This Pip & Nut Commercial Leverages the Power of AI
Michael Hemsworth — April 17, 2026 — Marketing
References: pipandnut & grocerygazette
This new Pip & Nut commercial has been launched as part of the brand's Obsession Spreads campaign that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to elevate it from ordinary to extraordinary. The ad spot stars the brand's red squirrel from its out-of-home campaign and sees it centered on the pursuit of a jar of peanut butter at all costs.
The spot was created through a partnership between the brand's in-house team, director Ali Dickinson and produced by the creative agency and AI studio Scary Robots. The ad utilizes AI to animate real world imagery instead of generating it to give it a realistic appearance that strikes a balance between disciplines.
Director Ali Dickinson spoke on the Pip & Nut commercial saying, "I love that we kept the honesty of the original wild nature photography, then pushed the squirrels into performances that would have been almost impossible to capture. To me, this felt like the perfect use of AI, bringing Pip & Nut’s beautiful photography to life, while keeping all the delicious bits, from the food photography to the sound design, handcrafted by real people.”
The spot was created through a partnership between the brand's in-house team, director Ali Dickinson and produced by the creative agency and AI studio Scary Robots. The ad utilizes AI to animate real world imagery instead of generating it to give it a realistic appearance that strikes a balance between disciplines.
Director Ali Dickinson spoke on the Pip & Nut commercial saying, "I love that we kept the honesty of the original wild nature photography, then pushed the squirrels into performances that would have been almost impossible to capture. To me, this felt like the perfect use of AI, bringing Pip & Nut’s beautiful photography to life, while keeping all the delicious bits, from the food photography to the sound design, handcrafted by real people.”
Trend Themes
1. AI-enhanced Live-action Animation - The blending of AI-driven animation with real-world photography creates realistic, performance-rich visuals that were previously impractical or cost-prohibitive.
2. Hybrid Creative Workflows - Collaborations between in-house teams, directors, agencies, and AI studios are enabling fluid pipelines that merge human craft with algorithmic augmentation.
3. Authenticity-focused Brand Storytelling - Maintaining handcrafted elements like food photography and sound while using AI for augmentation supports narratives that feel genuine despite technological intervention.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising and Marketing - AI-assisted production techniques can transform campaign economics and creative possibilities by enabling hyper-realistic spots with lower shoot complexity.
2. Film and Video Production - Post-production workflows are being disrupted as AI tools allow for nuanced performance tweaks on live-action footage without reshoots.
3. Consumer Packaged Goods - Brands are able to craft more engaging product personalities and immersive storytelling by combining authentic photography with algorithmic animation.
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