Skechers hit with massive backlash after TikToker detects AI art in its Vogue ad

Skechers is facing serious criticism for its December Vogue ad, which reportedly used AI. The ad has started conversations on social media about how consumers will respond to such practices.

For the first time, Marc Jacobs (guest editor) edited Vogue’s special December issue, placing a full-page ad by Skechers. Many readers found the ad suspicious. Then, the controversy took off when TikTok creator @polishlaurapalmer posted a video of the ad’s unusual features, confirming it to be an AI creation.

The ad illustrated two women walking down a city street. They have shopping bags in hand, and both are wearing high heels. When inspected closely, the minor errors in details start becoming apparent to the reader.

The illustration contained many errors, almost as if the company had deliberately left it like that. As of now, no one can confirm if this was some statement from Skechers as it has not responded to the remarks.

AI-created ad didn’t incorporate Skechers sneakers properly  

One prominent complaint was that the placement of sneakers in the corner was too odd. “I look at the drawing for two more seconds, and I’m like oh that’s AI!” said @polishlaurapalmer, who had initially thought the ad was “kind of cool.”

In the video, she noted details that the ad was undoubtedly created using artificial intelligence. These details include unclear figures, faceless people in the background, incoherent text on a store sign, and a missing part of one woman’s gown.

These flaws started to go viral as @polishlaurapalmer, who didn’t like the ad, criticized Skechers for doing it. She even went so far as to say the image was “alarmingly ugly” and wished companies were careful not to use AI too quickly.

She said, “I wish people who use AI for art understand that I hate this now. You actually didn’t save any money because now I hate you, now I don’t ever want to buy a Skechers shoe again.”

She wasn’t the only one. Many commenters on her viral TikTok were also surprised to see an AI-generated image grace the pages of a prestigious magazine like Vogue. But the backlash went beyond TikTok — social media users on all platforms shared and lambasted the ad. Even one X user tweeted, “We are so cooked.”

The faces look melted and evil, as per Ashwinn Krishnaswamy, a partner at Forge Design and TikTok. He called the ad an “AI slop.”

AI-created ads outrage artists and creatives

A few weeks ago, Coca-Cola was also criticized for using AI, with some calling its campaigns “soulless,” according to NBC News.

Alex Hirsch, the creator of Gravity Falls, mocked Coca-Cola saying, “FUN FACT: Coca-Cola is ‘red’ because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists!”

However, Coca-Cola responded to the criticism, telling Fortune, “We are always exploring new ways to connect with fans and experiment with different approaches.” The brand also made films by mixing “human storytellers with generative AI.” Coca-Cola has also partnered with Microsoft to promote the use of cloud AI generative technologies.

Ashley Rutstein, a freelance creative director, says that poor AI implementation could send a bad signal to the customer. “When they see that you’re cutting corners, they’re gonna dislike you,” Rutstein said.

According to a National Society of High School Scholars survey, which recruited over 10,000 students, 59% of Gen Zers believe that in the next decade, AI will have more negative than positive impacts on society.

Also, 55% are worried about privacy issues, and 62% fear that AI will take the jobs they want. These negative perceptions could fuel an already hostile response from consumers to companies using AI in their marketing.

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