This month in AI: 3D ads, watermarking verification, NYT ad targeting and anti-AI sentiment

Are the future of AI-generated ads 3D?

Advertising agency group WPP has announced a partnership with Nvidia to develop 3D, AI-generated ads. As part of this initiative, WPP will also be collaborating with Shutterstock, a provider of stock images, photos, video and music, to ensure content used for 3D projects is ‘brand-compliant’. The Coca-Cola Company will be the first of WPP’s clients to begin scaling the opportunities of generative 3D across 100 markets.

The objective of the initiative is to help brands generate video at a speed that has not been feasible before, all while ‘driving creative engagement and effectiveness at scale’.

Haleon becomes first to use watermarking technology for ad authentication

Haleon toothpaste brand Sensodyne has adopted the digital watermarking technology developed by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to authenticate its ads.

C2PA is an industry initiative aimed at developing technical standards for verifying and authenticating AI-generated content and addressing disinformation. Consumer healthcare company Haleon is the first brand to use the technology for advertising purposes.

The goal is to tackle fake ads, verify claims and dispel any accusations that the dentists featuring in its campaigns are not real. According to reports, the content credentials icon resulted in an 8% increase in brand equity compared to ads without the icon.

The New York Times releases results of new generative AI ad targeting

The New York Times claims its new generative AI ad targeting tool, BrandMatch, is significantly increasing campaign performance. BrandMatch uses generative AI to ‘decode an advertiser’s brief’ and create more specific audience targeting segments to match ads with the most relevant articles.

Test campaigns reportedly outperformed the publisher’s benchmark, with an average click-through rate between 0.40% and 0.72%, an average brand lift increase of 8.4%, and a 3.1% lift in brand preference and consideration.

The technology has been tested by six brands, including Paramount+ and Ferragamo, and is now expected to launch more widely from mid-September.

Anti-AI sentiment gains steam across marketing world

The CEO of procreate, a digital design platform used by marketing creatives, issued a video on X stating it will not be integrating generative AI into its products. James Cuda claimed to ‘hate generative AI’ and doesn’t ‘like what’s happening in the industry and what it’s doing to artists’. The anti-AI stance received strong support from the creative community and from consumers, with many quick to call out Adobe for taking the opposite stance, and the ‘harm’ its generative AI models such as Firefly were doing to creators.

Another brand facing a backlash is UK-based Fashion and lifestyle brand SheerLuxe which has been criticised for an AI-generated influencer. The company introduced the AI ‘bot’, called ‘Reem’, as a ‘fashion and lifestyle editor’ and ‘new member’ of the team.

Consumers were quick to speculate that Reem was intended to be of Arab origin, and claimed the bot perpetuated a ‘ridiculous beauty standard’. Many also commented that SheerLuxe should have hired a real woman of colour for the role instead of creating an AI bot.

Both incidents highlight some of the ethical and reputational risks associated with the use of generative AI, including AI-generated influencers.

Relevant WFA events

• In June WFA published a series of responsible AI principles. To bring these to life, we’ll be hosting workshops to co-create voluntary guidance on how to apply the principles to marketing practices. The first session will take place remotely on 3 September and you can register here.
• WFA is hosting a remote session with TikTok on 4 September to explore TikTok’s new suite of AI products. 
• Our next remote AI Community meeting will be taking place on 17 September.
• WFA will be hosting an Insights Forum in Geneva on 30th September, kindly hosted by P&G. The event will focus on insights talent in the AI era. If you’re a senior insights leader, you can sign up to attend here.
• If you’d like to better understand how you can operationalise generative AI and boost creativity, then register for our one-hour Knowledge Spotlight session with marketing strategists The Liberty Guild on 2 October.

Please send across any tips, developments and interesting insights to g.robitaille@wfanet.org.