During the recent Super Bowl, tech giant Anthropic launched a striking advertisement that not only showcased its Claude chatbot but cleverly critiqued the current landscape of AI marketing. The ad featured well-known individuals such as YouTube content creator IShowSpeed and film director Spike Lee. It did a brilliant job of leveraging comedy to drive home the absurdity of AI assistants morphing into hyperactive informercials.
The highly produced, star-studded commercial was produced for and aired during the Super Bowl, the high-water mark for media extravagance and corporate promotion. Rather than only showcasing Claude’s abilities, Anthropic went in a more light-hearted direction. Instead of the normal serious tone, they wanted to introduce AI in a more satirical and amusing way. This approach is consistent with a broader movement of brands testing AI-generated ads during big events.
A Satirical Take on AI
Anthropic’s marketing stunt was a genius way to throw shade on the idea of AI assistants just magically becoming hype men for different products. Using Claude’s advanced slow motion capabilities, Claude filmed this basketball dunk– check it out! He shared the footage hands-free on Instagram, which only made the already fun demonstration even more amusing.
The ad’s tagline, “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude,” succinctly encapsulated its message. Probably for this reason, Anthropic deliberately positioned Claude against the conventions of advertising. This brilliant tactic both set the product apart and entertained viewers through humor.
The move to make a playful dig at the commercialization of AI was a gutsy, timely one. That tone struck a chord with audiences who are becoming acutely aware of the over-commercialization that has taken over our digital commons.
Celebrity Star Power
The addition of celebrities such as IShowSpeed and Spike Lee really helped to add some clout to the ad’s appeal. Their willingness to fully commit to the bit helped make them comedic stardust. By featuring the most familiar faces in a light-hearted premise, Anthropic scored big with a one-two punch of pop culture and tech disruption.
The ad was about more than just promoting Claude chatbot. Its riotousness was meant to entertain, but it provided a gentle rebuke to the industry’s trajectory. This strategy is a clear break from standard tech ads, which typically lean on the details of the product and what it can do for you.
Industry Reactions
After Anthropic’s ad aired, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, took to social media to denigrate the advertisement. He went on to call the ad “blatantly misleading,” providing a glimpse into the emerging competitive animus between the two top AI firms. Altman’s response highlights just how cutthroat the AI industry is. It makes us contend with the ethics and marketing practices of all organizations, for-profits and non-profits alike.
Viewers have loved the ad, suggesting that humor is a great way to reach your audience. This approach becomes incredibly useful when tackling heavyweight subjects, like the commercialization of AI. Companies such as Anthropic are already busily innovating in this space. For now, it’s just a waiting game to see how consumers will respond to this mix of entertainment and technology.
