The Glasgow Willy Wonka Debacle: The Ethics of GenAI in Marketing and Advertising

The Glasgow Willy Wonka debacle has once again shown us that customers can find themselves let down by event promises that are adorned with attractive images. The event promised an immersive Willy Wonka experience where visitors could spend the day in a mythical chocolate fantasy land and even meet Willy Wonka himself and a cast of characters. The event proved to be exceptionally disappointing and hosted in a warehouse with sparse decorations and no chocolate! Customers have taken to social media to complain about their poor experience. Whilst it is not unusual for events to not live up to their hype, what is different about this case, is that customers were duped by GenAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) generated images that promised so much, and yet delivered so little. The advertising images that led to customers paying up to £35 for a ticket, showcased a world that truly looked like it was created by Wonka himself. So is GenAI’s use in advertising a new way to mislead customers or part of the same unethical practices that have always been used by some marketers?

What is GenAI? Using machine learning (neural networks) technology and algorithms, GenAI offers fast-processed vast amounts of information in the form of human-like outputs, thus enabling more people to create content quickly, easily, without specialist knowledge, and at a fairly cheap price. Simply put, Gen AI learns patterns from existing data – text, images, arts etc. and then produces new content based on these patterns. The more data and learning a particular GenAI has, the better the output will be; as time goes by GenAI capabilities improve offering us a wider range of possibilities.

Before GenAI enabled us to create images within minutes, the creation of marketing materials would be more likely to be commissioned to artists or specialists, which would be costly both financially and in time. To a certain extent GenAI is more egalitarian and small business owners have access to an almost unlimited images and wider content creation and can therefore compete with large companies. At a first glance this content may look convincing and presentable. However, the quality of the content created is questionable and the examples of controversies created by the use of GenAI already exist (see Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Facebook ad, and Amazon using AI to market the new Fallout TV show). Thus, the quality control becomes even more crucial, as GenAI output often looks “slick” and convincing. While GenAI does indeed facilitate content creation and expands our options, we cannot be drawn into using it unwisely and unethically, would that be by omitting errors or deliberate misrepresentation. It must be the people/organizations producing the content who take full responsibility for it. Otherwise, a hard-earned reputation will be lost as businesses or individuals will be seen to use GenAI to cut corners and produce the content “on the cheap”.

There is perhaps a belief that “there is no such thing as bad marketing”. Yet, this latest GenAI debacle is not the first example of marketing going wrong and nor will it be the last. Not-so-surprisingly, promotional failures happen to all range of brands, from big to local ones. Bad marketing campaigns indeed highlight the fine line between a buzzworthy success and a memorable flop. For instance, in 2017 Dove launched a Facebook advertisement campaign which was intended to celebrate diversity. However, it created the total opposite effect and a big public backlash happened leading Dove to publicly apologize (The Guardian). People widely criticized the brand for suggesting that a black woman turning into a white woman after using Dove body wash. While big brands might have a wider outreach and the fame of the “bad campaign” can quickly become viral, local attempts are also not immune to mistakes. Christmas “Wonderlands” have a tendency of turning into “Wondershams” with their scary Santas and dull offers.

With GenAI fast penetrating into our daily lives and with the promise that “it can be your buddy in anything you want it to be”, anyone can become an artist or a writer for almost at no cost. The recent Willy Wonka experience, which used AI generated images for their promotions, promised a magical journey but fell flat due to poor planning and execution. With overcrowded venues, uninspiring and under-prepared activities rather than the expected whimsical charm led to disappointment, resulting in police attendance. Instead of a sweet adventure, guests were left with a sour taste in their mouths, reminding marketers everywhere that delivering on promises is key to preserving the magic of a brand.

In conclusion, GenAI is just another tool for marketers to use, but as with all marketing tools it must be used ethically, wisely and responsibly. The old marketing premise of know what your customers want, meet their expectations and deliver all your promises is as true today as it always was. Brands must not use new tools to dupe and deceive their customers. As for consumers, as always buyer beware!