The fashion industry has long been criticized for relying on a small sample size to showcase clothing. But the cost and logistical burden has meant that displaying clothing in a range of sizes has not been commercially viable for many businesses.
“Shooting catalog photography on multiple models can be very expensive, making it not commercially viable for most businesses. It’s a major factor in why the industry hasn’t been able to move forward in this space,” explained Showpo founder Jane Lu. CMO.
However, against this is the growing demand for fashion brands to adapt to body diversity and acceptance movements and move away from using petite models to showcase their clothing. In line with this, Australian-owned and social media-led e-commerce brand Showpo recently adopted technology that enables it to use artificial intelligence (AI) models, allowing its clothing to be displayed in a wider range of large body sizes.
“AI models allow for a more diverse range of models at scale, as a garment can easily be shot and applied to a wider variety of models that fit our diverse range of sizes 4-20,” said Lu.
The AI technology driving this innovation will allow brands like Showpo to develop personalized content for different audiences, while saving on costs, Lu continued. The decision to merge fashion with technology also allows Showpo to provide a wider range of diversity in its e-commerce films.
Lu explained how the application of the technology means he can apply a single garment to a wide variety of patterns across the full size range, including sample size, mid-size and curve patterns. “It’s a goal we’ve had in mind since we first expanded our size offering in 2016,” she said.
Partnership with Meta
Showpo is working with Meta on the first Australian marketing approach using new AI-based 3D models. The ad creative will be tested against common e-commerce assets to evaluate the marketing efficiency of the AI models against the standard e-commerce creative model.
“We would like to test whether using 3D models and AI creative in ads will lead to better personalization and visualization of our products for potential customers and better conversions compared to product-only creatives,” said Lu.
After the four-week trial, and if successful in driving traffic and conversions, the brand will look to expand the application of the technology by reusing the results of the 3D AI model in new campaigns or other advertising in the Australian market.
Although other brands are starting to use 3D models and AI models, especially in the US, Showpo is the first Australian brand to market with this ad technology and is looking forward to reviewing how it works.
“This is just the beginning with more opportunities and projects already in the works to provide new ways to market our products as a digital-first brand,” she said.
If the ads prove successful on Facebook and Instagram, the technology could also be rolled out to its site — and beyond.
“AI technology can help us automate the product photography process in a cost-efficient and scalable way, ensuring that we can embrace diversity thanks to Vue AI’s diverse library of models,” said Lu.
However, the brand has not overlooked the importance of ensuring the localization of creative. “The three test ads made for American clients feature models of various sizes and ethnicities, of African-American, Asian, and Caucasian descent; if it were to expand to other markets, this content would be customized for each area,” she explained.
Using Vue AI technology, Showpo is continuing a digital-first approach to both its business and brand marketing. Lu saw the technology as a game changer for e-commerce brands across the board.
She pointed out that it will enable a more personalized shopping journey by featuring more than a narrow set of models, increasing purchase intent through greater personalization and image diversity, and return on ad spend through this greater personalization. deep. Lu also expected it to reduce the cost and burden of returns, which can be a real drag on fashion brands that rely heavily on digital advertising and online retail.
“We think AI models will become a new production tool to accelerate e-commerce efforts and help us generate multi-purpose digital assets at scale,” she added.
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