As AI technology rapidly advances, we're seeing it spilling out into almost every part of our everyday lives, including advertising. But for every passable AI ad, there's a bountiful supply of AI branding fails that remind us that the best adverts are made with a human touch.
If, like me, you're prone to a bit of AI existentialism, it can be refreshing to remember that AI is still routinely churning out slop – and you best believe the internet is calling it out. From embarrassingly obvious AI blunders to shameless artificial adverts, these are just a few of the most recent AI branding fails that prove human creativity is still superior.
01. Coca-Cola
We're kicking off this list with a cracker from 2024's festive season – Coca-Cola's 'Holiday Magic is Coming' ad. Instead of 'magic', viewers received a lacklustre advert jam-packed with Christmassy stereotypes alongside a convoy of Coca-Cola trucks delivering soulless AI cheesiness (don't even get me started on that tacky jingle).
Dating back to 1995, Coca-Cola's Holidays are Coming ad is widely considered one of the best Christmas adverts of all time, so you best believe fans had some strong reservations. Scathingly, Alex Hirsch, creator of the Disney series Gravity Falls, wrote on X: “FUN FACT: @CocaCola is ‘red’ because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists!" Ouch.
02. Volvo
Our next offender is the car brand Volvo with its 'Come Back Stronger' campaign. Commemorating the brand's return to Saudi Arabia, the ad features AI-generated clips with a grainy filter slapped over the top, in what I can only assume was an attempt at a cinematic aesthetic. Even the ad's sentimental piano score and soothing voice-over couldn't salvage the obvious slop, and naturally, the internet was appalled by the "lazy" ad.
According to Hussein M. Dajani, Petromin’s chief marketing officer, "By harnessing AI, Volvo has transformed the way stories are told, delivering a film that is both visually stunning and executed with remarkable agility. This is what the future of marketing looks like, a perfect balance between vision, technology and creativity."
03. Vogue
AI slop might've invaded our social media timelines, but you'd scarcely expect it between the glossy pages of Vogue magazine. Readers were shocked to discover an ad for the luxury brand Guess, featuring a tiny disclaimer in the corner openly admitting to AI usage.
It turns out the ad was created by AI ad agency Seraphinne Vallora, who specialise in "creating 'AI models' (artificial women that do not exist)". Dystopian much? While it's innocuous enough at first glance, the overly polished ad featuring a flawless blonde model soon caught the attention of critics who claimed it was perpetuating "irresponsible beauty standards" and "devaluing hard work and art of real people."
04. Skechers
Time for a repeat offender. Shoe brand Skechers can't seem to quit making crappy AI ads, and critics aren't happy. With all the makings of AI slop, from Gaussian-blurred perfection to bizarre anatomy, the soulless ads were torn apart by critics who slammed the brand for embracing lazy AI visuals.
"The determination not to use a human illustrator is incredible," one commenter responded. "The fact that they sent it to print with such noticeable AI errors is CRAZY," another added. The ads were seen all over, from subway stations to Vogue (again), proving that lazy AI content is easily slipping through the cracks.
05. Toys 'R' Us
We're saving the best (worst) til last. This Toys 'R' Us advert went viral for all the wrong reasons, for its downright uncanny AI visuals that perplexed viewers. Made entirely using OpenAI's Sora, the strange video tells the story of a small town AI boy who enters a dreamscape stocked with candy coloured toys. That boy? Charles Lazarus, founder of Toys 'R' Us. Chills, honestly.
Sarcasm aside, the ad received a tidal wave of backlash for its bizarre AI slop, with many claiming it was the final nail in the coffin of their childhoods. "It's terrifying at what AI can do at this point. Human art for the win, don't let a lousy robot steal your job," one commenter wrote. "Does anyone else feel like any sort of imagery created by AI feels like it’s got some sort of awful oily sheen on it? Like if you touched it, it would feel really gross, and you couldn’t get it off? That’s how it is to me," another added.
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