Shelter dogs, AI, and an animation studio: how Mars uses NZ as a test market

(Image: Supplied)

Fri, 10 May 2024

New Zealand’s status as a small, remote country is rarely seen as a positive in the business world, but for one consumer goods giant, those factors make it an ideal testing ground for creative ideas and innovation. Mars, the US conglomerate behind everything from Snickers to Dolmio pasta sauce, has used the NZ market to pilot an artificial intelligence-driven (AI) advertising campaign for its Pedigree dog food brand.It uses AI technology to transform scruffy shelter dogs into glossy billboard models.Partnering with Auckland ad firm C...

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