American brand Stanley 1913 announced that it does not use generative artificial intelligence to create advertising creatives and is increasing investments in blogger advertising. Brand recognition in North America has reached 79% without the use of AI tools in consumer communication, according to the company's brand director Kate Ridley.
Stanley applies AI at the ideation, concept development, and pre-production stages, but prohibits its use in final materials seen by consumers. To produce content, the company has created in-house creative teams in North America and Europe, as well as its own photo studio operating as a brand content hub.
Why brands are abandoning AI in influencer advertising
Ridley explained the company's position by the risks of losing authenticity. AI enhances marketing efficiency and removes routine tasks, including personalization, but replacing the human element in advertising contradicts the brand's strategy built on genuineness. For Generation Z, the ability to recognize paid integration is critical — they sense deception when the relationship between a brand and influencer comes down to a hashtag and payment.
«AI removes a lot of manual work and is useful for personalization, but I don't see us using it in a creative sense», — Kate Ridley, Stanley
Stanley significantly increased its influencer marketing budget, though did not disclose exact figures. The company returned to the traditional seeding approach — mass distribution of products to influencers to create organic content without strict advertising integrations. This format creates genuine connection between content creators and the brand, which is critical for younger audiences.
Where Stanley applies AI in marketing
The company does not completely reject the technology. AI tools are used in internal processes: data analysis, media planning development, and communication personalization. Stanley is developing internal guidelines for artificial intelligence use across regional teams to ensure unified standards and boundaries for technology deployment.
The brand's creative centers in different regions develop their own marketing tools and content. The company is building a control system to ensure that when using AI for personalization, all divisions work in a unified format with identical limitations.
AI in advertising market: research figures
According to IAB UK, 73% of advertisers believe artificial intelligence will transform the industry for the better. 90% of companies already report reduced creative production timelines thanks to AI tools. IAB UK's Director of Industry Relations Alex Kozloff noted that Stanley's approach reflects the current market state: AI is being integrated into nearly every stage of advertising production, but brands differ in determining where human creativity should remain.
Stanley sees significant growth potential in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The company is betting on human creativity rather than AI campaigns for entering new markets.
Practice for Russian brands
Stanley's experience shows that high reach and brand recognition are achievable through genuine integrations with influencers without widespread AI application in creatives. For the Russian market, this means the need to build long-term relationships with content creators, invest in seeding and ambassador programs instead of one-off ad placements. When planning influencer campaigns, it's important to forecast KPIs not only by reach but also by engagement and authenticity of contact metrics. Professional influencer selection and media buying with a focus on brand value alignment deliver results that are difficult to achieve through automated solutions — this is where the ETC team builds strategy with consideration for product specifics and target audience.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI be used to create influencer advertising
AI can be applied at preparation stages — ideation, audience analysis, personalization — but experts recommend creating final creatives manually. Brands like Stanley completely exclude generative AI from consumer communication to preserve authenticity. Generation Z easily recognizes artificial content, which reduces trust in the integration.
Why do brands increase influencer budgets instead of AI
Influencer marketing provides genuine audience connection that AI creatives cannot create. Stanley increased investments in blogger work and seeding, achieving 79% recognition in North America. Research shows that younger audiences value organic content and reject overtly paid placements.
How does AI help in influencer marketing without creating creatives
AI automates data analysis, influencer selection by metrics, reach forecasting, and media planning. Companies use artificial intelligence for communication personalization and budget optimization while leaving content creation to people. This accelerates processes by 90% according to IAB UK data while preserving human creativity in the final product.
In brief
- Stanley achieved 79% brand recognition in North America without applying AI in advertising creatives
- The brand increased its budget for blogger work and returned to traditional seeding for authentic integrations
- AI is used in internal processes — ideation, personalization, data analysis — but not in consumer communication
- 73% of advertisers consider AI a positive factor for the industry, 90% report faster production
- Generation Z recognizes artificial content and paid integrations, requiring brands to be authentic
- The company created in-house creative teams and a photo studio instead of outsourcing production to AI services
- For Russian brands, Stanley's experience demonstrates the effectiveness of long-term influencer relationships over one-off placements
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