Sportswear company Under Armor’s new AI-powered ad featuring boxer Anthony Joshua is under debate for allegedly reusing the work of others without proper credit. The monochrome ad takes audiences on a journey into Joshua’s mind and features the desert landscapes of Saudi Arabia inspired by the poem “Ozymandias,” according to director Wes Walker, who posted the ad on his Instagram.
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Walker elaborated: “We were asked by Under Armor to build a film from nothing but existing assets, a 3D model of Anthony Joshua and no access to the athletes. This piece combines AI video, AI photo, 3D CGI, 2D visual effects, motion graphics, 35mm film, digital video and advances in AI voiceover.”
However, Walker’s 2024 ad (above) has been accused of plagiarizing a production directed by Gustav Johansson for Under Armor and Joshua in 2022 (below).
“Cool film but everything about Joshua is shot by André Chementof and based on a commercial I made? Under Armor can do what it wants with the footage of course, but it’s a slippery slope when you, as a creative, say this is AI when humans were.” actually behind this,” Johannson said in a comment. Watch Johannson’s film below:
To his question, Walker said the commercial was an AI-dominated mixed piece that used multiple live cutaways of what Johannsons’ team and others had brilliantly filmed. “Times change, we adapt,” he also said.
However, according to Technological crisisin a now-deleted comment, Walker said he would have requested access to Joshua but was repeatedly rejected and pointed to deadlines, budget and production constraints that limited them.
Meanwhile, Under Armor has yet to comment on the situation on public forums or to requests from MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. The ad in question is currently running on Under Armor’s social media channels.
What are people saying?
Internet users are divided on advertising. While some are in favor of it because they are fans of Anthony Joshua, others have pointed out that the publicity appears to be a quick money maker.
“An entirely AI-based ad that steals the talent of real videographers and editors just for the sake of money? Barf.” said one user in a comment under Under Armour’s post.
Other netizens also called for a boycott of the brand and said they would support Nike, Under Armours’ competitor, according to comments on the YouTube video of the ad seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.
Additionally, creators who commented on Walker’s post questioned the integrity of the work and called for better regulation of AI.
“It’s all soulless, from the use of AI to the use of others’ work to self-recognition. If you don’t honor and protect others in this industry, you’re part AI needs to be regulated on the ground, not seen as a “normal change,” said one Instagram user.
On the other hand, the creators also applauded the work saying “definitely captures your attention”, “absolutely iconic” and “love the multimedia effects and integration”.
Johannson’s 2022 Instagram post that showed the commercial he did with Under Armor recently gained attention with several comments saying they were on his side and that it was the original work. “Powered by human intelligence without using Gaussian cloud points,” one user commented.
Following the debate over proper credit when it comes to AI-powered ads, Under Armor saw its brand sentiment drop to 7.3% negative and 16.1% positive.
In contrast, social media conversations before the ad aired were 31.7% positive and 1% negative, according to media intelligence firm CARMA.
The ad also impacted keywords currently associated with Under Armor, including “leading,” “competitive,” and “style” before the incident.
After the incident, words like “repurposed,” “reconditioned,” and “creative” took hold.
In fact, more brands are experimenting with AI in their campaigns to mixed reactions. For example, air carrier Malaysia Airlines has sparked mixed feelings after its recent post on AI-generated Chinese New Year raised questions about authenticity and ethics in marketing.
The post aimed to promote the airline’s domestic and international flights during the holiday season and showed a family laughing together as they celebrated the new year. It said: “Embrace the joy of family reunions this Chinese New Year” with flight prices included. However, netizens were quick to point out that the image appeared to have been created using AI.
One user said “using AI-generated images made them look cheap,” while another wondered if it was difficult to find a photographer. Meanwhile, some users showed their support, commenting “wow, nice AI picture” and defended the company against users whose comments struck a negative tone.
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