hand was bizarrely out of proportion with the Coke bottle it gripped, and the entire ad sat squarely in the 'uncanny valley.' The same goes for the ad Toys R Us released last year using OpenAI's text-to-video tool Sora: The kindest thing one could say is that its human characters looked marginally more lifelike than the unsettling, motion-captured Tom Hanks from The Polar Express two decades earlier. So far, AI-generated ads have been rare enough and mostly the domain of heavy-hitter companies, making them lightning rods for attention and backlash just about every time a new one is released. The simple fact that they were AI-made has been enough to generate headlines, even before factoring in the slop. But maybe not for much longer. If the Coign ad is any indication, there may be an entire class of AI ads coming that will be subject to far less attention—and far less scrutiny. We're at a precarious moment with AI, collectively feeling out its least objectionable uses through trial and error. So far, uncanny ads from massive companies have triggered backlash, but when lesser-known brands dabble—especially without obvious visual glitches—they often escape notice. Advertising legend David Droga once noted the existence of a ' mediocre middle ' in marketing and entertainment, and that may be exactly where AI quietly thrives: in ads from companies too small to spark outrage. Advertising, after all, is already the most disposable and least emotionally protected form of media—expensive to make, widely avoided, and largely unloved. That makes it the perfect Trojan horse for AI—slipping past scrutiny not because it's good, but because few people care enough to notice. On a moral and economic level, the advertising industry should not be diving headlong into a technology that makes large swaths of professional workers expendable. And on an aesthetic level, just because AI technically can create an ad doesn't mean it can create a good one. Once a seemingly harmless use case eases people's minds about a given technological breakthrough, it's only a matter of time before the more flagrantly objectionable use cases take hold. The facial recognition tech that first allowed Facebook users to tag their friends in photos was eventually used to strengthen the surveillance state and threaten privacy everywhere. Today's drones that make aerial photography easier become tomorrow's drones that mistakenly blow up weddings in other countries and threaten to displace delivery workers. Obviously, AI is going to play some role in humanity's future. The size of that role, however, is not yet set in stone. As machine learning creeps into all creative fields, workers need regulations to ensure the technology doesn't spread too far too fast. The good news is that a majority of Americans seem to want AI regulation. Although the House of Representatives recently passed a major tax and spending bill with a provision forbidding state governments to regulate AI over the next 10 years, that clause is getting bipartisan blowback. According to a recent poll, 81% of voters agree that 'advances in AI are exciting but also bring risks, and in such fast-moving times, we shouldn't force states to sit on the sidelines for a full decade.' Even the CEO of generative AI company Anthropic is a full-throated advocate for stricter AI regulation. The people have spoken. Whether they are listened to is another matter altogether. A single, silly credit card ad may seem an unlikely step toward a dystopian future of unfettered AI and full unemployment, but if we laugh it off now, the bill may still come due later.
Axios
05-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Conservative credit card company touts fully AI-generated TV ad
Coign, a self-described credit card "built for conservatives," claims to have launched the first fully AI-generated national television commercial, at least in the financial services industry. Why it matters: Hyper-realistic AI videos flooded the internet after the release of Google's Veo 3 tool last month. Now, signs are emerging of a potentially massive disruption to the $250 billion TV advertising industry. Driving the news: The 30-second ad features a series of AI-generated people describing how they'll "spend right today," a nod to Coign's ideological branding. The spot, which was generated using Veo 3, will air for two weeks on Fox News, as well as on X, Facebook and Truth Social. Coign said the ad took just half a day to produce — with a budget less than 1% of a traditional shoot, which would typically involve multiple takes, paid actors, editing, and more. "AI is leveling the playing field between Coign and the big credit card players in customer service, products, fraud detection, and now marketing campaigns," said Coign CEO Rob Collins. "We can serve our audience content they love that is just as good as what the big players produce, all for a fraction of the cost." Between the lines: Coign's ad is a fairly standard product promotion, similar in style to other bank and credit card commercials that regularly air on television. But the ease and low cost of producing the lifelike commercial could portend a tectonic shift for the advertising industry, let alone Hollywood or political campaigns. The big picture: Coign announced earlier this year that it had signed a $250 million debt and equity financing partnership with asset management company Oaktree Capital Management.
New York Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Oaktree Capital investing $250M in parallel-economy credit card Coign
Investment giant Oaktree Capital has struck a $250 million deal with Coign, a conservative-focused credit card company, marking one of the largest institutional investments in the so-called parallel economy, NYNext has learned. The parallel economy has gained traction in recent years as conservatives seek products aligned with their values. While companies like Coign have built a foothold, they've largely lacked recognition from major financial institutions. Oaktree Capital, founded by billionaire Howard Marks, signals that this movement is increasingly attracting even typically apolitical investors. In a statement to investors reviewed by NYNext, Coign announced, 'The $250 million partnership with Oaktree provides a debt facility to scale our super-prime credit card portfolio and launch non-prime cards.' Advertisement Howard Marks, pictured with wife Nancy, started Oaktree Capital — which manages more than $200 billion worth of assets. Clint Spaulding / PatrickMcMulla Chris Gray, Managing Director at Oaktree Capital, added that Coign is 'well positioned to be a significant growth story in fintech.' I called up Coign's founder and CEO Rob Collins to ask about the deal and he said Oaktree's involvement underscores just how significant the American market of 120 million conservatives is. Advertisement According to Coign's materials, conservatives are both the largest and wealthiest affinity groups in the US and thus far they've only been given the option of using credit cards that donate overwhelmingly to liberal causes (the top credit card companies have given more than $2 billion to Democratic causes, according to a report in the Washington Times). 'More and more people are recognizing how well conservative movies and media are doing … that extends to our industry,' Collins said. Conservative products particularly have a strong word-of-mouth element and engender serious loyalty from customers. That is all to Coign's benefit — the card already has tens of thousands of members in every state and a waitlist over 110,000 more as the company builds up capacity. Coign, which uses Visa's payment infrastructure, reportedly donates a small amount to conservative causes on every transaction. Advertisement And perhaps most interestingly, the churn for this credit card is just 2.5% — far lower than the usual 10% companies experience, according to a 2025 survey. Coign, which uses Visa's payment infrastructure, reportedly donates a small amount to conservative causes on every transaction. 'Every purchase benefits conservative causes chosen by cardholders,' according to a company statement. 'Spending Right with Coign funds organizations like Rescue 22, which rescues dogs and trains them as service animals for veterans. With Coign, conservatives are taking back our economy and our country — one dollar at a time.' This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC's power players (and those who aspire to be). Advertisement Collins also said this is recognition of a broader trend: The growing bifurcation of consumer markets. 'All Americans are looking for products that reflect their values,' he adds. Whether it is liberals ridding themselves of their Teslas or conservatives very loudly boycotting beer from Bud Light, the politicization of products is here to stay. Send NYNext a tip: nynextlydia@
Malaysian Reserve
06-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
CREDIT CARD VETERAN RODNEY YODER JOINS COIGN AS CFO
MCLEAN, Va., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Coign, a leading fintech company, is proud to announce the appointment of Rodney Yoder as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With over three decades of financial leadership in banking, fintech, and high-growth companies, Yoder brings outstanding expertise to Coign's executive team. For more than a decade Yoder held senior leadership roles at Barclays, cultivating deep expertise in global payments, private banking, and credit. He also oversaw forecasting, risk management, and innovation strategies while leading a global finance team of 70 professionals. His earlier positions at Swift Financial and Bank of America/MBNA underscore his ability to build robust financial infrastructures, manage multibillion-dollar portfolios, and drive both cost efficiencies and revenue growth. 'Throughout his career Rodney has be a leader at Fortune 500 financial institutions, offering a unique perspective on credit, markets, and strategic vision,' said Rob Collins, CEO of Coign. 'As we continue to scale and evolve as a fintech platform, his experience navigating complex transformations and delivering results across diverse markets will be incredibly valuable.' 'I'm excited to join Coign at this pivotal moment,' said Rodney Yoder, CFO of Coign. 'The opportunity to shape the company's next chapter of growth—by building strong financial foundations, optimizing capital strategy, and fostering innovation—is exciting. I look forward to collaborating with the leadership team to deliver long-term value for our customers, employees, and investors.' Yoder's career is marked by significant achievements, including spearheading financial planning for large-scale portfolio programs, assembling global finance teams, and developing systems and models that have driven successful audits, strategic transactions, and sustained growth initiatives. Most recently, as CFO of Sunlight Financial, Yoder orchestrated a strategic transformation, guiding the company through its transition from public to private status. He played a pivotal role in evaluating strategic alternatives, securing $90 million in debt and $65 million in equity financing, negotiating loan agreements to enable $2.5 billion in forward flow loan financing, and implementing interest rate hedge programs to mitigate risk. About Coign Coign is the premier fintech platform for conservative Americans, offering credit cards and financial solutions designed to align with their values. Through a leading center-right media strategy, low customer acquisition costs, and a commitment to trust, Coign is building the largest conservative community in U.S. history, uniting millions to strengthen America's foundations. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Coign
