This concept ad for Ikea shows that AI ads don't have to be cringe

Fast Company

4 days ago

A new concept ad format for Ikea is going viral, and it shows that AI ads can actually be good.
The concept, which appears to have first been created by X user @Salmaaboukarr, starts with a wide shot of a drab, dorm-esque room with a simple Ikea-branded cardboard box in the center. In a matter of seconds, the box explodes open, spewing a full rooms-worth of Ikea furniture throughout the space and immediately transforming it into a cozy haven.
This clever play on Ikea's iconic build-it-yourself model is a glimpse into how far AI models have come in the past several months, and how much of a role they're poised to play in the future advertising landscape. While it's not actually a real ad for the brand, it looks convincing enough to be one.
How the 'exploding box' ad exploded online
The creator listed full instructions on how to achieve a similar result using step-by-step prompts on Google's Veo 3 model, and dozens of creators have since made their own. The original video has over one million views and 11,000 likes on X at the time of writing, and another iteration of the Ikea concept has raked in 34,000 likes on Instagram. One creator designed a spot for Amazon, and another made a video concept for a fake pet care company.
The Ikea box ad visuals come with a satisfying mix of cardboard sounds and solid thunks as the digital furniture settles into place. This seems to be a result of using Veo 3 itself, which debuted this March and stands out from AI video generator competitors like OpenAI's Sora for its ability to generate dialogue and audio alongside near-photorealistic video.
So far, netizens have used Veo 3's advanced capabilities for a range of content, from benign ASMR clips to alarmingly realistic deepfakes of riots and election fraud —and it's only going to get more powerful from here.
These Ikea concepts show the possibility of AI-generated ads
Many viewers of the original video are responding positively to the ad, with one calling it 'mesmerizing.' Predictably, though, the concept is also receiving its fair share of criticism.
On the aforementioned Instagram post, which includes the caption, 'This is literally a ~$100,000 VFX ad made with one Veo 3 prompt,' some commenters criticized the video, noting it was likely trained on real (and expensive) projects by creative people. Another, noting the mismatched end tables and armoires, and the placement of the ceiling lamp, felt it pointed to AI's shortcomings.
Ethical concerns around AI's use of copyrighted materials and its massive energy consumption are certainly valid. However, critiques of the small flaws in these Ikea concept ads—like the placement of an errant lamp—work to undersell how astronomically AI tools have improved in the past several months, and how useful they will inevitably be for marketers.
Looking back just a year ago to Toys 'R' Us' cursed toy ad, which was billed as the first-ever fully AI-generated commercial, it's difficult to emphasize just how much worse that actual ad looks compared to today's fan-made AI content. Not only is the image quality markedly better today, but the prompting savvy of AI creators has also improved.
In the case of these Ikea concepts, for example, the focus is on the product itself—an area where AI currently excels. If you observe the Ikea concept ads without a fine-tooth comb, it would be difficult to argue that they're not effective.
Granted, we're likely still in for a lot of AI slop, and probably more of it. But, as with any other tool, the existence of bad AI-generated ads doesn't mean it's impossible for smart, creative people to make good ones. These Ikea concept ads show that, with the right concept, AI can showcase a product without coming off as cringeworthy.