UK’s First AI-Generated TV Advert | Kids Custom Stories
TL;DR: In early 2024, we aired the UK’s first fully AI-generated TV advert for Kids Custom Stories — a project that was equal parts wild experiment and milestone moment.
The Making of an AI-First Ad
Back in late 2023, when AI video tools were still clunky and raw, we decided to push them to their limits. The goal was simple: create a full-length television advert entirely powered by AI.
Everything from the visuals to the editing ran through AI. The only real-world elements were a voiceover and a couple of stock clips. Getting it broadcast-ready meant long nights of testing prompts, stitching together clips, and ironing out strange glitches that came with the tech of the time.
We weren’t just experimenting in a vacuum either. Guerillascope, our media partner, guided us through the clearance process so that what we made could actually go on air. Without them, the spot would never have made it past compliance.
The Launch
The ad finally aired on ITV3, right after an episode of Poirot. It was only a single slot, but the experience of watching something we had built almost entirely with AI run live on television was surreal.
A few people spotted it in real time and reached out. A couple of sales even trickled in straight off the back of it. But more than numbers, the impact was symbolic — it proved that AI-generated TV advertising wasn’t just possible, it was broadcast-ready.
Why It Mattered
This wasn’t about instant ROI. It was about breaking new ground. At a time when most brands were only just starting to test AI imagery, we jumped ahead into long-form, broadcast-quality advertising.
It showed us two things:
AI can deliver at a professional, regulated standard — if you know how to push it.
Even small, single-slot campaigns can spark curiosity and open doors for bigger conversations.
“It wasn’t about going viral. It was about proving to ourselves that AI ads could actually run on TV — and they did.”
Afterglow
Looking back, that single ITV3 slot sits as a marker in our timeline. We learned how messy AI production could be, how much human oversight was still needed, and how far the tools have come since.
But we also proved something important: Kids Custom Stories could innovate in ways even bigger players weren’t yet trying. And for a children’s book brand, that’s not bad going.
FAQ
Q: Was the whole advert really AI-made?
A: Yes. The only human additions were a recorded voiceover and two stock clips. Everything else was AI-generated.
Q: Did it bring in sales?
A: A couple — but the main success was pioneering the use of AI in UK broadcast advertising.
Q: Why ITV3 after Poirot?
A: It was a cost-effective slot, and there’s something charming about experimental tech following a classic detective drama.
