Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched what it describes as the cruise industry’s first multi-platform advertising campaign created using hybrid artificial intelligence, combining human-led creative production with generative AI technology.
A central feature of the campaign is the creation of what is claimed to be the world’s largest AI digital twin of a single object — a Fred. Olsen cruise ship. Developed by hybrid AI creative studio nmatic.ai, the digital twin allows the cruise line to digitally model the same vessel across multiple destinations, from the Arctic to the Caribbean, enabling more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective future campaigns.
The campaign includes a flagship television commercial directed by five-time Emmy Award-winning director Jonathan Jones. The film transitions from a stylised miniature ship-in-a-bottle concept to scenes of real passengers enjoying the cruise experience, blending live action, CGI, and AI-generated elements.
According to the companies involved, hybrid AI production can deliver content up to five times faster than traditional production methods, while generating cost savings of up to 70%, depending on how AI and traditional techniques are combined. The approach integrates film, photography, art direction, CGI, and storytelling with generative AI, while retaining real human talent on screen.
The creative concept was developed by Blunt House, a collective of senior strategists and creatives. The television commercial premiered in the UK on Christmas Day on ITV1 and will continue airing on national television through the end of February 2026. The wider campaign spans television, radio, print, digital, and trade media, and includes bespoke idents for Channel 4’s Escapism programming, as part of a year-long sponsorship.
The launch reflects growing adoption of generative AI in advertising. Industry data indicates that around 30% of digital video advertising in the US and Europe currently incorporates generative AI, with that figure expected to rise to nearly 40% in 2026, driven largely by faster uptake among small and mid-sized brands.
Since its launch in March 2024, nmatic.ai has produced more than 250,000 AI-powered images and videos across sectors including advertising, entertainment, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and banking, highlighting the expanding role of hybrid AI workflows in large-scale commercial production.
