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A global brand posts a new product visual.
Bright. Colourful. Eye-catching.
Also…slightly off. Look closer:
> Visuals don’t look real
> Textures feel strange
> Details don’t add up
The internet had a name for it: AI slop
What Happened
Colgate recently posted a creative for a product launch on Instagram - but instead of actual product shots, the visuals were AI-generated. At first glance, they looked bright and playful. Look closer, and things fell apart: product details didn’t make sense, packaging text appeared gibberish and unreadable, fruits and textures looked unnatural and the overall execution felt…off.
This wasn’t subtle. It was immediately noticeable and that’s what people reacted to. Because for a brand of this scale - even a simple, clean product photograph would have landed better than something that looked unfinished.
Why This Is Bigger Than One Post
This isn’t about AI being “bad.” It’s about what happens when speed replaces scrutiny, access replaces taste and tools replace judgment. Because AI didn’t create the problem.
It revealed it.
The Uncomfortable Truth
We’re entering a phase where everyone has the same tools. Which means the real differentiator is: taste, judgment and restraint.
And most importantly knowing what not to publish.
The real risk for brands is that bad AI doesn’t just make a post look off, it does something worse. It signals lowered standards. And for a brand like Colgate - that’s not a design issue, that’s a trust signal.
What Brands Are Getting Wrong
Many are still treating AI like a shortcut instead of a multiplier and that’s where things break. Because AI can make things faster but it can’t make them better without human taste.
Ping’s POV
AI isn’t lowering the bar. Rather, it’s exposing where the bar actually is and maybe that’s the real shift:
The brands that win won’t be the ones using AI the most, they’ll be the ones using it…without looking like they did. Because in a world where everything can be generated - good enough becomes very, very visible.
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