How American Eagle Used Meta’s AI Ads to Drive Gen Z In-Store Traffic
Welcome to this week’s edition of Agentic Marketing—your weekly dose of insights, trends, and real-world applications in AI-powered marketing and beyond automation.
The Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM) provides research, training, and consulting. It focuses on using human-centered AI to improve marketing productivity and quality. [Mediaweek]
Here are more industry updates from this week:
Nvidia’s GTC Unveils AI Innovations for Marketing
Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference highlighted AI advancements poised to transform brand creation, communication, and connection, signaling a shift in marketing strategies driven by cutting-edge technology. [The Drum]
Publicis, Adobe Partner to Scale AI-Powered Content
Publicis integrates Adobe’s generative AI tools, including Firefly Services, into its CoreAI platform to enhance personalized content creation, improve workflows, and boost efficiency. The partnership leverages Publicis’ proprietary data and Adobe’s creative APIs, aiming to set new standards for data-driven marketing and audience engagement. [Marketing Dive]
Unilever Adopts AI for Faster, Cheaper Product Imagery
Unilever leverages NVIDIA Omniverse to create digital twins, reducing content creation costs by 50% and doubling speed while ensuring 100% brand consistency. This innovation streamlines workflows, enhances creativity, and supports scalable, high-quality marketing campaigns. [Unilever]
GroupM Uses DeepSeek AI for China Media Buying
GroupM integrates DeepSeek’s R1 model into its Audience Translator tool, enhancing Chinese audience targeting with NLP capabilities. This move aims to optimize ad campaigns for global and Chinese brands, reflecting GroupM’s $30M investment in AI workforce training. [Adweek]
In the Spotlight
Bridging the gap between online and offline shopping experiences is critical—especially when targeting Gen Z. American Eagle’s success with Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Ads is a prime example of how AI-driven marketing can drive measurable results.
By leveraging generative AI and omnichannel strategies, they achieved a 48% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS) among 18- to 24-year-olds while driving in-store traffic.
The AI Tool Behind the Success
At the heart of this campaign is Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping Ads, powered by the Andromeda AI model. This tool automates everything from audience targeting and ad placement to creative generation, including ad copy, imagery, and even virtual try-ons.
Automated campaigns now account for over a third of American Eagle’s Meta ad budget, showcasing the power of AI-driven efficiency.
What sets Advantage+ apart is its omnichannel focus. Unlike competitors like Google’s Performance Max or Amazon’s Performance+, Meta’s tool directs customers to nearby stores, blending online and offline shopping experiences seamlessly.
How It Worked: A Breakdown
AI Model Support at Scale: Powered by the Andromeda AI model, Advantage+ used advanced automation to drive smarter bidding, audience targeting, and ad placement.
Streamlined Campaign Management: Advantage+ handled key campaign tasks, cutting down manual work and letting teams focus more on strategy and performance.
Omnichannel Advantage: Unlike other platforms, Advantage+ guided customers to nearby stores, combining online and offline shopping into one smooth experience.
The campaign’s success highlights the importance of defining clear KPIs—like ROAS and foot traffic—to measure AI-driven outcomes effectively.
Why This Matters for AI Marketing
This case study isn’t just about American Eagle—it’s a reflection of broader trends reshaping the marketing landscape:
AI-Driven Automation: Tools like Advantage+ are reducing inefficiencies in ad spend and improving ROI, allowing marketers to focus on strategy rather than execution.
Omnichannel Marketing: As consumers demand seamless experiences across online and offline channels, AI is becoming the bridge that connects the two.
Generative AI’s Role: From ad copy to virtual try-ons, generative AI is transforming how brands engage with audiences, offering hyper-personalized experiences at scale.
The future of marketing lies in AI-driven automation and omnichannel strategies—brands that embrace these tools will lead the pack.
3 Actionable Takeaways for Marketers
Ready to replicate American Eagle’s success? Here’s how to get started:
Test AI-Driven Campaigns: Allocate a small part of your ad budget to test tools like Advantage+. Start small with a single product category or campaign to measure impact.
Invest in Data Infrastructure: Ensure your CRM, e-commerce platform, and in-store POS systems are integrated with Meta’s API for seamless data flow.
Upskill Your Team: Train media planners and creatives to interpret AI outputs, refine strategies, and ensure brand consistency.
Source: Ad Age
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Trends to Watch
Media agencies now leverage AI for campaign automation and optimization, but AI-generated creative remains subpar. Leaders highlight AI's role in freeing teams for strategic tasks, while transparency and control over AI tools remain concerns. [Digiday]
AI Transforming B2B Marketing Strategies
Surveys by Madison Logic and the Content Marketing Institute show that over half of B2B marketers plan to spend more on AI, mainly for automation and content creation. This points to a pivotal shift in marketing efficiency and innovation. [eMarketer]
Generative AI Drives Surge in Retail Traffic
Adobe Analytics reveals a 1,200% increase in U.S. retail website traffic from generative AI sources, highlighting its growing role as a shopping assistant.
Consumers use AI for research, recommendations, and deals, leading to higher engagement and informed purchases, reshaping e-commerce strategies. [Adobe]
Balancing AI and Marketing Fundamentals for Success
WFA research highlights how top CMOs integrate AI while prioritizing core marketing strengths like brand strategy and creativity.
Successful organizations emphasize cross-team collaboration, data-driven growth, and C-suite influence, proving balance drives measurable business growth. [The Drum]
Quotes
While these tools (AI agents) can efficiently handle large volumes of content, they may struggle with capturing the nuanced emotional and cultural aspects that human creatives naturally incorporate into their work.
Andrew Frank from Gartner said 77% of marketers use GenAI, but only 44% see real benefits—showing the challenge of staying true to the brand while meeting customer expectations. [Gartner]
Fresh Finds
Here are this week's updates on marketing tools or services.
1. Adobe Launches AI Agents for Marketing Tools
Adobe introduces AI-powered agents to enhance online marketing, tailoring content based on user activity and improving chatbot interactions. [Reuters]
2. Instagram Tests AI-Generated Comments
Instagram introduces AI-generated comments to boost engagement, sparking debate on authenticity and social interaction. [Social Media Today]
3. AI-Driven Marketing Solutions in Minutes
StrategyMaster AI delivers customized marketing plans in five minutes, using AI for data-driven insights and actionable strategies. [Trend Hunter]