ValentiNO! Fashion brand is the latest business to be criticised for AI advert

Luxury fashion and AI aren’t always a good mix — just ask Valentino.

The brand’s latest Instagram campaign promoting a handbag has sparked a wave of criticism online, due to its peculiar visuals and uncanny effects — which have been labelled “AI slop” by disgruntled viewers.

The Italian fashion giant is just one of many brands to face backlash for the use of AI-generated ads, underscoring the risks that today’s companies take when they make use of the technology in digital marketing.

For smaller businesses, it’s a cautionary tale that taking shortcuts in content creation can have big consequences for audience perception. 

Valentino’s AI ad leaves viewers disturbed

On Monday, Valentino dropped a new Instagram video to promote its Garavani Devain bag. However, viewers were met with something that many described as “disturbing”.

The video starts with people seemingly emerging from a gold version of the handbag. It then transitions into a bizarre montage that splices models with Valentino logos and the bag, ending in an unsettling whirl of merging arms and bodies.

While Valentino labelled the video as AI-generated, it didn’t stop audiences from slamming the ad, with many describing it as “cheap”, “tacky”, and not matching the brand’s core values and typical luxury aesthetic.

One user commented: “They’re supposed to represent craftsmanship and prestige. This doesn’t represent any of that.”

“I wholeheartedly hate everything about this unsettling ad,” another added. “It’s a shame classic fashion brands are using such clumsy and stupid AI advertising now.”

The trouble with AI marketing

Valentino is just one of many brands turning to generative AI in marketing, and like others, it has been met with widespread disapproval from consumers.

In early November, Coca-Cola released an AI-generated Christmas campaign, despite the controversy it faced last year. While the ad required 100 staff members and 70,000 AI clips to produce, it was largely slated as “stiff” and “uncanny”.

Earlier in the summer time, clothing brand Guess also faced backlash for featuring AI models in a Vogue campaign. 

The speed and cost-effectiveness of generative AI are what make the technology attractive to companies, and many UK businesses have naturally bought into these benefits. Research reported by ManagedIT found that over half of UK marketers have used AI generators in the past 12 months, with 39% specifically using video or animation tools.

But as seen in many cases, these developments come with a risk to customer trust. Kantar’s Media Reactions 2025 report reveals that only 38% of consumers are excited about the use of AI in advertising, while 47% simply don’t trust the technology.

AI can help, but humans still hold the key to customer trust

So, what can SMEs learn from this string of AI ad flops? Smaller marketing teams can benefit greatly from generative AI. But it should be used as a tool, not a crutch.

AI tools can help with tasks like drafting social media posts, brainstorming ad ideas, or creating simple visuals — all of which can save time and resources. 

However, being over-reliant on the technology to produce creative assets can make campaigns feel impersonal, which in turn risks alienating customers – particularly at a time when AI is still an emerging technology. 

“The whiff of slop will turn off your audience entirely,” Jake Atkinson, Director of Growth at mortgage technology firm MQube, says. “Why would people engage with a brand if they feel the brand can’t be bothered to engage with them personally?”

Meanwhile, Megan Dooley, Head of Brand at TAL Agency advises that businesses should “focus on gaining a true understanding of your audience” and learn about the channels they use to “deliver meaningful content on a regular basis.”

“Where AI comes in handy here is through saving time or providing inspiration,” Dooley adds. “But it’s that human personal touch that builds trust and long-lasting connections.”