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New Zealand telecom company Skinny Mobile created an AI clone of its happiest customer, Liz Wright, who won a competition to become the brand’s digital ambassador.

Using advanced AI, VFX, and voice replication, Liz’s clone can adapt to various characters and media formats, enabling cost-effective, versatile advertising while maintaining a personal connection.

Speaking to ��������, Colenso BBDO CCO Simon Vicars shares Liz’s emotional reaction to being chosen, delves into the striking realism of the AI technology, and explains her active involvement in shaping its use.

He also highlights the campaign’s ethical considerations and firmly states that Liz is irreplaceable in future iterations of the brand platform.

��������> How did Liz react when she first saw her AI clone in action?

Simon> Probably a mix of disbelief and relief. It was a great moment to share with her in an edit suite. We all love Liz so much. We wanted her to love it. Showing Liz the first edit was much scarier than showing our clients.

��������> Were there any unexpected challenges in creating a recognisable yet adaptable AI version of Liz?

Simon> The thing that surprised us the most was the quality of the output. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the real Liz and her clones. So, for the launch ad, we put the render of her clone back through Runway to give it a more AI vibe.

��������> How much creative input does Liz have in how her AI counterpart is used?

Simon> The creative teams will work on ideas. Then we go to the client, and then we go to Liz. We’ve got some rules we’ve all agreed on. But the most exciting thing about AI is the limitless opportunities it gives us, so we’re careful not to be too careful.

��������> Given the rapid evolution of AI, how do you see this approach to brand ambassadors evolving in the future?

Simon> The ‘use of AI’ and the ‘creative use of AI’ are two very different things. So I’m sure there will be more and more AI ambassadors in advertising soon. Will they have a great reason for being AI? Probably not.

��������> How do you balance the ethical considerations of AI-generated brand ambassadors with the need for cost-effective advertising?

Simon> Liz is a true partner in this idea. She gets unlimited calls, texts and data for life, and we get the world’s greatest low-cost brand ambassador. She genuinely loves Skinny, having been with them from day one. She also calls a spade a spade, so if we cross any lines, she can use her unlimited minutes to call us.

��������> What are some of the most unexpected or amusing scenarios Liz’s AI version will appear in?

Simon> Because of the body mapping and visual data we have of Liz, she can be rendered into any character in any scenario. The pipeline of work we have coming is exciting and deeply strange.

��������> Would you consider expanding this approach by cloning more customers?

Simon> Never. Liz for life.