Latest news with #Woolite
Business Insider
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Sam Altman said AI would replace 95% of ad agency work. 3 top creative directors say AI has won them lucrative business.
Don't sound the death knell for ad agencies yet. Artificial intelligence threatens to upend the ad agency sector. Ever-improving tools are shortening the time it takes to produce logos, online ads, and even movies. In the soon-to-be-published book "AI First" by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is quoted as saying, "95% of what marketers use agencies, strategists, and creative professionals for today will easily, nearly instantly, and at almost no cost be handled by AI." The agency world thinks differently. BI spoke to three top creative directors, who said AI is fueling a creative boom and that the technology doesn't portend an ad agency extinction event. Instead, they're using AI to more efficiently pitch big ideas and to expand their services into areas like content optimization. It's Don Draper from "Mad Men," on steroids. "AI can be an incredible creative tool, and if we keep getting in our own way of fearing it, it'll only date us," said Elena Knox, executive creative director at BBDO New York, which works for clients like M&M's, Wells Fargo, AT&T, and St-Germain. Knox said she's using AI to sell ambitious concepts to clients. She and her team used tools like Midjourney to bring to life a vision of an office where tree growth exploded into it before landing the viewer in a forest in the form of a GIF. It convinced the client to invest a multimillion-dollar production budget for shoots in New Zealand and Bulgaria. "Before you would have had to spend hours comping that, and the image wouldn't have existed," Knox said. "In AI, we were able to make a quick GIF of it and show the clients: this is what we want to film." In a separate pitch, Knox and her team used AI to create a realistic voiceover that convinced the client they needed to invest in that particular celebrity. In yesteryear, the agency might have needed to create a multi-page pitch deck to showcase why the celebrity was relevant, include their latest movies and social media followings, and perhaps call in the celebrity or a voice impersonator for testing. "What AI allowed me to do was show the client what it felt like," said Knox. "There's nothing like hearing the thing and being like, well, I can't unhear that." Trading celebrity glamour for an AI 'GOAT' AI can come to the rescue when lavish celebrity shoots are off the cards, too. Reckitt-Benckiser's laundry detergent brand Woolite was famed in the 1970s through the 1990s for using megastars of French cinema in its advertising. But when Woolite asked its creative agency, BETC, to relaunch the brand in France this year, the budget was more constrained than in decades past. Still wanting to maintain the brand's celebrity cachet, BETC used AI to create a new brand character: the Fluffy GOAT. A play on the "greatest of all time" moniker, the superstar goat is seen globetrotting on a speedboat, private jet, and in a limousine. Alasdhair Macgregor Hastie, executive creative director at BETC, said the campaign was delivered in six weeks, compared to the three to six months that in-person productions featuring big celebrities would ordinarily take. "AI to me is something that can only enhance what we do. I'm old enough to remember when Photoshop came in and people were wailing and moaning it was the end of advertising," Macgregor Hastie said. "Photoshop became a tool, and if we don't adapt to the new tool then the new tool is going to take over." For all its attributes, AI still presents clear challenges to the ad agency business model, in which companies tend to bill clients based on the number of full-time equivalent employees that are devoted to their accounts. Martin Sorrell, the executive chairman of the advertising company S4 Capital, told analysts on a recent earnings call that agencies like his were adapting their commercial models in some cases to be "on the basis of assets or outputs delivered." It reflects how AI is reducing the time it takes to manage and produce campaigns. The creative directors BI spoke to also said there were open questions about how the industry would continue to nurture early career talent, now that many junior tasks can be automated. Eric Wegerbauer, chief creative officer at TBWA, said the availability of AI tools is changing the scope of work the creative agency is pitching. It recently won a big piece of work that was all about content optimization across different formats and countries. TBWA also recently devised an idea for a campaign that would deliver close to 1 million personalized variations of an ad to target individual customers. "You'd just never ever, ever do that without AI," Wegerbauer said.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Woolite recalls detergent sold on Amazon over bacteria risk: See affected products
Woolite recalls detergent sold on Amazon over bacteria risk: See affected products Woolite is recalling over 16,000 bottles of delicate laundry detergent sold exclusively at Amazon due to the potential presence of bacteria, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recalled products can contain Pseudomonas species bacteria, according to the CPSC, which are environmental organisms found in soil and water. "People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to this bacteria face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment," the CPSC said, noting that the bacteria can enter the body through the eyes or through a break in the skin. "People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria," the CPSC said. Which Woolite products are affected? The recall involves 50-fluid-ounce bottles of Woolite Delicates detergent with lot codes S24364, S24365 and S24366, sold exclusively on Amazon. The SKU number for the affected bottles is SKU 62338-72724. The lot code is printed at the top of the back of the bottle, and the bottles are white with a light pink label and cap. The bottles were sold in January 2025 for between $14 and $17. Recall alert: Aldi recalls thousands of cheese pouches in 4 states over possible metal contamination What should consumers do if they purchased the affected products? The CPSC said consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Reckitt Benckiser LLC for a full refund. To receive a refund, consumers should write their name and "Recalled" in permanent marker on the back of the product, then take a photo with the UPC and lot code visible, and email the photo to ConsumerCare_USA@ Once consumers receive their refund, they should dispose of the product by closing the bottle tightly and placing it in the trash. The CPSC advises consumers not to empty the product prior to disposal and to not recycle the product bottle. For more information, consumers can contact Reckitt at 800-228-4722 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Fashion doesn't have to be expensive': Amazon's J.Crew cardigan twin is down to $20
If you spend any time scrolling on social media, there's a very good chance you've come across the ultra-chic Emilie Lady Jacket from It's a top-rated cardigan that women of all sizes and ages can't get enough of because it's the ultimate layering piece in colder weather — and because it looks good on everyone. Seriously! There are a bunch of ways to wear it, whether with jeans or over a dress, and the timeless silhouette adds instant class to any ensemble. The only problem? Even on sale, the option starts at $80. But we've found an affordable alternative: The Lillusory Striped Cardigan, marked down as low as $20 now. Related: Master the rich mom look for less with Amazon's secret shopping section No matter how versatile the cardi may be, $80 is a good chunk of change. This Amazon lookalike is regularly priced at $34, and while it goes on sale frequently, it hasn't been this affordable in weeks. (Prices vary between sizes and colors.) I own the Lady Jacket and agree with the rave reviews: It's a timeless closet staple. Whether worn open with jeans and a tank or buttoned up with trousers, it's elegant, polished and all-around chic. Whenever I wear it, someone inevitably recognizes it as "the" jacket or asks me where I got it. The Lillusory Striped Cardigan has a very similar look, so if you want that preppy-cool aesthetic without dropping a bunch of cash, it's more than worth a try. It's also available in more colors (14 in all), so you'll have more options for matching other items in your wardrobe. Some 1,000 shoppers give the Lillusory sweater high marks for fit, comfort and value. "The price is fantastic and it came fast," wrote one shopper. "It's great looking. I wore it on a flight to New Orleans for a long travel day and on the travel day home. I washed it in a mesh laundering bag on gentle cycle in Woolite and hung it to dry. I've worn it a couple more times and it looks great." "Fashion doesn't have to be expensive," said a second reviewer. "My husband said I looked like a college girl! Who wouldn't love compliments like this? Just enough thickness to give it shape, and a budget-friendly fashion piece. Great on its own or as a cardigan over tanks, turtlenecks or tees." Another happy customer commented, "If you love the Lady Cardigan but hate their price, et voilà! This cardigan is for you! It's made of synthetic yarns but is soft and the gold buttons give it a jazzy look! Very nice, so I bought it in other colors too." More discerning eyes may be able to tell the difference between this and the real thing, some say. "I've seen 'lady jackets' that cost three times the price," said a shopper. "This would look expensive, but the gold plastic buttons are not impressive. Easy enough to replace the buttons if you're motivated." (Psst: One Yahoo staffer had this same note — check out her full review for more.) "This sweater is gorgeous. It's so soft and is holding up well after several wears," wrote a final fan. "I have not put this in the dryer because I do think it would affect the fabric texture. The only negative is the buttons aren't sewn on very well, but none have fallen off yet as I've tried to be gentle." Looking to round out your cold-weather look with yet another lookalike? Shoppers say this knit jacket bests cardigans. If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
