In 2025, the line between real and artificial in marketing is blurrier than ever—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Synthetic media and deepfake technologies have quietly become some of the most powerful creative tools in the digital marketer’s toolbox. But along with their promise of endless innovation comes a heavy dose of responsibility. Navigating this landscape requires more than just enthusiasm for the latest AI trend—it demands a clear ethical compass, deep industry insight, and a readiness to adapt to shifting norms and legal gray areas.
Let’s take a look at what marketers really need to understand—not just the surface-level chatter but the genuine ethical challenges and practical steps brands should be taking if they’re going to use synthetic media responsibly.
What is Synthetic Media & Deepfakes?
Synthetic media refers to content—video, audio, images, or text—created or modified using artificial intelligence. Deepfakes are a specific type of synthetic media where AI is used to produce highly realistic portrayals of real people saying or doing things they never actually did. A typical example might be a celebrity delivering a product endorsement in a language they don’t speak with flawless realism.
This tech is no longer a novelty. Major brands like Nike and Coca-Cola have already begun using AI-driven content to personalise ads, localise campaigns, and scale creative output. While it offers powerful marketing advantages, the ethical decisions behind how and when it’s used often go unnoticed—and that’s where the real challenges lie.
Deepfakes in Practice: Inside the Marketing Machine
Let’s look under the hood. How exactly are brands using this stuff?
1. Personalized Advertising at Scale
Imagine creating 100 versions of an ad, each tailored to a specific demographic, location, or even customer behaviour pattern. With deepfakes, marketers can generate multiple spokespersons delivering variations of the same message—without ever needing to coordinate a shoot or pay talent fees for each take. That’s not future talk—it’s happening now.
Brands are integrating AI-driven video generation with CRM data to serve tailored ads dynamically. A sneakerhead in New York might see a slightly different version of the same campaign than a runner in Seoul. Same message, different face and tone. This level of precision reflects the same principles behind PPC marketing, where targeting and personalization drive performance.
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2. Reviving Dead or Retired Celebrities
This one’s more controversial. Deepfakes are being used to bring back iconic figures for marketing purposes. In theory, it’s cost-effective and buzz-worthy. In practice, it raises serious questions about consent—especially posthumously. Just because a celebrity’s estate signs off doesn’t mean audiences won’t see it as exploitative. The brand risk is very real.
3. Localized Global Campaigns
Traditionally, localising a global campaign meant reshooting scenes, re-recording dialogue, and re-editing footage for each region. Now, synthetic media allows for rapid cultural adaptation. AI can tweak lip-sync, localise accents, and adjust cultural cues within a single content pipeline. For global brands, it’s a dream scenario—if used wisely.
The Ethical Fault Lines Marketers Must Watch
For all the efficiency and wow factor, deepfakes also tread some murky ethical territory. And the industry is still catching up. Here are the real-world concerns we’re grappling with behind the scenes:
Consent and Ownership of Likeness
One of the biggest challenges is obtaining clear, informed consent. It’s not enough to have a model sign a release form anymore. They need to understand that their image could be digitally recreated, reused, or altered long after the original shoot.
The grey area? Consent can be easily stretched. Even small print in contracts may not cover the full extent of synthetic usage, and that opens the door to legal and reputational fallout.
Misinformation and Deception
When synthetic content is indistinguishable from the real thing, there’s a very fine line between creativity and manipulation. If a deepfake ad subtly exaggerates a product’s performance or simulates an endorsement that didn’t happen, it’s not just dishonest—it’s legally risky. Consumers are becoming more discerning but also more skeptical. Once trust is broken, it’s hard to repair.
Job Displacement in Creative Roles
Behind every AI-generated model or actor is a human who might have been hired for the job. Fashion and entertainment are already seeing pushback from displaced creatives, and the concern is spreading. Brands that ignore this conversation may find themselves accused of undermining the very industries they depend on.
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Regulatory Lag and Legal Gray Zones
Governments and regulators are trying to keep up, but the technology is evolving faster than the law. In the US, legislation around deepfakes is still fragmented. Europe is further ahead, but even there, enforcement mechanisms are inconsistent.
Marketers, therefore, are operating in a gray area. A lack of clarity doesn’t mean carte blanche. If anything, it demands more caution.
Best Practices: An Insider’s Playbook for Ethical Use
It’s not all doom and gloom. With the right guardrails, synthetic media can be a powerful force for good in marketing. Here’s how brands can use these tools without crossing ethical lines:
1. Radical Transparency
Own it. If a campaign uses AI or deepfake technology, let people know. That doesn’t mean screaming it from the rooftops, but a subtle disclosure builds trust. It shows you’re not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.
2. Ironclad Consent Processes
Modern contracts need to evolve. Use plain language to explain how a person’s likeness might be used now and in future AI-generated content. Secure separate opt-ins for synthetic usage. Legal teams need to be ahead of the game, not playing catch-up.
3. Authentic Storytelling
AI should never replace authenticity. Use synthetic media to enhance your story, not to invent a false one. The goal is resonance, not deception. Brands that strike that balance are the ones audiences stick with.
4. Human + AI Collaboration
Rather than replacing creative teams, use AI to supercharge them. Think of synthetic tools as creative assistants—not creative replacements. This approach keeps human insight at the centre of content development.
Some teams are even exploring generative engine optimization, blending AI creativity with performance data to develop content that adapts and improves in real time.
5. Build Internal Ethics Councils
More progressive companies are establishing internal AI ethics committees—cross-functional groups that review synthetic content for compliance and tone. It’s not bureaucracy; it’s a safety net. And it saves headaches down the road.
What’s Next: A Call for Industry Standards
The big question for 2025 isn’t just “Can we use deepfakes?” but “Should we—and how?” As synthetic media becomes commonplace, the marketing industry needs to develop its own playbook, ideally one that goes beyond legal requirements.
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Third-party verification tools, AI-generated content tagging, and shared ethical standards are all areas where collaboration across agencies and brands could raise the bar. The technology isn’t going anywhere—but whether we use it wisely is entirely up to us.
Final Thoughts
Synthetic media and deepfake technologies are undeniably reshaping the marketing world. Used responsibly, they open up endless possibilities—from personalisation at scale to truly global campaigns. But without strong ethical grounding, they also risk damaging trust, creativity, and even livelihoods. A forward-thinking digital marketing agency won’t just chase trends—it will lead conversations around ethical implementation and long-term impact.
In 2025, ethical marketing isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you create the message in the first place. The future belongs to those who innovate transparently, think critically, and never lose sight of the human element behind the technology.
And if you’re not already having these conversations within your brand? Now’s the time to start.
