Equinox joins the AI slop conversation and the reaction... is mixed
Brands are taking a stance on AI
Equinox is using AI...to make a stance against AI?
Equinox recently tapped into the AI slop conversation, dropping a campaign called, “Question Everything But Yourself.” The message being: in a world where almost everything is fake, one thing isn’t – your body.
The AI slop conversation is a hot topic for brands to take a stance on and Equinox hit the nail on the head. Brands that have taken a stance on AI have received nothing but praise and gratitude for their transparency.
But Equinox may have also missed the mark. While Equinox’s campaign emphasizes the physical human body as an act of rebellion, they still evidently used AI-generated content to get that message across.
Gabe Miller, the executive creative director behind the campaign, said that “a campaign that accurately reflects today’s AI trends and memes has to include things not everyone will like. If we had held back, the campaign would not feel credible.”
But comments like, “nothing more disappointing than a luxury brand resorting to AI” and “you’re making everyone question the quality of your brand overall” tainted their stance. This begs the question: how can we identify true anti-AI marketing efforts?
Leveraging AI-generated content to position yourself as an anti-AI brand isn’t being anti-AI, it’s a rage-bait tactic.
From what we’ve seen, anti-AI statements often look like tagging creatives in animated content pieces, posting behind-the-scenes clips to show proof of human craftsmanship, or even adding a subtle “made by humans” somewhere.
This is where Equinox messed up – despite using AI bodies as a stark contrast to real bodies, there is still a clear use case of AI from generation to finalized public post.
As AI slop-ification continues to rise, brands will start to be held accountable for taking a stance on AI. And the difference is in the execution, not just the stance itself.
Do you think Equinox approached this the right way?
I found the note in the footer saying made by humans particularly interesting. It is probably the element that clashes the most, but that is exactly why it stands out. It reinforces how strongly luxury is still associated with human creation, craftsmanship, and intentional product making. Using AI as a contrast while explicitly signaling human authorship feels like a deliberate tension. Whether it fully works is debatable, but it clearly shows how brands are trying to anchor luxury in human value at a time when AI generated content is everywhere.