BBC's initial trial for its AI-generated 'Doctor Who' promotion materials has reportedly received complaints from viewers, prompting the company to stop its AI promotion plans for its hit series and one of its longest-running.
BBC states that its marketing staff employed generative AI technology as part of a short trial to help write some text for two promotional emails and smartphone notifications highlighting the series 'Doctor Who,' confirming viewers' complaints that the company was using GenAI to promote the series.
(Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images) LONDON, ENGLAND—JULY 10: The logo on the front of BBC Broadcasting House is seen through a television camera viewfinder on July 10, 2023, in London, England.
In response, the company said that even though it complied with all BBC editorial compliance procedures and had a marketing team member verify and approve the final content before it was delivered, it no longer has any plans to use AI to promote Doctor Who.
This decision, as per Deadline, is a wide turn by BBC, which took a different tack. At the time of the announcement, the BBC stated that it offers a wonderful opportunity to expedite the creation of more assets needed to get more trials live for more content that we are seeking to promote.
The BBC did not specify at the time that this would be the last occasion it would employ the technology to promote 'Doctor Who.'
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AI Marketing Gains Tractions
According to reports, AI has recently become a popular topic in the TV industry. The Producer Trade Association Pact recently released guidelines for AI use in UK productions, where Doctor Who is produced.
Recently, Under Armour also came under fire when its "first AI-powered commercial" was claimed by creatives as a mix of past uncredited works.
The post claims that the AI-powered advertisement was created by fusing advances in AI voiceover with motion graphics, 35mm film, digital video, 3D CGI, AI photo, and motion graphics.
The commercial's director, Wes Walker, said every AI technology has been extensively tested for commercial use. Walker noted that a lot of AI was used in the commercial and that it was finished in just three weeks, which he claims is quite quick work for a well-known brand and athlete.
AI Marketing Complaints
However, Creatives on Instagram were quick to notice that the commercial was a repackaged version of someone else's creation.
The "AI-powered" Under Armour commercial, according to director Gustav Johansson of the Scandinavian production company Newland, is a remix of a full, uncredited film production that Johansson created and which included some material filmed by André Chementoff.
Walker's ad also includes a 2023 video from another director, Maik Schuster of Iconoclast Germany. Schuster and Johansson were not named as early credit holders for the position.
Artificial intelligence is still gaining ground in the marketing sector, for better and worse. NBCUniversal recently revealed its ambitions for its "One Platform Total Audience" (OPTA), the company's media-planning and activation tool that uses generative AI to target advertisements to individuals based on their motives and emotions.
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