The trend: Brands are facing mounting criticism for sloppy or controversial use of generative AI in advertising.

• J.Crew drew backlash after internet sleuths Blackbird Spyplane spotted AI glitches in its Instagram campaign, including a backward-bending foot and distorted props. Commenters accused the brand of chasing novelty rather than drawing on its own rich archives. After scrutiny, J.Crew credited “Sam Finn Studio,” an AI artist, though it did not clarify whether models were synthetic.
• Shein pulled a shirt listing after users noticed the image resembled Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. Experts said the likeness appeared AI-generated or manipulated, with telltale finger and texture flaws. Shein pledged stricter monitoring of such vendor designs.
• Skechers was slammed for an AI-generated billboard showing a generic, poorly rendered figure. The brand was previously caught using AI in a Vogue spread, adding to concerns about declining creative standards.

Why it matters: The incidents underscore growing consumer frustration with brands prioritizing speed and cost savings over quality control and authenticity. In retail and fashion especially, AI miscues cut deeper: Heritage and trust are core to brand equity, and obvious synthetic errors can make campaigns look careless or even disrespectful.

Our take: The backlash reflects two parallel truths:

• Audiences notice and punish careless AI shortcuts.
• AI has real creative potential—but only when guided by strong direction.

GenAI is quickly moving from novelty to necessity in ad production, with nearly 90% of big-budget video advertisers now using or planning to use AI tools, per IAB. But as campaigns show, using and using correctly are two different things.

WPP’s Hogarth CEO Richard Glasson argued in an EMARKETER interview that generative AI has only increased the importance of craftsmanship, prompting the agency to launch genAI studios that blend machine efficiency with human-led creative production.

For now, brands that treat AI as a creative accelerator rather than a wholesale replacement will be better positioned to avoid missteps—and to use generative tools where they add flair without undermining credibility.