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When H&M announced they were launching AI-generated digital twins of 30 real models, the internet reacted the way it always does: with excitement, fear, applause, outrage—and confusion. Some hailed it as the future of inclusive fashion. Others saw it as another nail in the creative industry’s coffin.

But here’s a more uncomfortable thought:
What if digital twins aren’t the enemy? What if they’re just a mirror—reflecting how transactional, disposable, and hyper-efficient we’ve already become?

The Efficiency Trap

Let’s be clear: this move isn’t about diversity, representation, or creativity. It’s about control.
With digital twins, H&M doesn’t need to wait on a photographer’s schedule, pay for makeup artists, or accommodate the creative direction of anyone outside the algorithm. They own the pixels. The poses. The performance.

It’s not about replacing people.
It’s about owning them—forever.

We’ve Been Here Before

Remember when stock photography disrupted ad agencies?
When influencers disrupted celebrity endorsements?
When AI writers started ghostwriting LinkedIn thought leadership posts?

We laughed. We adapted. We moved on.
But with each disruption, one thing quietly disappeared: friction.

And friction is where the magic used to live.

The messy, unpredictable, human stuff—eye contact between a model and a photographer, an improvisational gesture, a happy accident—these are the things that used to make a brand campaign breathe. Now? The air is synthetic. Clean. Perfectly optimized. And a little bit dead.

What We Lose When We “Win”

We’re entering an era where beauty, emotion, and even “relatability” can be algorithmically rendered on demand.
But ask yourself:

  • Will the audience feel anything?
  • Will a pixel-perfect model with flawless symmetry ever replace the electric tension of a real person caught between poses?
  • What kind of stories will we be telling when all our characters are engineered to test well?

The issue isn’t the tech—it’s the taste.
We aren’t replacing humans with AI.
We’re replacing risk with control.

The Real Question

If brands start replacing real creativity with simulations of it, we should stop asking what AI can do, and start asking why we’re letting it do it.

Because in the end, the digital twin isn’t the threat. ( Here is a previous article of mine )

It’s the ghost of a creative industry that chose efficiency over soul.

Digital twins are transforming advertising by offering new ways to simulate, predict, and optimize consumer engagement. Originally applied to physical assets in industries like manufacturing and urban planning, digital twins have now extended to create virtual replicas of customers themselves. In real-time, these digital twins mimic consumer behaviors and preferences, providing invaluable insights for more targeted, effective, and immersive advertising campaigns. Let’s explore the applications, benefits, and challenges of digital twins in advertising and how they’re reshaping the landscape of customer engagement.

Applications of Digital Twins in Advertising

  1. Customer Behavior Simulation
    Digital twins allow marketers to simulate consumer behavior, predicting how customers might respond to specific messaging, visuals, or products. By creating digital twins of their target audience, brands can anticipate needs and personalize their outreach. For instance, brands can tailor their messaging based on the simulated reactions of digital twins, leading to a far more customized experience. Explore how digital twins enable customer behavior simulation and targeted campaigns here.
  2. Product Visualization and AR Experiences
    Through digital twins, advertisers can develop 3D models for AR-based ads. This allows customers to engage with products virtually, offering a detailed, hands-on experience from anywhere. For example, a customer interested in furniture can use an AR ad to see how a couch fits into their living space, increasing engagement and likelihood of purchase. See more on product visualization in advertising here.
  3. Personalized Marketing
    Digital twins enable ultra-personalized marketing by mirroring customer behaviors and preferences. By leveraging insights from digital twins, brands can craft highly relevant messaging that resonates on a personal level, improving customer experiences and fostering loyalty. Delve into how digital twins enhance personalized marketing.
  4. Campaign Optimization
    Before launching campaigns in the real world, advertisers can test them in a virtual setting using digital twins. This minimizes risk by allowing for refinements based on the predicted responses of digital replicas. Campaigns become more polished and effective, reaching the audience in the best possible form from the outset. Learn about how digital twins contribute to campaign optimization here.

Benefits of Digital Twins in Advertising

  1. Enhanced Customer Engagement
    By offering personalized and interactive experiences, digital twins foster a deeper connection between brands and customers. Whether through product visualization or customized messaging, brands can engage audiences more effectively.
  2. Improved Decision-Making
    Simulating customer interactions and product performance gives brands crucial insights, aiding in strategic planning. Decisions are based on data-driven predictions, which are more likely to lead to positive outcomes.
  3. Cost Efficiency
    Virtual testing of campaigns and products allows brands to reduce costs associated with traditional market research, prototyping, and potential ad failures. By refining campaigns in a controlled, virtual environment, brands can avoid unnecessary expenses.

Challenges of Digital Twins in Advertising

  1. Data Privacy
    Digital twins rely heavily on consumer data to mirror preferences accurately. Ensuring compliance with privacy regulations and maintaining transparency about data usage is essential for consumer trust. Explore privacy and security challenges in digital twin usage here.
  2. Technical Complexity
    Creating a functional, accurate digital twin requires advanced technology and expertise. From high-quality data integration to machine learning, the technical demands are significant, and not all brands may have the resources to implement digital twins effectively.

Digital twins offer a transformative approach for advertisers looking to understand and engage customers in real time

. By simulating customer behaviors, enabling interactive product visualizations, and optimizing campaigns pre-launch, digital twins help brands craft experiences that resonate on a personal level. However, as brands dive into this new frontier, navigating privacy concerns and technical challenges will be critical to ensuring that digital twins are used responsibly and effectively. With continued advancements, digital twins are set to redefine advertising, creating a more engaging, insightful, and cost-effective future for brands and consumers alike.