Over the years, marketing has evolved from glossy billboards and 30-second TV spots into something far more dynamic—and let’s be honest, more demanding. Brands are under pressure to create content that resonates on social media, works on e-commerce platforms, fits into digital ads, and still tells a compelling story. Most teams scramble to keep up. Unilever, on the other hand, decided to rethink the entire system.
While some companies tiptoe into innovation, Unilever dove straight in, embracing artificial intelligence in a deeply strategic way. Not just to dabble with chatbots or experiment with ad copy—but to rewire the very way its content is created and delivered.
At the center of this reinvention lies something referred to as a “digital twin.” And no, it is not a trendy tech term meant to dazzle. Behind the curtain, this groundbreaking tool is helping Unilever create incredibly realistic 3D simulations of its products.
How digital twins are redefining content for a global brand
So what is a digital twin? Think of it as the most accurate, fully-rendered 3D version of a real product—like a Dove body wash bottle or a Vaseline jar—complete with every variant, label, and packaging change tucked into one tidy file. With this, Unilever doesn’t need to do 10 separate photoshoots for 10 different product variations. One digital twin can be adapted, resized, rebranded, and reused across all marketing channels.
The brilliance of using AI for marketing in this way lies in what it frees up: time, budget, and human creativity. According to internal performance metrics, Unilever’s beauty and wellness segment saw a 55% increase in savings and cut content turnaround time by 65%. These aren’t small numbers. Such operational shift reshapes the capabilities of a team and creates space for campaigns that leave lasting impressions on consumers rather than simply selling products.
Producing more content for the sake of quantity is not what this transition is about. The goal is to produce smarter content.
Digital twins are helping Unilever maintain brand consistency, reduce manual labor, and respond faster to market needs—without compromising on quality.
Using AI for marketing: Freeing teams to do better work
In many companies, marketers are buried under an avalanche of repetitive tasks—resizing product shots, tweaking packaging in Photoshop, and reformatting assets for different platforms. It’s all important, but it also eats away at the time people could spend on more impactful work.
Unilever’s approach flips that script. By introducing a system where AI handles the groundwork—like building versatile 3D assets—their teams are free to think creatively. Instead of spending hours translating a shampoo bottle into a dozen languages for different markets, marketers get to concentrate on the things that truly matter: strategy, customer interaction, and storytelling.
And that’s where the magic happens. The goal of using AI to this level for marketing is to return people their time, not replace them. It’s about giving teams the freedom to do more of the worthwhile work, think more broadly, and push limits.
What other brands and entrepreneurs can learn
You don’t need Unilever’s budget or scale to take something valuable from this playbook. Whether you’re a mid-sized brand or a solo entrepreneur, there’s a lot to gain from applying the same mindset.
Start by identifying the bottlenecks in your content workflow. Is your team spending too much time formatting for social? Are product visuals slowing you down? Look into 3D modeling platforms or AI-powered design tools that could simplify repetitive tasks.
If you’re working with just a few SKUs, even something as basic as setting up a reusable product mockup in a design tool could save hours. The objective is to reimagine your creative energy spending. Implementing AI in marketing entails making room for your best work, but it doesn’t mean automating everything.
It is also important to note that Unilever did not lose its human touch in the whole process. Despite using AI to generate content, it also considered its limitations.
The company still draws the line when it comes to authenticity. For instance, it publicly committed not to use AI-generated models in Dove campaigns, staying true to its values of real beauty and real people.
The next phase of content strategy: Blending tech with purpose
As Unilever pushes forward with its Growth Action Plan 2030, these content innovations are becoming a core part of how it’s positioning itself globally. From digital billboards to e-commerce thumbnails, every channel can now benefit from consistent, high-quality visuals produced in a fraction of the time.
And let’s not forget: all of this has an impact on performance. Some Unilever brands saw an increase in purchase intent after adopting these AI-enhanced workflows. That’s not just operational efficiency—it’s a competitive edge.
So if you’re wondering where to begin with using AI for marketing, take a page from Unilever’s marketing strategy. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Start with one piece of content you can streamline, one campaign you can scale more efficiently, or one product asset you can reuse more cleverly. Then build from there.
The goal isn’t to remove the human touch—it’s to give your team more time and space to put it where it matters most.
FAQs
1. How can small brands start using AI for marketing?
Start simple—try AI tools to speed up visuals, captions, or ad copy so your team can focus on the big ideas.
2. What’s a digital twin in marketing?
It’s like a supercharged product image—3D, editable, and ready to be reused across all your marketing without redoing the work.
3. Does using AI for marketing replace creative teams?
Not at all. It takes care of the busy work so your team has more time to be creative and strategic.