We recently produced two advertising campaigns using AI-first production:

Honest Mobile
Secret Escapes Holidays

Both campaigns exceeded client expectations and neither would have been feasible given the Clients’ budgets, using a traditional production approach.

So, the first reason to consider AI is it’s cheaper, much cheaper. Think circa 30% of the cost of a traditional production.

What’s more there are no repeat fees or usage to pay AI characters in the future.

As a result, AI vastly stretches the canvas for creatives and clients alike.

Now scale-ups can compete creatively with big brands with deeper pockets.

Secondly, it’s fast, can be lightning fast. Days instead of weeks or months.

Thirdly, it typically creates a much smaller carbon footprint.

Here’s an example:

Using Ad Green’s carbon calculator, we worked out the impact of shooting the Secret Escapes commercial to be 179.588 tCO2e – or an off-set equivalent of 180 trees planted to maturity.

And that was being conservative with our inputs (eg we put in just one location for the shoot whereas in reality it would have been multiple).

Measuring that against a full production through our AI Unit of just 1.39 tCO2e (or 99% more carbon efficient), it’s clear that AI could arguably be justified on green credentials alone.

We didn’t have to create emissions from flights, taxis, set builds, generators, props, catering, castings, wardrobe etc, the stuff that normally makes productions so carbon-heavy.

Ok, but what about all those people who get employment on a traditional production?

Well, it’s true it probably did involve fewer people to create these ads. But those who were involved besides the AI artists (eg models, actors, VO artists, editors, sound engineers etc) were gainfully employed and properly paid.

So, what about a brand’s legal standing regarding rights?

We spent a lot of time devising some clever work-arounds so both brands were able to embrace the use of AI with confidence … although is does add a few lines to contracts.

Having said all of this, AI is not perfect and many, who can afford it, will continue to produce ads the way the industry has so well, for so long.

Would I have preferred to have a 2 week shoot in the Maldives for Secret Escapes? Of course.

But am I also thrilled that I can suggest ambitious creative work to our scale-up clients? Absolutely.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in how AI could transform your communications or would like the facts, figures and real-world comparisons, please get in touch with us here.

AI-powered advertising production uses generative AI tools alongside human creatives to produce commercials, visuals and audio without the need for traditional film shoots.

Yes. AI production can typically cost circa 30% of the cost of a traditional production, making ambitious creative work accessible to smaller brands and scale-ups, allowing them to compete creatively with bigger brands.

AI democratizes creativity by flattening the playing field.

Traditional productions take weeks or months.
AI production takes hours or days.
This speed enables:
Faster go-to-market timelines.
Rapid iteration and testing.
Creative flexibility that traditional production simply cannot match.

Generally, yes. Significantly. For our Secret Escapes campaign, AI production was 99% more carbon-efficient than a traditional shoot, avoiding emissions from travel, sets, lighting, generators etc.

Using Ad Green’s carbon calculator, we compared the environmental impact.

Traditional shoot (estimated):
179.588 tCO₂e.
Equivalent to planting ~180 trees to maturity.
Estimate was conservative (single location assumed rather than the multiple location shoot it would have been).

AI production:
1.39 tCO₂e.
99% more carbon-efficient.

AI avoids emissions associated with:
Flights and ground transport.
Sets, generators and lighting.
Props, wardrobe, catering and more.

On environmental grounds alone, AI production is increasingly hard to ignore.

No. While AI production typically involves fewer people, creatives such as actors, voice artists, editors and sound engineers are still employed and paid. AI changes workflows, it doesn’t remove creativity.

AI introduces new legal considerations around rights and ownership. These can be managed with updated contracts and clear frameworks plus some creative work-arounds we have devised, allowing brands to proceed with confidence.
In short, it does require more upfront legal diligence but it is manageable with the right processes.

No. AI is best viewed as a production tool, not a universal replacement. Traditional shoots will continue where budgets,
locations or creative intent demands them.
AI is not perfect but it is already proving itself as:
A powerful production tool.
A creative enabler.
A cost and carbon reducer.