When AI Talks, Who Gets Mentioned?
We ran a test across 7 major LLMs—from ChatGPT to Claude to Grok—to answer one question:
How do these models actually talk about brands?
Using Seshes.ai, the AI visibility engine built by Systematic Startup, we simulated real buyer prompts and analyzed how Vans, the legacy streetwear giant, showed up.
The Setup
We fed 7 leading LLMs hundreds of queries, ranging from casual curiosity to conversion-ready questions. Each session logged brand mentions, hallucinations, citations, rankings, and tone.
What We Found
1. AI ≠ Google
Only 43% of LLM results overlapped with top Google rankings. Many SERP-dominant brands disappeared from AI answers—some never mentioned at all.
2. Hallucinations Are Costly
Across 2,310 responses, 23% included fabrications:
- Imaginary collabs (“Vans x Thrasher Japan”)
- Non-existent brands (“Vision Threads”)
- False claims about product features
3. Prompts Change Everything
A few words shift outcomes:
- “Iconic skate brands” → Vans, Converse, Nike SB
- “Gen Z fashion” → Stussy, New Balance, Palace
- “Streetwear rebellion” → Palace, Vision, Carhartt WIP
4. Vans Won—But So Did the Indies
Vans ranked consistently, but LLMs also surfaced less mainstream players like Lakai and Palace, driven by cultural relevance—not SEO.
5. Adidas Vanished
Despite strong SERP presence, Adidas barely registered in AI results around skate or streetwear. A stark visibility gap.
Inside the Report
- LLM-by-LLM visibility scores for Vans
- Full prompt logs with hallucination highlights
- Journey mapping from curiosity to purchase
- Side-by-side brand comparisons
- Strategic takeaways for LLM-focused SEO
- Appendix: SQL logs, prompt structures, hallucination tagging
Why It Matters
Backlinks don’t matter here. AI models work by memory, narrative, and resonance. If your brand isn’t recalled—or misrepresented—you’re out of the conversation.
That’s why we built Seshes: to audit, track, and decode how brands perform in LLMs. And what we found is clear:
If AI forgets you, your customers will too.
Ready to See How AI Frames Your Brand?
Download the full State of Search 2025 Report
👉 [Download the full PDF or view online]
Or try your own LLM Brand Scorecard at [Seshes.ai]
.