Valentino's AI ad backlash: what creatives can learn right now
Valentino dropped an AI-driven promo for its DeVain handbag on Instagram - and the comments lit up. Fans called it "weird," "embarrassing," "cheap," and "lazy." The visuals stitched models into a surreal collage: bodies morphing from a gold handbag, logos turning into arms, a swirl of figures coalescing on screen.
Even with an "Made with AI" label, the reaction was harsh. Many read the work as cost-cutting dressed up as innovation - and that's the core issue. People expect expensive brands to pay for taste, not shortcuts.
Why this hit a nerve
Dr Rebecca Swift, senior VP of creative at Getty Images, noted that audiences often see AI content as less valuable than human-made work for premium brands. Transparency alone didn't win them over. The problem isn't the tool - it's what people think the tool replaces.
Anne-Liese Prem, head of cultural insights & trends at Loop, put it bluntly: when AI touches brand identity, people assume efficiency over artistry. Without a strong emotional idea, AI makes luxury feel less human - at the exact moment audiences want more human presence.
This isn't isolated
H&M faced criticism for using AI "digital twins" of models. A Guess ad generated by AI raised concerns about how synthetic visuals shape beauty standards. The pushback is bigger than one campaign - it's a cultural line being tested in public.
Practical guardrails for creatives using AI
- Lead with the idea, not the tool: The concept must carry emotion without the tech. If the AI asset is the idea, you're exposed.
- Define what can be synthetic: Set rules for logo behaviour, skin, hands, textiles, and motion. Uncanny details break trust fast.
- Credit real people: List art direction, styling, models, and post. Show the human team. Investment signals craft.
- Show your process: Share boards, references, and human choices. Pull the work back from "AI slop" territory.
- Quality control checklist: Hands, eyes, fabric physics, reflections, brand marks, anatomy in motion, continuity across cuts.
- Consent and rights: Likeness, style-of-artist, model usage, music. If an AI output leans on a living creator's signature, rethink.
- Test before you launch: Small-group screenings, sentiment checks, and pre-mortems. Look for "cheap," "lazy," "uncanny" triggers.
- Spend where it shows: If AI saves time, reinvest in set design, casting, audio, and narrative. Luxury is felt in the details.
- Be specific about labeling: "Made with AI" is vague. Say what was synthetic (environment, transitions) and what was human-led.
- Use AI where it helps most: Treatments, mood films, animatics, pre-vis, variations - not the hero shot unless you can defend it.
Team playbook to prevent the next backlash
- AI creative policy: Clear do/don't rules for brand identity, likeness, and data sources.
- Review board: Creative director, brand, legal, DE&I, and production sign-off for high-visibility work.
- Approved tool stack: Document models, training data policies, and rights management.
- Risk matrix: Score for brand fit, cultural sensitivity, and uncanny-valley risk before greenlight.
- Rapid response plan: If sentiment tanks, have alternate cuts, copy, and community replies ready.
The bigger takeaway
People don't pay a premium for speed. They pay for taste, story, and the feeling that real people cared. Use AI as an amplifier - and keep the human hand obvious.
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