“You actually didn’t save any money because now I hate you, now I don’t ever want to buy a Skechers shoe again.”
Shoe, Hiss
Footwear brand Skechers has been accused of lazily using generative AI for a full-page ad that appeared in the December issue of Vogue.
In a now-viral TikTok video, a vlogger who goes by the moniker polishlaurapalmer drew attention to the illustrated artwork.
“I look at the drawing for two more seconds and I’m like oh that’s AI,” she said.
The ad bears all the typical hallmarks of generative AI, from garbled faces in the background to illegible text. Even one of the two models’ dresses is seemingly coming apart for no reason.
Worst of all, when Fortune reached out to Skechers over its brazen misuse of the tech, the company didn’t respond. Futurism has also reached out for comment.
The incident highlights just how much of a lightning rod the use of generative AI has become, with public sentiment turning squarely against it.
That negative reaction comes when profitable companies resort to cheaply produced and inherently derivative marketing, often at the cost of paying human artists — who, in this case, would likely do a far better job.
Sneaker Suspicion
Skechers is far from the only company that’s come under fire for the use of AI. Last month, the Coca-Cola Company released a holiday ad that critics said defiled its august tradition of artistically-minded advertisements with uninspired AI slop.
A July study found that even just including the words “artificial intelligence” in product marketing is a major turn-off for consumers, suggesting a growing backlash.
In her video, polishlaurapalmer argued that these marketing tactics will only backfire in the long run.
“I wish people who use AI for art understand that now I hate this,” she said. “You actually didn’t save any money because now I hate you, now I don’t ever want to buy a Skechers shoe again.”
“As someone in advertising, it’s getting bad,” one commenter wrote. “Literally have fights explaining how bad AI is and everyone just wants the cheapest/quickest option with no regard for quality.”
Perhaps most ironically, the women depicted in the ad aren’t even shown wearing the sneakers Skechers is trying to push.
“It doesn’t even make sense to me,” one Redditor wrote. “They portray two women. Both made to appear ‘high end’. Apparently both too good to wear the shoe being advertised because the shoe is only shown in the corner.”
“Ok they saved a bit of money, now they’ve devalued themselves and shown how little they care about quality,” another user wrote. “It’s pathetic.”
But given the astronomical amounts of money still being poured into AI, the trend is likely to continue, despite rapidly shifting sentiment among consumers.
More on generative AI: Study Finds Consumers Are Actively Turned Off by Products That Use AI