Swedesboro Brewing Co deepfake video — Oct 2026

Swedesboro Brewing Co., a South Jersey craft brewery, recently faced intense public criticism after launching an AI-generated virtual brand ambassador named Sarah. The company introduced the digital spokesperson in an Instagram video, positioning her as a modern alternative to hiring human actors for promotional content. However, the move was met with immediate and widespread disapproval from the brewery's customer base.

What happened

On October 15, the brewery posted a video featuring Sarah, a realistic AI-generated woman, announcing her role as the company's new virtual ambassador. The brewery defended the decision by comparing the AI to hiring paid actors, arguing that Sarah possessed personality and humor. Customers reacted negatively, expressing disappointment and disgust in the comments section. Critics specifically pointed to the uncanny nature of the AI's gestures and argued that a local craft brewery should prioritize human employees over synthetic characters. Some noted that the choice of a generic human woman was particularly strange given that the brewery's established mascot is a raccoon.

Following nearly a week of negative feedback, the brewery attempted to address the situation by posting a second video. In this clip, Sarah read "mean comments" from social media users in a style reminiscent of the "Mean Tweets" segment from "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" She attempted to defend her existence by stating that real, local people created her and that no employees had lost their jobs. This attempt to address the backlash resulted in even harsher criticism, with many commenters stating they would stop patronizing the brewery's locations. While some observers suggested the campaign might be a publicity stunt to drive engagement, the incident highlights the growing public resistance to the use of generative AI in advertising, particularly when it involves creating synthetic people.