WPP agency Ogilvy has partnered with talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to make ads featuring AI-generated versions of actors, athletes and creators on CAA's roster, Digiday reports. The system, called Echo, draws on scans from The Vault, a 204-camera capture studio Veritone built for CAA four years ago. Ogilvy staff can pull that material into WPP Open for storyboards, mock-ups or final assets.
Terry Crews is among the actors who have opted in, Digiday reports. Carol Reed, Ogilvy's global chief innovation officer, declined to name clients but said several campaigns were already being planned, with pilots that "should be going live towards the end of the year." She said the agency expects to use the system initially for social assets. According to Digiday, the partnership is expected to cut cost per asset by 65–75% compared with classic shoots.
CAA clients own their likenesses and choose which brands and markets they appear in. Reed said talent approves everything, and ads will carry a watermark marking them as AI-generated and approved by the star. Gartner analyst Nicole Greene said the approach could "fundamentally change celebrity endorsement economics."
Consumer sentiment is a hurdle: YouGov found 49% of Britons view AI-generated actors in ads negatively. Reed said Ogilvy will still recommend traditional shoots when needed and hopes brands open up to lower-profile athletes.