"Why Not Explore What's Possible?" How Kane Footwear Put an AI Character at the Center of a Real Product Launch
Influencer rosters are crowded. Kane Footwear took a different path by making a fictional AI character, Yeti Boo, the face of its new recovery shoe campaign.
Yeti Boo isn't a gimmick account. He's a fully formed persona with 180,000+ Instagram followers, known for peace signs, lifting, protein shakes, and elk burgers. Kane slotted him onto its athlete roster alongside real people like ultra coach Matt Johnson and Peloton instructor Olivia Amato to launch the Kane Revive AC.
Why an AI character worked here
According to director of brand marketing Jesse Straus, Yeti Boo's tone fit the Revive AC message out of the box. That alignment gave the team room to focus on scripting and storytelling rather than getting lost in CGI.
"AI has been a part of the zeitgeist these last couple years, we thought, 'why not explore what's possible here?' We're really happy with how it came out," Straus said.
The product still had to carry the message
The Kane Revive AC sells for $120 and backs up the "World's Toughest Recovery Shoe" positioning with practical winter features and slip-on convenience.
- Rubberized outsole for traction
- Sewn-in neoprene collar for warmth
- Nylon grosgrain pull tabs with reflective detailing
- Upper pattern for breathability
- Lightweight slip-on design
Guardrails: avoid "AI slop" at all costs
Kane treated Yeti Boo like real talent. He has an athlete page, homepage placement, and an active social presence. The internal rule was simple: if it starts to feel like AI slop, cancel the project.
The process was human-heavy. Straus compared it to a director/actor relationship: multiple takes, prompt iteration, and tight scripting. Getting the software to deliver accurate line reads with product details took months.
Timing and objective: win attention, not just clicks
Kane timed the rollout to break through holiday "buy now" noise. The focus was engagement and shareability, not short-term conversion only.
By pairing a memorable character with clear product proof, the brand got a scroll-stopping hook without drifting from its recovery story.
Community response and the long view
Kane expected pushback for using AI in athlete marketing. It didn't come. "To date, we haven't experienced any negative feedback," Straus said, noting the brand's track record with real athletes.
This isn't a pivot away from humans. "Yeti Boo fits into that vision as a playful 'permission slip' for experimenting," Straus added. The stance is clear: AI can build characters; people build brands.
What marketers can learn from Kane's approach
- Treat AI like talent. Build a brief with voice, boundaries, and goals. Give the character a real place in your ecosystem.
- Set a kill-switch. If a concept starts to feel cheap or off-brand, stop. Quality is the moat.
- Keep humans in the loop. Scripting, line reads, and product accuracy need hands-on direction and multiple iterations.
- Time for pattern interrupts. Launch when feeds are predictable to earn attention without overspending.
- Tie entertainment to proof. A character is the hook; the product features are the reason to believe.
- Measure beyond CTR. Track saves, shares, completion rate, sentiment, and comment quality to judge impact.
- Be upfront. Label fictional characters and avoid any confusion with real endorsements. See the FTC's guidance on endorsements and testimonials (FTC resource).
- Protect IP and usage rights. Lock down rights for likeness, voice, and generated assets across channels and geographies.
A simple workflow you can run this quarter
- Define the character: role in the story, values, limits, and how it helps deliver your product proof.
- Write human-first scripts. Use AI for generation and editing, not as the writer of record.
- Build a prompt library. Standardize voice, pacing, product facts, and compliance notes.
- Test line reads. Iterate until product details are precise and the tone feels on-brand.
- Create a quality checklist: authenticity, clarity, legal review, and that "no slop" rule.
- Plan rollout for attention: short skits, platform-native cuts, and clear CTAs that match intent.
- Instrument measurement: track engagement depth, brand lift, and organic share rate; run a holdout if possible.
Want help upskilling your team?
- AI Certification for Marketing Specialists - build practical skills for AI-assisted creative and campaign ops.
- Prompt Engineering resources - create reusable prompt systems for brand-safe outputs.
Bottom line
AI characters can earn attention, but only if the story and product hold up. Kane proved that with tight guardrails, human direction, and a clear brand mission, the mix works.
Treat characters as a creative lever. Keep people as the engine. That's how you stay authentic while exploring what's possible.
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