Case Study | The Fashion Marketer’s Guide to AI

Fashion and beauty marketing are getting an AI makeover.

The technology is exerting its influence across every step of the marketing funnel. At the top, where companies are competing to capture attention, brands like Prada and Valentino have used AI to create campaigns that have broken through the noise and started conversations — even if not all responses have been positive. Others, like beauty brand Beekman 1802, are working to make sure their products are the ones that surface when shoppers seek out skincare on AI search engines.

Lower in the funnel, AI is being used to tweak and personalise messaging to gently nudge shoppers down the path to purchase. German online retailer Zalando, for example, localises messaging based on fashion trends in key European cities to drive interest and conversion.

AI is simultaneously allowing brands to measure performance in new ways. Whether it’s analysing a video second by second to identify areas of improvement, or tracking the halo effect of campaigns and media spend to gain a more accurate picture of what is driving sales online and in store, the tools now available to brands are transforming their ability to compete efficiently.

But the technology isn’t without risks. Consumers remain highly sceptical of AI, leaving brands open to online backlash when they use it the wrong way. Companies also need to ensure they’re not sacrificing creativity for the sake of speed and cost savings. For marketers, whose role is to keep the storytelling behind a brand alive, finding a balance between embracing new technologies and holding fast to human artistry is critical.

“This isn’t choosing between scale and our brand and our creative,” said Alexa Ritacco, chief marketing officer of Goop. “It’s just proving you can do both.”

This case study breaks down best practices for bringing AI into daily processes as a way to help power marketing teams’ creative direction and strategic thinking without compromising brand image. With real-world examples from brands spanning natural beauty-forward labels Goop and Beekman 1802, French fashion label Maison Kitsuné, luxury reseller The RealReal and tech-savvy e-commerce platform Zalando, it looks at the ways companies are using AI to save time and costs while leveraging it as a springboard for creativity and outside-the-box thinking, rather than as a replacement for them.

For any brands looking to spend their budgets more efficiently and connect with their customers more deeply, AI is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can help them achieve their goals and enhance the human elements of marketing.

Plus, join us on Wednesday, April 15, at 17:00 BST / 12:00 EST for the next BoF Professional Masterclass on The Fashion Marketer’s Guide to AI.