Meet Liz. She's an AI Clone, and Skinny Mobile's Most Satisfied Customer

Heck, she's lots of happy campers, thanks to Colenso BBDO

For six years, our client Skinny Mobile has lived by one mantra: “We’ll do anything to keep prices low and customers happy.” And when they say “anything,” they mean it.

In 2019, we proved it by sidestepping Hollywood’s biggest stars and recruiting everyday New Zealanders with the same names like Ben Affleck, Michael J. Fox, Clint Eastwood to front our campaigns. Four years later, we took it even further, turning billboards into open-source radio scripts. Skinny’s “Phone It In” resulted in 22 hours of free radio ads recorded by the public.

This year, we’ve pushed cost-saving ingenuity to a whole new level. Once again taking inspiration from Hollywood.

We were watching the SAG strike with interest. Studios were 360 body-mapping background extras, paying them for a single day’s work, then owning their AI likeness forever. It was dystopian, unethical and, if we’re being honest, completely fascinating.

Studios did it for shareholders. What if we did it for Skinny’s customers?

The timing was perfect. Skinny had just briefed us on their next low-cost campaign.

Brands obsess over celebrities and recurring characters. But the more you use them, the more expensive they get. Skinny has always hacked advertising and passed the savings onto customers. So, what if we created the ultimate low-cost spokesperson, a digital clone of our happiest customer?

No Flashy Deck Required

We didn’t pitch this with a flashy deck. Just a conversation. Because we weren’t sure it could even be done. What AI programs could we use? Might we be breaking any laws?

And, most importantly, would anyone in New Zealand let us digitally clone their likeness?

First, we found ethically-trained, legally-sound AI suppliers. Then, we got those programs okayed by Skinny’s lawyers. Creature Post, a post-production house in Auckland specializing in emerging tech, became our test-and-learn partner.

One program wasn’t enough. We had to stitch together a “daisy-chain” of software. We needed one to create a 3D rendering, another to dictate movements, and one more to perfect our AI video model.

AI-generated imagery has advanced, but video? Still in its infancy. The inconsistencies and hallucinations were both hilarious and frustrating. Change one small thing, and the whole scene shifted.

Who’s Up for Cloning?

Then came the biggest question: would anyone let us clone them? We expected hesitation. Instead, nearly 400 Skinny customers submitted videos within hours.

That’s how we found Liz. A 65-year-old from a small town in the North of New Zealand. One of Skinny’s first customers, a die-hard fan, and, quite frankly, an all-round legend. We love Liz and Liz loves Skinny.

Liz was body-mapped, her actions and mannerisms captured against a green screen.

We recorded a library of her voice to build her digital clone. Then Creature, along with director Lex Hodge from Finch Company, set out to create the first of many AI-powered Skinny ads.

At the IRL Finish Line

The race to understand new technology is always the first race. But at Colenso, the second race is the one we care about, using that tech in a way no one saw coming.

AI moves fast. What’s groundbreaking today is old news tomorrow. Simply using AI isn’t interesting anymore.

But using AI in a compelling, highly entertaining way? That’s how you create something unforgettable.

And, with a little help from Liz, we believe that’s exactly what we did.