Artificial intelligence was used at every stage of the Neste and Sherpa campaign
Neste's campaign was implemented with creative agency Sherpan from start to finish using artificial intelligence. The aim was to openly enable AI from concept to visual implementation. Outdoor advertising played a major role in the campaign - read more about the innovative implementation!
Client: Neste
Campaign period: 9–19 February 2023
Campaign objective: to get motorists to download the Neste app (Neste mobile app)
Main message: 'Download the app, save 5 cents per litre'
Neste's tactical campaign used AI at every step of the process. The campaign promoting the Neste app was designed to reach motorists, so roadside advertising spaces and core city centre solutions were a natural choice — and AI was applied here as well..
In addition to outdoor advertising, the campaign used social media and display advertising on mobile. The look and feel of outdoor advertising was created quickly and cost-effectively.
An opportunity for AI without prejudice
"The idea came from creative agency Sherpa. The debate on AI is currently heated and Sherpa suggested to give it a chance and run the entire campaign with AI, from contract to results analysis. We wanted to test the strengths and weaknesses of AI and learn together how to use it in practice.I have encouraged my own team to experiment from the beginning, so this kind of experimentation fits well with the way we do things: we want to constantly look for new opportunities and solutions and, if necessary, think and act quickly," comments Mika Hyötyläinen, Vice President, Marketing Communications, Data & Digital, Marketing and Services, Neste.
AI is by no means a new invention and has been used in advertising before. AI has made great strides in recent years and its use in marketing has become more widespread. However, AI has never been given such a wide reach in the past.
"To our knowledge, this is the first campaign in the world to use AI at every stage," says Mika Hyötyläinen, Vice President, Marketing Communications, Data & Digital, Marketing and Services, Neste.
The campaign used different AI software at different stages: collaboration agreement with Docue, media planning and copy with ChatGPT, look with Midjourney and finishing with Topaz Gigapixel AI. ChatGPT's reaction to the debate on outdoor advertising included the following:
"Outdoor advertising can be a highly visible and effective way to reach a large audience. Roadside advertising and programmatic display advertising are effective ways to reach motorists and inform them about the new application in the service chain."
Artificial intelligence is no substitute for human work
However, AI is no substitute for human work and expertise. Emotional messages and creative solutions can only come from human humanity and empathy. ChatGPT contains a huge amount of information, but its answers can be superficial, generic, and sometimes even incorrect. Without expertise, they cannot be fully trusted.