Unilever's Sketch Pro Accelerates AI Design from Idea to Consumer Test in Two Hours

Unilever Automates Marketing Design With AI Studio "Sketch Pro"

Unilever is speeding up creative production with an AI-accelerated design studio called Sketch Pro, automating asset creation so teams can react to social trends in hours instead of days. The studio is live in London, São Paulo, Mumbai, Jakarta, Durban, Shanghai and Istanbul, with plans to scale to 21 markets by 2026. The next launch is slated for Southeast Asia.

The focus: shift brand perception in home care from functional claims to emotion-highlighting fragrance, aesthetics and lifestyle cues. As company leadership puts it, "We're shifting consumer perception from purely rational to deeply emotive."

How the Studio Works

Sketch Pro blends designers, marketers and advanced AI to reduce manual production and speed up iteration. Automations support quick variants and edits based on live feedback and trending topics. Teams now move from idea to consumer test in about two hours-work that typically takes days or weeks with traditional in-house or agency models.

Real-Time Marketing Wins

During Ramadan, the Jakarta team created content for Rinso and Sunlight using morning trend signals from social listening, then went live within hours. The result: 6 million organic views and a 22% lift in TikTok visibility. For context on social listening fundamentals, see this overview from Hootsuite, and for platform behaviors, explore TikTok for Business.

After Brazilian actor Fernanda Torres' Oscar nomination, the team placed a fabric-care product into a Tapas & Beijo sitcom moment to join the conversation in a relatable way. "Ultimately, it enables us to create content that feels more relevant, joyful and desirable-grounded in cultural moments-helping brands secure their place in broader lifestyle conversations," the company said.

Flexible Tech, Local Nuance

Each studio uses the tools best suited to the task-keeping operations nimble while reflecting local culture and each brand's identity. The startup mindset and fast adoption of new technologies means the model will keep evolving and raise the bar for both efficiency and creativity.

What Marketers Can Apply Now

• Build a compact "AI + creative" pod: designer, marketer, motion editor and an AI-savvy operator.
• Set a trend-to-asset SLA. Use two hours from idea to test as a benchmark and track it weekly.
• Wire in social listening and real-time feedback loops. Treat comments and stitches as briefs.
• Automate repetitive production: brand-safe prompts, templates, aspect-ratio swaps and language variants.
• Measure what speed unlocks: idea-to-test time, organic reach lift and share of voice by platform.
• Localize by default. Adapt visuals, slang and cultural references per market and platform grammar.
• Create guardrails for speed: pre-approved asset kits, legal checklists and on-call approvers.

Where It's Live-and Where It's Going

Active markets: London, São Paulo, Mumbai, Jakarta, Durban, Shanghai and Istanbul. Expansion target: 21 markets by 2026, with Southeast Asia next on the roadmap.

Level Up Your Team

If your marketing org is moving toward AI-accelerated production, consider a focused upskilling path. See the AI Certification for Marketing Specialists for practical workflows and standards your team can implement quickly.