Beyond Algorithms: How Top Agencies Are Using Generative AI to Create Unforgettable Brand Experiences
Experiential marketing is transforming profoundly as generative AI technologies enable brands to create more immersive, personalized, and measurable campaigns. Leading agencies and global brands are pioneering innovative approaches that expand the possibilities for connecting with audiences.
Here's how they're leveraging generative AI to redefine experiential marketing.
The Power of Generative AI in Experiential Marketing
Generative AI empowers marketers to:
Let's explore how leading agencies and brands implement these capabilities in real-world campaigns.
BMW & Goodby Silverstein & Partners: AI-Generated Art Installations
BMW Group , in partnership with agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners , pioneered an innovative use of generative AI called "The Ultimate AI Masterpiece." This campaign leveraged machine learning to generate original artwork based on 50,000 paintings spanning 900 years of art history, which was then projected onto BMW's 8 Series Gran Coupé.
The AI system GS&P's Creative Tech & Innovation team developed and analyzed historical artistic styles and contemporary works selected by art collector Gary Yeh, creating evolving digital art that transformed the vehicle's surface into a canvas. Launched in 2021, this campaign demonstrated how AI could blend luxury automotive design with high art in a visually striking experience that resonated with audiences interested in both technology and artistic innovation.
The campaign successfully showcased BMW's commitment to cutting-edge technology while creating an emotionally resonant, shareable experience that reinforced the brand's premium positioning.
VML & Virgin Voyages: Personalized "Jen AI" Celebrity Invitations
VML (formerly VMLY&R) collaborated with Virgin Voyages to create the viral "Jen AI" campaign featuring celebrity Jennifer Lopez. As Virgin Voyages' Chief Entertainment, Lifestyle & Celebration Officer, Lopez starred in a campaign that playfully embraced generative AI technology.
The campaign centerpiece was a custom invitation tool that allowed users to create personalized video invitations featuring AI-generated content from Jennifer Lopez. Users could customize their invitations based on celebration type, destination, and who they wanted to invite, creating shareable content that drove engagement.
The "Jen AI" campaign achieved remarkable results, generating over two billion impressions and 25,000+ personalized invites. Beyond the impressive engagement metrics, it drove substantial increases in cruise bookings while addressing AI technology's risks by carefully implementing safeguards and moderation systems to prevent misuse.
Ogilvy, Wavemaker & Cadbury: AI-Powered #MyBirthdaySong
For Cadbury Celebrations, Ogilvy and Wavemaker developed the innovative #MyBirthdaySong initiative in 2023, which leveraged four distinct generative AI technologies to reinvent the traditional birthday song.
This tech-forward campaign allowed consumers to create fully personalized birthday songs by scanning a QR code on Cadbury packages or visiting a dedicated microsite. Users shared personal details about the recipient, including nicknames and memories, and then selected music genres. The AI system generated custom lyrics, music, and vocals in real time.
The technical implementation was a collaboration between Ogilvy's Creative Tech & Innovation Team and technology partners Gan.ai and Uberduck . The campaign achieved impressive results, with over 20,000 songs generated in the first week and over 700,000 users interacting with the platform. The initiative successfully positioned Cadbury Celebrations as an innovative brand while reinforcing its connection to celebration moments.
Heinz & Rethink: Iconic Branding Through AI-Generated Visuals
Kraft Heinz collaborated with agency Rethink to create the groundbreaking "AI Ketchup" campaign, one of the first major brand initiatives to leverage OpenAI 's DALL-E 2 image generation platform. The campaign began with a simple experiment: asking the AI to generate images based on prompts like "ketchup in space" or "Renaissance ketchup bottle."
The results consistently featured visual elements resembling Heinz's iconic branding—from the distinctive bottle shape to the angled label—demonstrating the brand's cultural dominance. Heinz extended this experiment by inviting consumers to suggest their own ketchup-themed prompts on social media, creating what became the first-ever global advertising campaign with visuals entirely generated by AI.
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The campaign delivered exceptional results, generating over 1.15 billion earned impressions (worth more than 2,500% of the media investment) and achieving a 38% higher engagement rate than previous campaigns. It received extensive coverage in major publications including Fast Company , Bloomberg , and Forbes , and won numerous industry awards including Gold at the Clio Awards, Graphite Pencil at D&AD, and multiple honors at The Drum Awards Festival.
Next/Now: Technology-Driven Immersive Experiences
Chicago-based agency Next/Now specializes in integrating cutting-edge technologies including AI, AR, and VR to create immersive brand activations for clients including the NBA, Nissan Motor Corporation , and United Airlines . Their work encompasses high-tech showrooms and interactive environments where AI adapts content to audience interactions in real-time.
Next/Now's expertise lies in creating environments where multiple technologies work seamlessly together. Generative AI serves as the responsive "brain" that personalizes the experience based on audience behavior and preferences. These activations combine physical and digital elements into cohesive experiences that drive deeper brand engagement and create memorable moments.
Key Takeaways for Marketers
Personalization at Scale
Generative AI enables brands to deliver unique experiences to individual participants, significantly increasing relevance and emotional connection. This represents a shift from one-to-many to truly personalized marketing.
Real-Time Adaptation
AI-driven activations can adjust content dynamically, responding to audience behaviors and preferences as they emerge during the experience. This flexibility creates more engaging and responsive brand interactions.
Measurable ROI
Advanced analytics and data integration allow for precise measurement of experiential campaigns, enabling marketers to demonstrate value and optimize future activations based on granular insights.
Creative Amplification
Generative AI unlocks new forms of creativity—from personalized music to interactive art—that elevate brand storytelling and create highly shareable content that extends campaign reach.
The Future of AI-Powered Experiential Marketing
Leading agencies are establishing new standards for AI-powered brand experiences. Their pioneering work demonstrates that generative AI isn't just a technological enhancement but a creative revolution reshaping how brands connect with audiences.
As technology matures, we can expect to see even more sophisticated applications that blur the lines between physical and digital experiences. AI will serve as both a creative collaborator and a responsive interface between brands and consumers.
For marketers looking to incorporate generative AI into their experiential strategies, the key is balancing technological innovation with authentic brand storytelling. The most successful activations don't just showcase technology for its own sake—they use AI to create more meaningful, personalized connections with audiences.
Citations:
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