EXCLUSIVE: PR guru reveals why viral AI-generated 'Balenciaga' parody videos could save the brand from extinction following BDSM teddy scandal
From fake images of Donald Trump being tackled by cops, to computer-generated photos of Pope Francis in a puffer jacket - it's no secret that new developments in artificial intelligence tech have spawned plenty of bizarre memes in recent months.
And the past week has been no different, as a crop of new AI-generated 'Balenciaga' parody videos have been doing the rounds on social media.
Created using a mix of AI programs including Midjourney and Eleven Labs speech generator, these mesmerising videos depict animated versions of pop culture characters discussing their love for French luxury house Balenciaga.
The characters are dressed in couture-inspired attire, and their features are refined to resemble that of high fashion models.
And while the intention of these clips may be to mock Balenciaga's famously outlandish style, PR guru Max Markson believes the brand could actually benefit from poking fun at itself following its recent BDSM teddy bear scandal.
A PR guru reveals why viral AI-generated 'Balenciaga' parody videos could save the brand from extinction following BDSM-teddy scandal. (Pictured: A 'Balenciaga' parody clip inspired by the character Harry Potter)
'I doubt these videos could save Balenciaga's reputation, but they're on the right track', Markson told Daily Mail Australia.
He suggested that Balenciaga could even create its own memes as part of a marketing campaign.
'[The brand] needs some cleverer people, and smarter people, having fun with [its image] and trying to soften it... and if they did that they could get on the way to helping restore the brand.'
Created using a mix of AI programs including Midjourney and Eleven Labs speech generator, these videos depict animated versions of pop culture characters discussing their love for French luxury house Balenciaga. (Pictured: A Balenciaga' parody clip inspired by the character Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones)
The publicity maestro, who has represented some of Australia's most controversial celebrities, said it's never too late for a brand to win back fans following a public scandal.
'Nobody's too far gone. You can always apologise, sack a few people, start again, and be clean and tidy. That can help them,' he said.
Many online fans have shared a similar sentiment, with one commenting beneath an AI parody video: 'This is better than any actual commercial for Balenciaga.'
And while the intention of these clips may be to mock Balenciaga's famously outlandish style, PR guru Max Markson believes the brand could actually benefit from poking fun at itself following recent scandals. Pictured: Kim Kardashian posing in an ad for Balenciaga
'The fact that Balenciaga could make a comeback because of memes,' another added.
Balenciaga faced significant backlash in November for its 2022 holiday ad campaign, which featured children posing with toy bears dressed in what looked to be BDSM gear.
More revelations have since come out about the brand's previous campaigns, with fans discovering the Spring/Summer 2023 campaign featured pages from a U.S. Supreme Court decision on child pornography laws.
Many online fans have shared a similar sentiment, with one commenting beneath an AI parody video: 'This is better than any actual commercial for Balenciaga'
In a lengthy apology, the fashion house took full responsibility for the teddy bear images but insisted it had no involvement in the photo shoot featuring child porn legislation.
The brand's most famous muse, Kim Kardashian, announced she would not be cutting ties with the brand.
One of the most popular videos in the Balenciaga parody genre is titled 'Harry Potter by Balenciaga', by a creator called demonflyingfox.
One clip inspired by Game of Thrones, created by Abandoned Films, shows a computer-generated version of actress Lena Headey dressed up as a high-fashion version of her character Cersei Lannister (pictured)
The clip features AI versions of characters from the Harry Potter franchise uttering phrases like, 'You are Balenciaga, Harry'.
Another clip inspired by Game of Thrones, created by Abandoned Films, shows a computer-generated version of actress Lena Headey dressed up as a high-fashion version of her character Cersei Lannister.
'When you play the game of fashion, you win or you die', the character says, referring to Cersei's famous line in Game of Thrones: 'When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.'
Other variants include parodies of Star Wars, Friends, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Last of Us.
Other variants include parodies of Star Wars, Friends, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Last of Us. (Pictured: A clip inspired by Friends featuring stylised versions of characters Monica and Joey)
THE BALENCIAGA SCANDAL: BONDAGE BEARS, CHILD PORN DOCS AND AN ARTIST KNOWN FOR DEPICTING NAKED KIDS
The Bondage Bears Christmas campaign
The scandal erupted when Balenciaga released its 2022 Holiday ad campaign that featured children posing with its Plush Toy Bag. The bags look like teddy bears and are dressed in BDSM gear.
In the photo shoot, the kids also appeared surrounded by empty wine and champagne glasses.
The distinctly adult themes immediately troubled many who asked why children had ever been used.
Balenciaga ignored the scandal at first and seemingly allowed the photographer who was involved, Gabriele Galimberti, to take the heat.
He released a statement saying he had no control over the content of the shoot and eventually, Balenciaga released its own statement agreeing with him and taking responsibility for the campaign.
It has now been pulled from the internet.
The hidden child porn documents
After the BDSM bears fiasco, eagle-eyed critics started examining the rest of Balenciaga's campaigns closely.
They soon discovered that in the background of an image from the Spring '23 campaign was a printout of a Supreme Court ruling on whether or not internet child porn can be legally considered free speech.
On the back of the bears scandal, many critics said it pointed to a troubling pattern within Balenciaga.
Balenciaga was quick to blame North Six, a production company that helped arrange the shoot, for the inclusion of those documents.
They claimed that they entrusted all of the props from the photoshoot to North Six, and that their team was assured everything that was included was fake.
The troubling book of artist whose work depicts naked, castrated toddlers
Balenciaga is yet to answer for the inclusion of a book by Michael Borremans in the background of two of the images from the Spring '23 campaign.
Borremans is a Belgian painter whose work includes a troubling 2017 series called Fire From The Sun.
It depicts naked toddlers - some of them castrated - playing in a group and at times alone.
Lawyers for the brand are yet to address DailyMail.com's questions about how the book ended up on the photoshoot.
In this image from Balenciaga's scrapped Spring '23 campaign, Isabelle Huppert sits in front of a stack of books including one that celebrates Michael Borremans, a Belgian painter whose work is known to include depictions of castrated toddlers
Borremans' other work includes his 2017 series Fire From The Sun, which features castrated toddlers and babies holding what look like severed limbs, while playing together nude in a large group
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