'Cheap’ and ‘lazy': How AI-generated images signal lower…

Major brands are encountering significant consumer resistance as they integrate AI-generated content into their marketing strategies. Recent campaigns from luxury and consumer goods companies have sparked negative reactions, highlighting a growing public preference for human-led creativity over automated production.

What happened

In late 2025, the Italian fashion house Valentino launched a fully AI-generated advertising campaign for a handbag. The reception on social media was poor, with Instagram users labeling the effort as "cheap" and "lazy." This reaction aligns with research published in the Journal of Advertising Research, which suggests that when luxury brands disclose the use of AI, consumers perceive the work as requiring less effort, ultimately discounting the brand’s authenticity and value.

Similarly, Coca Cola faced criticism for a series of fully AI-generated holiday advertisements released in late 2024. Although the campaign was intended to pay homage to a 1995 advertisement, viewers found the results to be "uncanny." The backlash included public criticism from high-profile creators, such as Alex Hirsch, who mocked the brand’s reliance on AI.

Data from the 2026 Media Quality in the Age of AI study by DoubleVerify indicates that these instances are not isolated anomalies; 43% of North American consumers report that low-quality or "uncanny" AI-generated ads negatively impact their opinion of a brand. As a result, some companies are pivoting toward "human-only" marketing. In October 2025, Aerie committed to using no AI-generated bodies or people in their advertisements, a move that resulted in their most-liked Instagram post in a year. Furthermore, brands like Polaroid have launched campaigns explicitly promoting analog lifestyles, signaling a broader market shift where human-made goods and advertisements are increasingly viewed as a premium alternative to AI-generated content.