No budget? No problem; how AI is levelling the playing field

We’re amazed by AI, but also afraid of it. We fear it will destroy the profitability of the ad industry and erase our jobs. But could it have an upside? 

For the big agencies and production companies, maybe not. But, for the smaller players, yes. Because a side-effect of the AI revolution is the democratisation it will bring. 

We fear [AI] will destroy the profitability of the ad industry and erase our jobs. But could it have an upside? 

AI makes it possible for small brands and not-for-profits to create ads that look just as slick as those made by the big guys. Back in the day, making high-quality commercials was a deep-pockets exercise. The cost of everything – from ad agencies to storyboard artists to cameras to directors, and even the catering – was prohibitive, with a network TV spot typically costing hundreds of thousands of dollars at the very minimum. 

Above: Baz Luhrmann's spot for Chanel cost a reputed $33m. 

In fact the most expensive commercial ever, the 2004 Chanel No. 5 ad, No. 5 The Film. The 180-second film was directed by Baz Luhrmann and starred Nicole Kidman, featured a soundtrack by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and costumes by Karl Lagerfeld. So that’s how they spent $33 million ($52m in today’s money). 

Marketing was a David and Goliath battle, and David couldn't even afford a slingshot. 

Meanwhile, Amazon Alexa’s 2018 Super Bowl [below] spot was said to have cost $15m (well, it did feature Sir Anthony Hopkins, Cardi B, Rebel Wilson and Gordon Ramsay), while David Fincher’s Eminem-starring Imported from Detroit ad of 2011 cost $12m. 

In short, marketing was a David and Goliath battle, and David couldn't even afford a slingshot. Which meant the not-for-profits were restricted to press releases, cheapo guerrilla stunts, and the occasional corporate video. 

Above: In 2018, Amazon's spot for Alexa, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Cardi B, Rebel Wilson and Gordon Ramsay, cost a reported $15m.

Now, AI has begun to open doors that were previously shut to smaller players. Big savings in production costs, even with previously unaffordable creative ideas, can be reinvested into media platforms for more extensive reach, all of which, pre-AI, would have been unattainable for smaller brands. 

AI has begun to open doors that were previously shut to smaller players.

ChatGPT and Jasper are game-changers for scriptwriting, especially at the lower end, such as explainer videos. Previously tedious and expensive, storyboarding is now a breeze with AI tools like Storyboard That and Plot. When it comes to video editing and post production, Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro have AI features that handle colour correction and sound editing. And AI software like Runway makes advanced techniques like motion-tracking and background replacement accessible to everyone. 

AI has revolutionised ad distribution too. Tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Ads Manager use AI to track user behaviour and preferences, helping small brands and not-for-profits hit the right people with the right messages and for less cash.