Jeanswest has been around for more than 50 years and it has constantly evolved to keep pace with changing trends. But the brand has been called out for its new online look, as it appears it has dived head first into using AI for its advertising and its website.
The About Us section online featured a picture of two denim-wearing models walking on a dirt road. In the background, there’s the Sydney skyline along with a building that appears to be a fusion of the Opera House and Uluru. Sydney-based consumer Levina told Yahoo Lifestyle it’s jarring to see a brand use AI like this.
“My first impression was just how badly executed the website and brand was. It’s like they didn’t even try to do a good job,” she said.
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“I’m quite used to seeing AI ‘slop’ but these usually come from bot accounts on social media, so I was shocked to see an iconic Australian brand do this.
“It just feels insulting as a customer to see a business do this and think they can get away with this.
“While I could spot how ‘off’ it is, I’m sure some people have ordered clothes from them based on images, which is most likely based on AI-generated images and reviews.”
At the time of writing, it appears the website has now removed the About Us image.
The entire About Us page has been deleted and internet users are now greeted with a message that says “Store message. Add important information here”.
Do you have a story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
Jeanswest labeled ‘disappointing’ over use of AI
But the weird About Us image is not the only example of AI being used by Jeanswest.
A week ago, the brand posted a video on Instagram showing two very similar-looking people wearing the same clothes.
It’s not difficult to see that they are AI-generated, but what’s even more bizarre is the background music.
A soft guitar melody plays in the video while the two people are at a cafe, but the singer’s lyrics seem to be the prompt that was used to generate the song.
“A warm, cozy Australian cafe atmosphere with relaxed indie, folk vibes,” the musician sings.
There are a few other posts on Jeanswest’s Instagram that also appear to be AI-generated, especially one showing a woman standing outside the brand’s store.
But it would have to be an old image because Jeanswest closed all of its stores across Australia last year after it fell into voluntary administration and committed to being an online-only retailer.
It’s not clear whether the images on the website promoting the products available for sale are AI-generated or if real humans were used.
Regardless, Levina told Yahoo Lifestyle this has “100 per cent” put her off shopping at Jeanswest in the future as “Australian customers deserve better”.
She’s not alone, as the brand’s recent Instagram posts are filled with people calling out the brand.
“What is happening?” wrote one person.
“Why on earth are you using AI? This is so disappointing to see,” added another.
“Is this a joke? Like are you pranking us?” said a third.
Is this actually a prank? Impacts of using AI in marketing
There’s an old saying in marketing that any publicity is good publicity.
Even if it’s not good feedback, some brands are happy with people talking about them and posting about them on social media.
But consumer expert Professor Nitika Garg told Yahoo Lifestyle that strategy isn’t very popular these days.
“You are risking a lot if you’re assuming that people are going to keep up with the story,” she said.
Back in the day, some marketing campaigns stayed in peoples’ minds and any update would help further the story. Think AAMI’s Rhonda and Ketut ads.
But now, we live in a world with “micro attention spans”, according to Nitika, and you can’t count on people following along.
UNSW’s consumer behaviour researcher, Professor Nitika Garg, said using AI in marketing can be a dangerous game. Picture: UNSW
If they don’t keep pace, they might base their entire perception of a brand on that one ad.
“How can customers trust you as a brand and trust the quality of your products? It’s just a very bad look, unless they reveal it as a prank very quickly, which, again, is a risky strategy.”
Brands could save tens of thousands of dollars by using AI instead of organising an entire photoshoot for their products.
But the UNSW professor said it’s a very delicate line to walk because shoppers can instantly be turned off a brand if they feel deceived.
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She called the Opera House-Uluru infusion “disrespectful” and warned Aussies to expect more of this in the future as AI technology gets better.
“This is here to stay,” she said.
“I’m pretty sure we’ll see brands make similar mistakes, and we’ll see brands which will learn from this, and maybe, hopefully, be a bit more mindful.”
Nitika added that brands should take note of the reaction to what Jeanswest has done if they want to follow in their footsteps.
“All too often, as in this case, we see that people can be tempted by that easy fix without being mindful of the downsides of of that easy fix,” she said.
What does Jeanswest have to say about the backlash?
Jeanswest toldYahoo Lifestyle it was taking the feedback on its use of AI “seriously” and the brand was “committed to learning from it as we refine our approach”.
“We want to assure everyone that listening to our community is at the heart of what we do,” the spokesperson said.
“While AI is one of many tools we may use in our creative workflow, we remain dedicated to maintaining the authenticity and relatability that our customers expect from us.
“Above all, we want to emphasise that our core focus has always been—and will continue to be—delivering high-quality products that our customers love and trust.”
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