US & Global – Snack brand Lay’s is encouraging football fans to send personalised, interactive messages through a deepfake rendering of the footballer Lionel Messi.
As part of its global UEFA Champions League campaign, Lay’s is connecting with fans in a new way through its web app Messi Messages. On the site, users can send personalised video messages – within a set of pre-programmed prompts – to say the name of friends and family and invite them to watch a football match or play an online game. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and facial mapping, Messi’s lips appear to speak the user’s chosen words and language.
Available in 20 countries and 10 languages, the activation aims to create a more memorable experience for people connecting over sport. In this way, Lay’s is drawing on the potential of deepfake technology to create novel customer experiences that appeal to football fans.
Online activations, live-streaming and tokenisation are changing the ways that Digital Fandom operates – ushering in new methods of engaging with popular creators and personalities.