First 'Generated Awards' honor AI-made ads with 9 categories and top brands
From Pac-Man to Gorilla Glue, AI-generated ads now have their own award show.
The advertising industry now has a dedicated awards show for AI-generated content. On May 27 in New York City, the Generated Group presented nine awards at the inaugural 'Generated Awards,' honoring both amateur spec ads and brand-commissioned work. Winners included 'Pac-Man Reimagined' for Best Visual Effects (though unauthorized by Bandai Namco), 'Perfection by Mistake' by Michal Kuzminski for Best Storytelling, and 'Meet the New Chief Tough Officer' by The Gorilla Glue Company for Best Direction. Other categories covered audio, fictional ads, and commercial of the year, with Runway Creative winning for 'The Watch.'
The event reflects the rapid integration of AI into advertising, following Google's Veo model pitch for scalable ad creation and the rise of tools like Kling 3.0, Luma Ray2, and Seeddance 2.0. Generated Group CEO Tanya Porquez told Mashable that mandatory disclosure shouldn't be required unless legally mandated, but expects a 'crawl-walk-run' approach to build public trust. The awards highlight a trend where AI-generated ads are becoming harder to distinguish from real footage, raising transparency questions as brands like Coca-Cola and Jeep already air AI commercials.
- The Generated Group awarded 9 categories on May 27, including Best Visual Effects, Best Storytelling, and Commercial of the Year.
- Winners ranged from unofficial spec ads (Pac-Man Reimagined) to brand work by Gorilla Glue and Runway Creative.
- The awards spotlight the growing use of AI video models like Google Veo, Kling 3.0, and Luma Ray2 in advertising.
Why It Matters
AI-generated ads are winning industry recognition, signaling a permanent shift in how brands create and distribute video content.