Celebrity DeepFakes: Indian ads that will make you do a double-take

Can a person sound and look like you? The answer is yes. AI has made it possible for users to modify media so that it appears as if a big celebrity or personality is saying personalised messages for you or calling out your name.

Scary or not, this AI technology has made its way into the billion-dollar advertisement industry. And why not, advertisers need something out of the box to get their customers' attention. Here is what we know so far.

What is DeepFake?

So, before we jump into exploring how AI has impacted the advertisement industry, let's define what DeepFake means. In simple words, it is an AI-based image manipulation technique to modify media. For instance, a model can superimpose another person's face, body or sounds to imitate it to produce a realistic video or media.

When DeepFake met advertisements

While DeepFake has been in the dark light due to its misuse, copyright and licensing problems, it has impacted the advertisement industry in some way. In fact, according to statistics, the global digital advertising industry is estimated to be $517.51 billion by 2023 and approximately 80% is predicted to be dominated by AI.

However, there have been instances where DeepFake AI was not rightly used. Recently, Tom Hanks was a victim of this as he was featured in a dental endorsement. The star expressed his displeasure on Instagram, warning fans and people to beware of such AI-generated advertisements.

Also, actor Anil Kapoor won a case in the Delhi High Court against websites that were using his DeepFake without his consent.

DeepFake ads with famous Indian personalities

Celebrity DeepFake is a fresh concept that is now being seen in Indian advertisements. Here are a few instances where famous personalities become part of AI-generated ads.

Shahrukh Khan - Cadbury

One of the largest chocolate-making firms, Cadbury recently added actor Shahrukh Khan to their advertisement through DeepFake. Brand Ambassador Shahrukh will now be a part of an advertisement campaign called "NotJustACadburyAd",  that allows local store owners to promote their brand for free.

Leveraging AI and machine learning, Khan's voice and face are modified to create a personalised ad for multiple brands or stores. To make this possible Cadbury collaborated with a Banglore-based startup Rephrase.ai and Ogilvy and Wavemaker.

Sachin Tendulkar- Ageas Federal Life Insurance 

Former Indian cricketer and team captain Sachin Tendulkar was made a part of an advertisement campaign by an insurance company. It showed Tendulkar as an 11-year-old kid, using DeepFake technology.

In an interview with BestMediaInfo.com, the CMO of Ageas Federal Life Insurance Karthik Raman stated that using this AI technology cost them more than half of their budget of Rs 70 lakh.

In the same interview, Karthik also revealed the challenge they faced to re-create Sachin's young image and voice as there were not many clips, videos or photos of the cricketer from that time.

Hrithik Roshan- Zomato and Cadbury

Before Shahrukh Khan's DeepFake ad, Cadbury had launched a Raksha Bandhan ad campaign featuring Hrithik Roshan. Using AI, the DeepFake video message can be customised after customers purchase limited edition chocolate boxes and scan the QR code to receive a personalised wish from Hrithik.

Following the same footsteps, big food-tech company Zomato also partnered with Rephrase.ai to feature Hrithik Roshan in their ad campaigns leaving customers surprised at the actor speaking names of locally famous food outlets and items.

Salman Khan- Pepsi

In 2022, actor Salman Khan's popular character Prem from the movie "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun" was DeepFaked by Pepsi India. Salman who is also the brand ambassador of Pepsi was featured in his famous role in this ad campaign with the help of DeepFake technology.

Deepfake technology, harnessing the power of advanced AI algorithms, can bring forth awe-inspiring applications. While its capabilities to revolutionise entertainment, education, and personal communication are undeniable, it also poses significant ethical and security challenges.

As we move forward, it's essential to establish robust verification tools and ethical guidelines. The future of deepfakes holds promise, but vigilance and responsible use will determine whether its impact is predominantly beneficial or detrimental.