Colgate-Palmolive
genAI video generation on a repeatable volume-variety-velocity model
Colgate-Palmolive produced two Hill's Pet Nutrition video ads with Google Veo and BCG 4 to 6 times faster than usual, at a significantly lower cost per concept and with equal or better consideration, on a repeatable volume-variety-velocity model meant to be extended.
Objective
Prove a repeatable content production model (volume, variety, velocity) that produces video ads faster and cheaper, without losing measured effectiveness, in order to extend it across the portfolio.
The deployment
Colgate-Palmolive ran a genAI content pilot with Google and BCG for its Hill's Pet Nutrition division. Using Google Veo, a cross-functional team (Hill's marketers, in-house specialists, BCG, Google technologists) produced two consumer-ready video ads, 4 to 6 times faster than the usual production lead time, at a significantly lower cost per concept and with consideration equal to or better than usual creative. The pilot was built around the three Vs of content: volume, variety, velocity. Colgate-Palmolive positions this approach as a repeatable model to extend to other brands, in a context where the company is deploying genAI marketing more broadly (consumer insights, synthetic consumer twins, team upskilling via Google Workspace with Gemini).
Results Proof C
Figures published by Google (Think with Google customer story) naming Colgate-Palmolive and its executive, corroborated by press and third-party analysis (MIT Sloan) of the group's genAI marketing. An extended-pilot type case, no financial results, hence C.
How it works
Documented architectureThe stack in detail
- llm Google Veo Google's video generation model, used for the two Hill's spots, including the realistic animal characters
- llm Gemini Google's LLM used in the group's genAI approach, notably for ideation and team upskilling
- plateforme Google Workspace avec Gemini work environment where the group deploys Gemini to upskill teams
- integrateur Boston Consulting Group framing of the pilot and participation in the cross-functional team
How it runs, concretely
For ops teams-
1Framing the model marketing / BCG
Definition of the three Vs (volume, variety, velocity) and the Hill's scope with BCG and Google.
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2Video generation AI / creative team
Production of two consumer-ready videos via Google Veo, with realistic animal characters.
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3Effectiveness test insights / marketing
Measurement of consideration against usual creative and of cost per concept.
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4Extending the model marketing
Reuse of the repeatable model on other brands in the portfolio.
The consideration measured on the generated creative, compared to usual creative. If consideration drops, the speed gain does not offset the loss of effectiveness.
How your customers perceive this type of use
Sourced studiesUn ecart net separe les annonceurs des consommateurs : 77% des annonceurs voient l'IA positivement contre 38% des consommateurs (Yahoo/Publicis, 2024). Les mesures implicites confirment le rejet declare : en EEG, les pubs generees par IA produisent une activation memorielle plus faible que les pubs traditionnelles et sont decrites comme agacantes, ennuyeuses et confuses (NIQ, 2024). La disclosure a un effet ambivalent : elle augmente fortement la confiance quand elle est remarquee (Yahoo/Publicis), mais 27% des jeunes consommateurs disent faire moins confiance a une entreprise dont la pub est creee par IA (IAB, 2024).
Acceptance conditions
- Une disclosure visible : quand la mention IA est remarquee, la confiance globale envers l'entreprise augmente de 96% (Yahoo/Publicis 2024)
- Une qualite visuelle suffisante : les visuels IA de basse qualite augmentent l'effort cognitif et distraient du message (NIQ 2024)
Red lines
- Le contenu IA non declare puis identifie : 72% des consommateurs disent que l'IA rend l'authenticite difficile a etablir (Yahoo/Publicis 2024) et les marques utilisant des pubs IA sont plus souvent jugees inauthentiques ou non ethiques par les consommateurs que par les dirigeants (IAB 2024)
- Les mannequins et personnes generes par IA : 46% des consommateurs n'en veulent pas dans la publicite, l'inquietude premiere etant les standards de beaute irrealistes (Attest 2025)
Sources: Yahoo / Publicis Media (terrain Ebco) 2024 · IAB (avec Attest) 2024 · NIQ (NielsenIQ) 2024 · Attest 2025
How to replicate
Inference, not sourcedData prerequisites
- brand briefs and product references
- a consideration measurement protocol
- history of production costs for comparison
Org prerequisites
- cross-functional creation / insights / tech team
- documented repeatable model (three Vs)
- an effectiveness safeguard before industrialization
Possible stack
- video generation tool (Google Veo type)
- LLM for ideation (Gemini type)
- brand safety and human validation
The plan, step by step
- Step 1Frame the three Vs model (volume, variety, velocity) and the pilot scope on one brand.Deliverable: Framing note with speed, cost, and effectiveness objectives
- Step 2Assemble the cross-functional team (marketing, creatives, insights, tech) and open access to the generation tools.Deliverable: Team and production environment ready
- Step 3Generate two consumer-ready video concepts, keeping human validation on each shot.Deliverable: Two finalized spots, lead time and cost per concept measured
- Step 4Test consideration against usual creative and compare cost per concept to history.Deliverable: Quantified pilot review (speed, cost, consideration)
- Step 5Document the repeatable model to extend it to other brands in the portfolio.Deliverable: Validated internal extension playbook
First step: Choose one brand and generate two video concepts, then test them on consideration against usual production.
The same pattern, proven in other industries
Adobe
in-house genAI production of marketing content at scale
Atlassian
internal genAI agents for account targeting and marketing content production
BMW
advertising and experiential creation with generative AI
Sources
- S1 Colgate-Palmolive's gen-AI marketing pilot Interested party archive pending
- S2 The GenAI Focus Shifts to Innovation at Colgate-Palmolive Secondary archive pending
- S3 Hill's Pet Nutrition drives Colgate-Palmolive growth; Uses AI for marketing Secondary archive pending
An error, newer info, a source?
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