• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

Aerie is doubling down on its commitment against using AI-generated people or bodies within its marketing through a tie-up with actress Pamela Anderson. 

The American Eagle Outfitters brand extends an “100% Aerie Real” campaign that pushes back against artificial intelligence-generated content.

“The latest iteration of “100% Aerie Real” launches Thursday with an ad starring Anderson that will air across paid social and connected TV,” according to Marketing Dive. “The campaign will be amplified with creator content beginning in April. Aerie launched “100% Aerie Real” last October with social media ads sharing a pledge to never use AI-generated bodies or people in the brand’s marketing.”

Aerie joins Dove, which was among the first brands to decry the use of AI, and won a won a Cannes Lions Media Grand Prix as a result, according to Adweek.

Aerie chief marketing officer Stacey McCormick told Business Insider that its emphasis on real bodies, moments, and places is a pillar the brand intends to uphold.

“A video ad released Wednesday features Anderson attempting and failing to feed prompts to an AI generator to create realistic models,” according to Business Insider. “The scene shifts to show Anderson sharing the set and laughing with three human models. The point, McCormick said, is to show that you can't prompt realness from AI, which is why Aerie uses humans without AI retouching.”

When the program can’t deliver, the scene shifts to a real Aerie set, where Anderson greets a group of models and they pose for a photoshoot together, laughing and goofing around. 

“I thought it was a clever way to draw attention to [AI images] because it’s very worrisome,” Anderson told Vogue Business. “To me, as a woman, as a consumer, as a mother, I always think, what is happening? What is the difference between AI and real? How are we supposed to know? It was already disheartening at times to look at fashion magazines and see celebrities and models with retouching, but this is another level.”

The actress and model was heavily made up during her years on "Baywatch," for five seasons from 1992 to 1997.

“Anderson’s presence adds even more meaning,” according to Parade. “Once defined by the high-glam beauty standards of the ’90s, she has since reclaimed her image on her own terms—making her the perfect face for a campaign centered on authenticity.