KiK Ditches the Film Shoot: The Discounter's New TV Spots Are Made Entirely With Generative AI
Fresh detail this week confirms that German textile discounter KiK is now producing its TV commercials fully with generative AI, via agency Factory, across 14 European markets — one of the most concrete 'AI replaces the production shoot' cases from a mainstream advertiser.
How the Spots Are Actually Made
KiK handed its international brand communications to Ratingen agency Factory, covering concept, creative and localisation across 14 European markets. This week's reporting spelled out the production method: TV spots, video, 'virtual' photo shoots and product visuals are generated with AI, then refined by creative and post-production teams.
Crucially, Factory says humans retain control of 'story, creative decisions, editing, dramaturgy, tonality and quality control.' The AI does the making; people still do the deciding. The arrangement followed a multi-month proof-of-concept, with Factory COO Marc Schnitzler as the named spokesperson.
Why a Discounter Leads on This
It's no accident that a discounter is among the first mainstream advertisers to go public with fully AI-made spots. For a value brand producing high volumes of localised creative across 14 markets, the cost and speed advantages of generative AI are enormous — and on-brand with a low-price positioning.
That's the quiet strategic point: for some brands, visibly efficient production isn't a compromise, it's congruent with the promise. 'We keep prices low' and 'we make our ads with AI' tell the same story.
The Real Question: Quality and Trust
The live test now is whether AI-made spots hold up on quality and whether audiences care how they were made. Keeping humans in charge of story and quality control is the hedge — it's an admission that generative tools still need judgement wrapped around them.
For the industry, the interesting metric won't be 'did they save money' (they will) but 'did effectiveness hold.' If cheaper, faster AI production performs as well as a shoot, the economics of a lot of advertising change fast.
Marketing Minute's Read
Treat AI as a production tool, not a creative director. KiK's model — AI for making, humans for story, editing, tone and quality — is the sensible template most brands should copy as they experiment.
And match the method to the brand. Fully AI-made creative fits a high-volume value brand cleanly; a premium brand should weigh whether efficiency signals help or hurt before it advertises the how. Test on effectiveness, not just cost.
Quick FAQ
Is KiK really making its TV ads with AI?
Yes — KiK's TV spots, video, 'virtual' photo shoots and product visuals are generated with generative AI via agency Factory, then refined by creative and post-production teams, across 14 European markets.
Do humans still play a role?
Factory says humans retain control of story, creative decisions, editing, dramaturgy, tonality and quality control — the AI handles making, while people handle the decisions. The arrangement followed a multi-month proof-of-concept.
Why is a discounter doing this first?
For a value brand producing high volumes of localised creative across many markets, generative AI's cost and speed advantages are large — and efficient production is congruent with a low-price brand promise.
The smart bit of KiK's model isn't 'AI made the ad' — it's that humans still own the story, the edit, the tone and the quality bar. Treat AI as a production tool, not a creative director. And match the method to the brand: visible AI efficiency fits a discounter perfectly, but a premium brand should think twice before advertising the how. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
The takeaway: use AI as a production tool with humans owning story, tone and quality — and match the method to the brand, because visible AI efficiency suits a value brand but can undercut a premium one. Judge it on effectiveness, not just cost.
Would you mind knowing an ad was made entirely with AI — or does it only matter whether it's any good?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: W&V; Horizont; Campaign Germany; gfm-nachrichten.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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