How retailers are using AI to capture attention: Three real-world examples

Accessibility in retail is increasingly extending beyond ramps and elevators. Around the world, individual retailers are exploring new ways to make shopping more inclusive, ranging from digital navigation and accessible self-checkouts to sensory-friendly shopping hours and communication services. While these initiatives are not yet common practice across the industry, they illustrate how accessibility is gradually becoming part of the overall customer experience.

In content marketing, reach alone is often no longer enough. Increasingly, brands need experiences that leave a lasting impression. Whether through immersive experiences, AI-generated visuals, or emotional storytelling, retailers are using artificial intelligence in new ways to engage customers. While AI remains a tool for creating campaigns, it is also becoming a visible part of the experience itself. In retail, this is giving rise to campaigns that successfully combine product presentation, storytelling, and social media appeal. The following three examples show how AI-powered marketing campaigns are already being used in retail today.

In October 2025, BOSS and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team launched a digital experience across seven cities: London, Paris, Düsseldorf, Barcelona, Las Vegas, Dubai, and Singapore. Using Apple Vision Pro XR headsets, visitors stepped into a virtual 3D environment that simulated the world of Formula 1.

The experience featured multiple interactive stations. Participants completed visual challenges, solved 3D puzzles, took precision tests, and ultimately experienced a virtual test drive from inside the cockpit – complete with the authentic sound of the AMR25 race car. Rather than relying on traditional advertising, the campaign aimed to redefine the fan experience by transforming the performance, precision, and technology of Formula 1 into something people could experience firsthand.

To celebrate World Sleep Day, IKEA unveiled three AI-generated bedroom concepts: Drömjungle, Drömvision, and Drömlichter. The images were created using generative AI trained on IKEA product data. Each room featured actual IKEA products – including beds, nightstands, lamps, and textiles – arranged within imaginative, visually striking environments.

The images were published online and linked directly to products in IKEA's online store. By combining inspirational AI-generated interiors with seamless shopping opportunities, the campaign sought not only to strengthen brand perception but also to drive traffic directly to the web shop.

For its exclusive Dogs Creek brand, Fressnapf produced a short film that combines live-action footage with AI-generated imagery. The story centers on a dog named Henry, whose real-life scenes are interwoven with AI-created dream sequences. Henry rides crocodiles, soars through the air with a toy duck, and embarks on a series of fantastical adventures.

The film was released across digital channels and was primarily designed to build an emotional connection with the brand. Its goal was to bring the Dogs Creek brand to life through storytelling while generating viral attention on social media.

The examples from BOSS, IKEA, and Fressnapf illustrate the many different ways AI can be used in content marketing. At BOSS, AI becomes part of an immersive brand experience. IKEA uses the technology to create visually compelling product presentations, while Fressnapf leverages AI to tell emotionally engaging stories. In an increasingly crowded advertising landscape, these kinds of formats can help brands capture attention and make their marketing messages more memorable.