Amazon’s AI image generator: What advertisers need to know

Amazon is looking to become a player in the generative AI game and also sell more products from ads. 

The online retailer’s new Amazon AI image generator lets you upload product photos and add AI-generated backgrounds to produce lifestyle imagery and give your ads a boost. 

Lifestyle imagery, no technical expertise needed

Though it didn’t really start dominating headlines until this year, AI has been around for a long time, albeit in subtler ways – and Amazon has been a key player. Its Sponsored Products ads, Alexa devices, and Prime Video features rely on AI and machine learning.

The Amazon AI Image Generator was created in direct response to feedback from advertisers, who cited a lack of experience designing creative and engaging ads as a roadblock to success.

Many lack access to the resources and expertise necessary to create copy, imagery and videos that would attract consumers.  

Now, advertisers can simply log into Amazon’s Ad Console, select a product image, and click Generate. 

Within seconds, the tool uses generative AI to produce a series of lifestyle and brand-themed images based on product details. 

Images can be refined by entering text prompts, and multiple versions can be produced and tested to optimize performance. With just a few clicks, you can create compelling ads at no extra cost. 

Lifestyle imagery is successful because it shows your product in use where it is intended. If you’re in the market for a tennis racket, you’ll be drawn to the ad that shows a couple swatting balls back and forth on a court, smiling and having fun, rather than a close-up shot of a racket against a plain white backdrop, right? 

The Amazon AI image generator lets you do this with any product you sell.

Let’s say you private label a brand of air fryers. Instead of relying on a standalone photo of your product against a bland background, you can now create a lifestyle-based image of your air fryer sitting on a kitchen counter next to a cookbook and a few recipe ingredients. 

This fosters an emotional response in customers, who can now picture your air fryer at home on their own kitchen counter. They may not have the culinary skills of a Gordon Ramsey, but seeing is believing – and believing is buying.

Lifestyle ads can generate click-through rates (CTRs) up to 40% higher than ads using standard product images, according to Amazon.

That should make all of us Amazon marketers believers.

The benefits of Amazon’s AI image generator

Amazon’s AI image generator boasts innovative technology that is a true game-changer for advertisers. 

Using it simplifies the ad creation process, minimizes the time and resources needed to create captivating imagery, and has the potential to significantly improve ad performance. 

Notable features and benefits include:

• Accessibility and user-friendliness. The tool is designed to be simple and intuitive, making advanced ad creation capabilities accessible to advertisers regardless of their size or in-house creative resources.
• Increased efficiency and productivity. Automatically generating ad imagery allows advertisers to quickly produce various images for A/B testing, saving time and effort.
• Enhanced ad performance. AI-generated images provide a lifestyle context that can tell a more compelling story than a standard product image, potentially increasing CTRs and overall campaign effectiveness.
• Creative democratization. The technology levels the playing field between small businesses and large corporations, allowing all advertisers to compete with high-quality, context-rich imagery.
• Continuous improvement and innovation. Amazon’s commitment to refining the tool based on user feedback and integrating it with other AI initiatives reflects a broader trend of continuous improvement and innovation within the digital advertising space.
• Cost reduction. Reducing the need for expensive photo shoots and design resources helps brands allocate their advertising budgets more effectively.
• Trendsetting in digital advertising. Amazon’s move signals a shift toward AI-augmented creative processes in the advertising industry, setting a new standard for competitors and the market as a whole.

AI-powered advertising is a game-changer

For advertisers, the end game is about getting the most for your money. 

Amazon’s new AI image generation tool can help you boost CTRs in several ways. Using the image generator allows you to:

• Create more eye-catching and engaging images. AI-generated images are more visually appealing and engaging than traditional product photos. AI can generate images that are more realistic, creative, and relevant to your target audience.
• Showcase your products in a more lifestyle-oriented context. AI-generated images can showcase your products in a more lifestyle-oriented context. This helps potential customers better understand how your products can be used and how they can fit into their lives.
• Test different creative variations quickly and easily. The AI image generation tool allows you to quickly and easily test different creative variations of your ads. This can help you identify the images most likely to resonate with your target audience and drive clicks.

For all of AI’s benefits, a little manual intervention will help you unlock the full potential of the image-generating tool. 

Use high-quality product photos as the starting point for your AI-generated images. Though it may seem like it at times, AI isn’t magic. It can’t conjure your own product images out of thin air. The Amazon AI image generator uses your product photos to generate new images, so it’s important to start with high-quality photos.

When creating your images, be sure to provide clear and concise instructions. This will help ensure the images generated will be more relevant to your target audience and your ad campaign’s goals.

Take advantage of the tool’s ability to provide multiple versions of your ad by testing them to see which ones drive the most clicks and conversions. AI-powered advertising is most effective when you use the data provided to optimize your campaigns for a better ROI. 

AI may still be in its infancy, but it has quickly established itself as a powerful tool that can help drive sales while leveling the playing field. 

By leveraging AI, Amazon is democratizing the ability for businesses of all sizes to create high-quality, engaging ads that resonate with consumers and stand out in a crowded digital landscape.