How car brands are using AI to steer their campaigns

From crafting immersive imagery to scaling video campaigns, car brands are finding ways to use AI to push the bounds of creativity. It’s one thing to use AI to create realistic imagery, but it’s far more exciting to use it to create things that you couldn’t have made without it. 

Gen AI isn’t just about streamlining workflows, it also opens doors to new ways of connecting with audiences. Here are two standout examples of how Pencil has enabled car brands to use Gen AI to create bold campaigns:

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The Challenge: Promoting a new EV

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A car brand needed compelling assets to promote their latest electric vehicle (EV), emphasizing two strategic themes: thrilling performance and extraordinary design. The campaign aimed to target near-market and in-market audiences across Meta’s platforms, showcasing the EV’s unique blend of power and tranquility through impactful visuals.

The Solution
The creative team focused on the EV’s defining features, such as instant torque, rapid acceleration, and near-silent operation, using these insights to shape the campaign’s visuals. They designed a series of scenarios that captured both dynamic and serene experiences, from nighttime city drives to tranquil mountain escapes. AI tools enabled the production of hyper-realistic visuals, illustrating settings that would be challenging or impossible to replicate in traditional photography.

The Results
The campaign produced visually stunning assets that reflected the EV’s brand ethos, combining serenity and boldness in equal measure. Gen AI made it possible to create imagery that resonated with the target audience while staying true to the car’s core identity.

• Developed imagery aligned with two key brand themes: thrills and the extraordinary.
• Leveraged insights into the EV’s performance for authentic, inspiring visuals.
• Delivered campaign-ready assets that would be nearly impossible to produce via traditional means. As the team commented, “We would never have been able to shoot images like these in real life.”

The Challenge: A one-week deadline to create video ads
An automotive group needed to create video ads for the launch of a new hybrid car, working within a tight, one-week deadline. With only one Connected TV (CTV) asset as a starting point, the team faced the challenge of meeting evolving expectations for Meta-native ad formats while ensuring alignment with the car’s brand strategy.

The Solution
The team used Pencil’s Cultural Insights and Copy tools to develop over 160 headlines and motivators tied to the hybrid car’s positioning. Motion-native visuals and copy were designed to suit Instagram and Meta, creating an engaging, platform-specific experience. A scalable key ad template was also developed for efficiency in creating future campaigns.

The Results
In just one week, the team produced 12 high-quality video ads tailored to Meta’s platform standards. The campaign not only met the immediate launch goals but also set the foundation for future efficiency with reusable templates.

• Delivered 12 video ads in just one week.
• Created a reusable Pencil template for future campaigns on Meta Advantage+.
• Achieved significant campaign impact, with:
  
  • +3.8 pts ad recall
  • +3.2 pts brand preference
  • +0.9 pts purchase consideration

 AI is not just a tool for speeding up processes but a catalyst for unlocking creative possibilities that might have been impossible otherwise. AI is enabling brands to break free from constraints, whether those are budgetary, logistical, or creative. Instead of simply refining existing methods, these campaigns demonstrate how AI opens new doors for reimagining what’s possible in automotive advertising. When used strategically, it doesn’t just create efficiency - it transforms the boundaries of creative storytelling.