Gucci released a series of AI-generated visuals promoting its Milan Fashion Week show in early 2026 and drew sustained criticism in the comment sections of its own channels, where responses described the imagery as cheap and lazy and inconsistent with a brand positioned on Italian craftsmanship.
The reaction places Gucci alongside other brands that have withdrawn AI-produced campaign material after audience response. Valentino and McDonald's both pulled campaigns using AI imagery after viewers characterized the content as flat and disconnected from the brands. Coca-Cola's AI-generated holiday commercial in 2024, a reworking of its "Holidays Are Coming" truck spot, is widely cited as the point at which mainstream audiences began responding critically at scale.
Survey data collected during 2026 documents the consumer position. Among respondents, 78 percent said AI makes advertising feel less authentic, 73 percent reported being less likely to trust an advertisement they suspect was AI-produced, and 63 percent said they were less likely to buy from a brand using AI-generated ads. A gap exists between industry expectation and audience response: 82 percent of advertising executives believed Gen Z viewers respond positively to AI-generated ads, while 45 percent of Gen Z consumers reported doing so.
Some advertisers have positioned against the trend directly. Aerie, Equinox, and Almond Breeze each ran campaigns in early 2026 that explicitly identified and criticized AI-generated advertising content.
Media coverage now treats the withdrawal of an AI campaign as a recurring category of brand incident.
Source: Inc. - https://www.inc.com/annabel-burba/the-ai-ad-backlash-is-here-and-big-brands-are-leaning-in/91285342