There’s controversy in the latest issue of Vogue—not about who’s in the photo, but whether the person even exists.
A new Guess advert in the August edition of Vogue has caught attention for all the wrong reasons. It features a picture-perfect model who looks like she stepped off a red carpet—but she’s not real. She’s computer-generated.
The campaign was produced by a company called Seraphinne Vallora, which creates digital characters for fashion brands. The image itself is slick, polished, and styled to perfection. But many people are asking: at what cost?
A digital model, a real debate
The idea started when Guess co-founder Paul Marciano messaged the creators of Seraphinne Vallora over Instagram. He asked them to put together some digital model options for the brand’s summer campaign. From ten draft looks, two were chosen. Marciano oversaw the final direction of the ad.
According to the company’s founders, it takes about a month to create one of these digital models. The process isn’t cheap either—costing brands somewhere around the low six figures.
It’s a lot of money. So it begs the question: why not just book a shoot with real people?
The control factor
Let’s be honest—using a digital model means fewer headaches. No travel days, no last-minute cancellations, no tired faces after twelve hours on set. And perhaps more importantly, no pushback. A brand can tweak every detail without anyone questioning the decisions.
The company says it’s not trying to replace anyone. In fact, they offer real models the chance to create a digital version of themselves, so they can be in two campaigns at once. But that opens up new concerns: Who owns the image? Can the model withdraw it later? What happens when the contract ends?
Another version of the same old problem
The main model in the Guess ad looks flawless—airbrushed skin, hourglass figure, not a blemish in sight. It’s the same impossible standard we’ve seen for decades, just wrapped in new packaging.
There’s a tiny note in the magazine that mentions the image was computer-generated. But it’s tucked near the spine and easy to miss.
And when asked about showing a wider range of body types or skin tones, one of the company’s founders shrugged it off. “We’ve posted more diverse images on Instagram,” she said, “but people don’t respond to them.” Apparently, their software also can’t produce a realistic plus-size model yet.
That excuse doesn’t hold much weight. If you’re creating something from scratch, you have a chance to rethink what “beauty” looks like. Instead, they’ve chosen to replicate what already dominates the industry—and blame the audience when it doesn’t change.
What this means for marketing teams
This isn’t just a fashion story. It’s a brand story.
Marketing teams are the ones choosing what gets seen—and who gets seen. It’s their job to shape the public face of a company. That includes choosing the tone, the style, and, yes, the people.
When you swap out real faces for digital ones, even quietly, it changes how your brand feels. It chips away at trust. People can spot when something feels off—even if they can’t explain why.
There’s also the matter of voice. Every brand has one. It’s how you sound on your website, in your emails, in your adverts. And if your team starts leaning too much on shortcuts—whether it’s pre-written templates, stock images, or computer-made models—you risk losing what makes your brand feel human in the first place.
Marketing isn’t just about reach. It’s about connection. And people don’t connect with perfection—they connect with reality. If you start to strip that away, what are you really selling?
A wider trend
We’ve seen this kind of thing play out elsewhere, too. In the games industry, Sony took flak when leaked footage showed a beloved character being digitally controlled without the actor. The voice actor spoke out, calling for fair rules to protect creative workers.
It’s the same theme again and again: people being replaced by something easier to manage. Whether it’s modelling, voice work, or photography, the human element is being pushed aside in the name of convenience.
Brands need to own their choices
It’s easy to point fingers at the tech companies offering these tools. But in this case, Guess picked up the phone. Guess made the call. The agency didn’t force their way into the room—they were invited.
The truth is, this is about more than just one advert. It’s about how companies treat the creative work that supports their brand. And whether they want to stand for something real—or something that just looks good on the page.
For anyone working in marketing, the message is clear: every choice you make shapes your brand’s identity. So make sure you’re not building something that only looks authentic from a distance.