Tech and advertiser partnerships are everywhere, but a new tie-up between Unilever and marketing agency Brandtech Group is notable for its focus on the Beauty AI Studio, a move which seems to fly in the face of everything that Dove’s “Real beauty” has built over the last 20 years.
Beauty marketing is all about high-volume content, and FMCG brands need more than most, so AI is taking a bigger and bigger role in its creation and optimisation. Brandtech says that its Beauty AI Studio, already live in North America, India, Europe, Asia and Latin America, produces content 30% faster and delivers double-digit increases in brand lift and purchase intent.
Selina Sykes, Unilever global VP & head of marketing transformation, Beauty & Wellbeing, says: “We are building a next-generation content supply chain that drives desirability and growth for Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing brands by being faster and more connected to insights and culture. We’re in an era where AI is becoming accessible, and tools like these are pivotal to driving the marketing transformation we’re creating for Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing.”
Rebecca Sykes, Brandtech partner & head of emerging technologies, says: “Our partnership started by aligning on legal greenlighting of AI models. It has since become a true co-creation, one that balances innovation with responsibility. Unilever is out in front – both in scaling the tech and putting the right talent and processes in place.”
An increasing number of brands are developing proprietary AI. It doesn’t stop at FMCGs, but now extends to newspapers, who train models on their own tone of voice and use it to write stories and generate headlines that will appeal to its own readership.
“Real beauty” looks like it’s heading towards extinction as human beings become an anachronism. Social media is already struggling to correctly label AI vs reality – the distinction between the two may blur to the point where we stop caring altogether.
UPDATE FROM UNILEVER
Unilever champions the responsible use of AI across its brands, with Dove standing by its pledge not to use AI to represent real women in advertising – a reflection of its commitment to inclusive and authentic beauty. While Dove may use AI creatively in ways that respect its values, all such uses are governed by Unilever’s ethical framework. Dove’s approach exemplifies how AI can be thoughtfully integrated without compromising brand integrity.
