From the Editor’s Desk: Art will always be appreciated

Two weeks ago, Prada launched their holiday ad campaign on Oct. 27, featuring hand-drawn cartoons from legendary Disney animator John Pomeroy, known for his work on “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too.” The ad resembled an era of fashion and marketing long past.

With snow-covered trees and cozy cartoon cabins, Prada models Chen Haoyu, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Luther Ford walked side by side with smiling rabbits and wolves — Cinderella-style. 

The ad was received with high praise from viewers, many of whom pointed to the hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation as a revival of traditional art. Others said the campaign was a statement in an age where AI-generated artwork floods the internet. 

It also posed a question: is human-made art becoming a luxury, the same as shiny Prada purses and leather loafers?

From prehistoric cave etchings to the abstract configurations found in museums across the world, art has been an integral part of culture and connectedness since human beings could walk and talk. The last thing we should be doing is outsourcing creativity and manual work, which made the ad a refreshing holiday surprise. 

But the Prada ad is a curious example. 

When AI-generated ads are commonplace for small businesses and popular corporations alike, the luxury brand — based in fashion capital Milan, Italy — has used its campaign to set itself apart from non-designer brands, elevating their status in a new way. 

While access to human-made art shouldn’t be reserved for members of a certain class, Prada’s campaign illuminated the nostalgia viewers seemingly have for traditional artwork and animation styles. 

The fashion brand wasn’t the only company to try out stop-motion and hand-drawn artwork in their ads, with companies like e.l.f. and Dior testing traditional techniques too — yet Dior’s “Christian Dior’s Night in Color” ad drew a far more controversial reaction, with viewers accusing the company of hiding AI usage. 

The backlash reiterated the AI divide even more, signifying a point of contention between viewers looking for the classic, handmade couture brand and the company’s allegedly artificially made cartoon.  

Human art shouldn’t be a luxury — it should be what connects us and what makes life colorful, even for things as mundane as advertisements. 

This week in The Loyola Phoenix, read our human-generated stories.