How To Create A Perfect AI Ad | Simon Meyer
In this article, we’re talking to the winner of our AI Advertising Competition Simon Meyer.
If you’re interested to learn how professionals and creatives are using AI for advertising, marketing or filmmaking, we recommend checking out this conversation we had with director Simon Meyer.
Now is a great time to educate yourself on how these tools are transforming the creative process!
Interview With Simon Meyer
Simon’s journey to embracing AI is super inspiring, and he even gives us special insight to all his favorite tools and storytelling tips.
Simon working on set as a director.
Hey Simon! We’re excited to chat with you. :) Can you tell us about your creative background and experience?
I’ve always loved making films. That’s why I focused on film during my media informatics studies at a university in Germany. There, I learned both filmmaking and programming — kind of the perfect combo for making films with AI, though I didn’t realize it at the time.
I did an internship at a commercial production company, where I basically just made coffee all day. But that’s when I really started digging into advertising and storytelling and realized how much I enjoyed telling short, engaging stories. After that, I moved into TV, where I’ve been working as a DOP and director for seven years now.
On the side, I shoot commercials, product photography, short films, and I enter competitions. People always ask how I manage to do so many things at once — it must be “too much.” But honestly, I don’t feel like I’m working. This is my hobby! And I get paid for it. I’m extremely grateful for that.
Simon’s fox character, the “star” of his AI ad for Culture Pop.
When did you first use AI creatively, in any capacity? What went through your mind?
I remember it exactly — someone told me about Midjourney V1, and I typed in my first prompt. My reaction was, Oh my god, this changes everything. I immediately told my friends, and we spent weeks figuring out prompts that actually worked. This was before ChatGPT, and back then, prompting was a real skill — you had to work for good results.
Pretty soon, I started using AI-generated backgrounds in my product photography. That was a total game-changer. Suddenly, you didn’t need a full crew with massive lights and a bunch of people on set. You could just work from home and get the same results.
Simon’s 1st Place ad for Culture Pop in our AI Advertising competition.
You won 1st place in our AI Advertising competition for your “Culture Pop” commercial. Congrats! How did you come up with the idea for the ad? What tools did you use in the process?
Thank you! I’m still blown away by the win — I saw so many amazing entries, and I had so much fun working on this!
For me, storytelling is everything. I’m not the kind of director who focuses on crazy transitions or flashy effects. I want to tell stories that make people feel something — something relatable.
The fox character was an easy choice. Honestly, the reason was simple: it was way easier to generate a consistent fox than a consistent human. So that was a practical decision. Then, I thought about a setting everyone can relate to. We all know the feeling — stuck in the daily grind, wishing we could break free, throw everything away, and just live. That’s the essence of Culture Pop: freedom, fun, doing what you want.
In the end, Karl (the main character) doesn’t do it. He doesn’t break free. He’s too busy, too caught up in his routine. But the drink is still there, like a reminder: Don’t be like Karl. If you want to break free, you can.
An awesome still from Simon’s AI ad.
Wow! All of that really comes through in the ad. We feel something real, which is why it works. Can you describe the workflow you used to create it? Has your process evolved since making it?
In AI terms, that project was ages ago (Sept 2024). Back then, I generated most of it in Midjourney using Character Reference. Today, I’d use LoRAs, but at the time, Character Reference was the only way to get consistency. Then, I animated everything in Runway — that was the best tool available at the time. I did a lot of Photoshop work to keep the fox looking the same in every shot, which was a real challenge. Sometimes it worked great, sometimes… not so much.
If I remade the film today, I’d probably use a completely different set of tools. But I’m still really happy with how it turned out.
The Midjourney “Explore” page where you can find inspiration.
How did your creative process change with AI?
I love brainstorming. With LLMs, you can just throw ideas back and forth — it speeds up the whole creative process. LLMs are great sparring partners.
Moodboards, pitch decks, all of that is so much easier now. I can instantly see if an idea works or not, whether it’s visually interesting, and if it’s even possible to execute. In the past, you’d show up on set and realize, Oh no, this isn’t working the way I imagined. And by then, it was too late to change things. Now, AI makes visualization so much easier. I used to do that with Blender, but now I just use Flux.
ChatGPT can be a great collaborative partner when you’re ideating stories.
How do you approach working with clients on AI-driven projects? What tools do you use to deliver mock-ups or other materials?
For pitch decks, I use Canva. It’s easy, and I don’t think pitch decks need to be overly designed. I focus on the content, not the look. So a standard Canva template is usually fine.
For moodboards, I use Flux or Magnific Mystic. Of course, Photoshop is still my go-to for image editing. And I sometimes use LLMs to refine written text.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects you’re excited about?
I recently released a spec ad for Mini that went super viral. Since then, I’ve been getting a lot of messages from brands, agencies, and production companies. There are some really exciting projects on the table.
Right now, I’m working on a sunscreen commercial featuring a vampire who’s sick of only going out at night. Other than that, I’m still shooting a lot of traditional TV stuff — but even there, AI is becoming more and more relevant.
I just love seeing new AI tools drop, watching other filmmakers push the boundaries, and witnessing how insanely fast this industry is evolving. It’s an exciting time to be a filmmaker.
Still from Simon’s spec ad for Mini.
You’re right, it’s a super exciting time. For anyone interested in learning more, can you tell us about your favorite AI tools, and how do you use them?
My favorites: Flux, Magnific, Hedra 3, Veo2, Kling, MMAudio.
The key with AI tools is knowing how to combine them. No single tool is perfect or does everything. AI is still a lot of trial and error — seeing what works, what doesn’t, then tweaking the workflow accordingly.
If I had to pick just one tool, it would be Magnific. Mystic Structure Reference is just insanely good.
Another very cool still from Simon’s spec ad for Mini.
Thank you so much, Simon! We can’t wait to see what you create next.
We hoped you enjoy reading this interview!
You can follow Simon’s work here, watch his Winning AI Ad for Culture Pop, or check out his portfolio.
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