DTC953: Creating AI Ads, Last Minute BFCM Checklist, and Patagonia’s ‘Don’t Buy’ Ad

Good morning,

Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:

• 🍳 Creating A Polished Ad Using AI (Example Below)
• ✅ Let’s Talk Email: Last Minute BFCM Checklist
• 👏 One of the Best Black Friday Ads Of All Time

You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Erie Hospitality, Nucu, and Fox Blocks. 👋

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‍💰 Cooking Up An AI Ad Using Nano Banana

“Can’t AI just make the ad for us?”

Our friends at Pilothouse tell us that they hear this question constantly from clients.

And it sounds simple, right? That is...until you actually give it a try.

Here’s the truth in 2025: Yes, you can make a video ad with AI. But no, it’s not a one-click miracle.

It still takes human taste, discernment, and creative direction to turn AI outputs into something worth running and putting ad spend behind.

To prove it, Pilothouse built a 15-second product video using only AI tools.

It took 2 hours, five tools, and ten cups of patience.

Here’s how they did it 👇

1️⃣ Start With a Strong Image

Pilothouse used Photoshop Beta (Nano-Banana) to create a 9:16 still of a woman cooking lentils for a food brand.

Why start with a still? Because AI video tools need a strong base image. Lighting, composition, and product clarity matter.

👉 Even with AI, your first frame has to be intentionally designed.

2️⃣ Turn the Image Into a Video

Next, Pilothouse fed the still image into VO3 to generate movement.

It took six attempts (plus some, uh… “interesting” auto-generated music) before they found a usable clip.

AI can generate video, but:

• Movements can look odd
• Hands and props distort
• Background action gets weird fast

👉 Expect multiple iterations. “Good enough” usually takes several tries.

3️⃣ Add Human-Led Finishing Touches

To make the video feel polished and on-brand, they layered in:

• A clean outro
• Voiceover using ElevenLabs
• Sound design to fill the dead space

This is where human oversight matters. AI doesn’t know pacing, emotional tone, or how your brand should feel.

👉 AI creates ingredients. Humans create the final dish.

The takeaway?

AI can definitely speed up production once you know what to ask for and how to guide each tool.

But you still need to know how to use the right tools, prompt effectively and spot if something looks a bit wonky.

‍🎧 Last Minute BFCM Checklist (Only 12 Mins)

We are down to the wire!

Black Friday kicks off tomorrow, so we kept this week’s pod short and sweet.

It’s full of actionable BFCM email plays you can make right now so you can make money on the biggest weekend of the year.

Have 12 minutes? Give this episode a listen.

‍Patagonia’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” Black Friday campaign remains one of the most effective sales plays ever.

Mainly because it wasn’t one.

In 2011, Patagonia ran a print ad, showed the product, and told customers not to buy it.

This allowed them to discuss the environmental costs of every item they make.

The honest approach aligned with their target audience, and sales increased because of their transparency.

Lesson for brands? Not every ad needs to be transactional. Use this real estate to reinforce your mission and values.

ChatGPT adds a new shopping research feature for holiday shoppers.

Users can now ask a prompt about discovering new products, choosing gifts, and finding deals (e.g. help me find the best Black Friday deals for an Ugly Christmas sweater).

The chatbot will ask users a series of questions to gauge preferences, then find options that meet the criteria.

Learn more here.

‍🤑 Walmart’s latest New-Seller Savings is too huge to miss. If you’ve never applied to Walmart Marketplace before, that makes you eligible for up to $75K in incentives^ once you start selling. ^Conditions apply. Join Marketplace. *

‍📥 Got a B2B Biz?

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Have you heard our latest podcasts?

• 🧠 AKNF 561: Unwinding the Tactical Spin Cycle with Pilothouse
• 📱 Ad-venturous 29: Marketer’s Guide to Using Social On Purpose
• 📧 TWBERP 60: Deliverability Office Hours Feat. Senders.co
• ⛳ Levelwear’s Pivot to DTC From Golf Courses To 9 Figures
• 💡 AKNF 560: 3 High Leverage CRO Moves Before Black Friday
• 💰 Ad-venturous 28: Q5 Goldmine Between Xmas and New Year’s

Don’t forget to rate the DTC Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.

Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content.