The Creativity Revolution with Automated Content

Unilever is reinventing its marketing content creation process by integrating AI technologies, such as NVIDIA Omniverse, to generate "digital twins" of its products. This strategy not only accelerates content production but also offers a competitive advantage by allowing for unprecedented personalization and scalability in its global campaigns. By shifting from a physical production model to a virtual creation one, the company is drastically reducing the costs associated with traditional photo shoots and large-scale productions.

The creation of "digital twins" is a direct response to the growing demand for advertising content across multiple platforms (e.g., social media, e-commerce, digital advertising) and the need to reduce the complexity and cost of traditional photo shoots. By transitioning from a physical production model to a virtual creation one, Unilever is drastically cutting logistical, production, and personnel costs, while increasing the speed and flexibility of its campaigns. The shift from a linear, costly process to a parallel, scalable asset generation model represents a significant financial impact.

The adoption of this technology has the potential to generate marketing production cost savings of between 30% and 50% in the areas where it is implemented at scale. Beyond efficiency, the ability to quickly generate personalized content for different audiences and markets could improve campaign effectiveness, leading to increased conversion rates and a higher advertising return on investment (ROI). This approach ensures that marketing assets are always up-to-date and relevant, maximizing their lifespan and market impact.

Recommendations

• Integrate Virtual Production into the Product Life Cycle: R&D teams should incorporate the creation of high-fidelity digital assets as a standard part of the new product development process. From the initial design stages, a digital version of the product should be generated that can be used by marketing teams. This early integration ensures that "digital twins" are available from launch, which shortens the time-to-market for new products and accelerates the impact of campaigns.

• Invest in Technology Infrastructure for Digital Content: Finance and Technology departments should allocate a specific budget to invest in the infrastructure and tools necessary for large-scale digital content production, such as 3D rendering software and digital asset management platforms. Strategy should establish a roadmap for marketing transformation, migrating from traditional creative processes to a virtual model that prioritizes scalability and efficiency, ensuring that marketing spend is aligned with business objectives.

• Collaborate for Consumer-Driven Content Generation: The ability to generate personalized content at a low cost opens the door to new opportunities for Customer Success teams. It should be explored how "digital twins" can be used to create content that directly responds to customer questions or needs, such as personalized tutorials or virtual product demonstrations. Operations can also benefit by using these models to visualize supply chain issues or packaging designs, which strengthens interdepartmental collaboration.