OhayoKarlo

Who would win: 100 unarmed men or a gorilla?

This bizarre question has once again taken over the internet. While it apparently first made the rounds back in 2020, it resurfaced just last month—and this time, it was louder and more chaotic than ever. The debate got so big that even internet personality MrBeast chimed in, joking about making 100 men actually fight a gorilla.

Now, I’m not here to settle the debate (although I’ll say it: the men would eventually win—sure, with several casualties, but the gorilla would tire out eventually. Fight me on this 😄).

What I do want to talk about is how brands latched onto this trend—specifically, what Shell did, and how it turned into an unexpected lesson in digital marketing.

On Shell’s international Facebook page (specifically their South Africa account), the company jumped into the conversation, siding with the gorilla. No big deal, right? Except people weren’t reacting to the side Shell chose—they were reacting to the image they posted. The visual showed a muscular gorilla clutching a fuel container, with the caption:

“Even after a tough fight, everyone needs to refuel!
Word on the street is, even this guy knows where to find the best fuel in Mzansi.
Shell V-Power: Fueling legendary victories, one CAN at a time.”

Sounds funny enough—but the execution? Not so much.

The image looked like it was generated by AI, and social media users weren’t impressed. Some laughed, but many criticized Shell for using AI art instead of hiring a real artist.

“You’re telling me Shell couldn’t be bothered to spend money on an actual artist?” wrote one user, Reggie. Another, Bob, echoed the sentiment: “So cheap they had to use AI.”

Some commenters even questioned the brand’s logic, with one asking if Shell was seriously suggesting that gorillas should drink gasoline. (To be fair, Shell did respond and clarified that they don’t support or condone the act.)

As of this writing, the post has been shared over 2,000 times, with more than 1,700 comments and over 15,000 reactions—most of them laugh reacts. Whether those reactions came from people who actually found it funny or those laughing at the absurdity of the post… we’ll never know.

So, should brands use AI for content?

As someone who uses AI in my own work, I won’t be a hypocrite and say brands shouldn’t. But let’s be honest—Shell is a global company. They can afford actual artists. So why use AI here? Was it just to jump on the trend faster?

Maybe. But it highlights a key point: when it comes to humor, AI still struggles. Whether Shell intended the gorilla to look like it was “refueling” is anyone’s guess—but the image sparked more confusion than clarity.

AI can be helpful, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all tool. And when you’re a brand speaking to millions, how you present your message matters. Execution is everything.