ITV is set to launch two TV ads which have been created using generative AI and wants to sell more of them to small businesses.
As part of an expanded commercial creative production service to encourage SMEs to consider TV advertising, ITV has worked with new-to-TV brands Travel House (a Welsh travel company), and Sheepbridge Interiors (based in Northern Ireland).
The ads have been created by augmenting ITV Commercial’s normal creative process, using licenced Generative AI image and video tools alongside ITV’s voice over artists.
Each of them have a similar creative treatment: Travel House’s ad features an animated passport who longs to go on holiday, while Sheepbridge’s spot heroes an anthropomorphic potato that just needs a sit-down after a tough day.
“It is the first time both companies have advertised on TV and attaining the high production value of the ads within budget was only made possible by using GenAI,” an ITV spokesperson said of the initiative, which aims to make advertising more accessible to small businesses for whom it would previously have been out of reach.
ITV: Gen-AI will ‘democratise’ TV ad buying
ITV viewers in Northern Ireland will see the Sheepbridge Interiors from today, before Travel House’s ad launches on Monday to viewers in the ITV Wales region on ITV1 and ITVX.
Dennis Niblock, owner of Sheepbridge Interiors, said: “We thought a TV ad of this quality was far out of our reach so it’s been a real game changer for us to be the first to use this new service from ITV.”
The GenAI creative production option will be open to all new SME advertisers.
As with all TV advertising, both ads have been approved through ClearCast.
System1 have worked with ITV to test the ads’ effectiveness. ITV has not disclosed the outcomes of those tests.
Jason Spencer, ITV’s business development director said: “Too often the cost of making an ad is a barrier for brands looking to breakthrough and test TV. By expanding our existing creative production services to include making ads with GenAI, we can democratise this further, and make the power of TV advertising accessible to all. We are constantly innovating to find better ways to help brands grow.”
