?? What's next for Fluent Devices in the age of AI?

Behind the Scenes: The Secret Lives of Advertising's Most Beloved Characters

As the creative application of AI technology revolutionises possibilities of what can be done with smaller budgets, is it time to peek behind the curtain of advertising's most iconic characters?

In an increasingly atomised world, System1 research reminds us that creative consistency is more vital than ever for building lasting memories with audiences. Combine this with the current surge in nostalgia-driven engagement, and we're presented with an intriguing opportunity: could Fluent Devices evolve to inhabit richer, more entertaining worlds? The answer is yes, and here's why..

What happens when the cameras stop rolling and these beloved mascots clock off??

With tools like @Google's VEO2, OpenAI's Sora, and Runway pushing the boundaries of animation and storytelling, we might finally get to answer these intriguing questions and in doing so, create rich, brand storytelling worlds audiences will engage with. Here's where I would take it.

The Hoffmeister Bear: After Hours

The smoothest bear in advertising hasn't lost his touch since the 90s. These days, he runs an underground jazz club in Shoreditch called "The Den," where he occasionally takes to the piano himself. His Instagram is a masterclass in effortless cool - think dim lighting, perfectly crafted cocktails, and vintage leather jackets. He's become something of a mentor to younger bears in the entertainment industry, teaching them his signature swagger. On Sunday afternoons, you might spot him in Columbia Road Flower Market, selecting roses for his club's tables while wearing his trademark bowtie. He still signs his emails "Follow the Bear," though now it's mostly about following his expertly curated Spotify playlists

The Double Life of the Honey Monster

Picture this: The Honey Monster, that beloved golden giant of breakfast cereal, returns to a cosy oversized flat in Brighton. He's actually a part-time yoga instructor, teaching "Gentle Giant" classes to nervous beginners. His students love how he mindfully demonstrates poses without knocking over the studio lights. At weekends, he volunteers at local apiaries, using his height advantage to help maintain hard-to-reach beehives. His Instagram would be filled with sunset beach meditation sessions and carefully composed shots of honey-drizzled breakfast bowls that never quite make it to the official Sugar Puffs campaign.

The Secret Lemonade Drinker's Day Job

Remember R Whites' legendary "Secret Lemonade Drinker"? During daylight hours, he's a respected sleep researcher at a London university, specialising in nocturnal behaviour patterns. His colleagues have no idea why he seems particularly interested in kitchen-related sleepwalking. He keeps a mini-fridge of R Whites in his office, hiding it behind academic papers and sleep journals. His research papers on "Nocturnal Hydration Patterns" have raised a few eyebrows in academic circles.

Aleksandr Orlov: The Meerkat Behind the Mansion

Compare the Market's Aleksandr Orlov might project an image of aristocratic luxury, but what's really going on at that mansion? Between commercial shoots, he runs a highly successful vintage smoking jacket restoration business on Etsy. His servant Sergei isn't just an employee - they're actually partners in a tech startup developing an app that helps small mammals find affordable insurance. The mansion's west wing has been converted into a co-working space for entrepreneurial rodents.

The Southern Comfort Man: Beyond the Beach

Remember that gloriously confident gentleman from the Southern Comfort "Whatever's Comfortable" campaign? When he's not strutting down beaches in his swimming trunks, he's actually a mindfulness coach specialising in body positivity and self-acceptance. His corporate workshops are legendary, often ending with suited executives learning to embrace their own swagger. His podcast "Comfortable in Your Own Skin" has a cult following, and his TikTok channel features daily affirmations delivered poolside. During winter, he runs a small but successful swimwear design business, specialising in styles for every body type. As fanciful as these might seen, there's a serious point. When Coca-Cola last Christmas re-hashed it’s famous holiday ad, it did nothing to advance the story. It was a facsimile in many ways, when I saw the opportunity to go a lot further

The AI Revolution: Bringing Characters to Life

With advanced AI tools reshaping creative possibilities, we could soon explore these characters' lives in unprecedented detail. Imagine entertainment properties that become the backbone for content harvesting. A new breed of branded entertainment, which doesn’t start with “guys ITV want to make a documentary about us”

The technology isn't just about creating content faster - it's about building deeper, richer character universes that can evolve with cultural moments and consumer interests. These AI tools could help brands maintain consistent character traits while exploring new narratives and platforms.?

Why This Matters for Brands

In an era where consumers crave authenticity and deeper connections with brands, these "off-duty" glimpses could become powerful engagement tools. They add layers of relatability to beloved characters while maintaining their core appeal. The nostalgia factor plays perfectly into current marketing trends, while AI technology makes it feasible to produce this content at scale.

The Entertainment Imperative

In 2025's hyper-fragmented media landscape, being entertaining isn't just an option - it's a survival strategy. With attention increasingly becoming our scarcest resource, brands must shift from interrupting entertainment to becoming entertainment. These AI-enabled character universes offer a powerful solution: they create persistent, entertaining narratives that consumers actively seek out rather than skip. The success of streaming platforms has trained audiences to expect rich, layered storytelling everywhere - including from brands. When a Honey Monster's yoga session or Aleksandr's startup struggles feel as engaging as the latest Netflix series, advertising transcends its traditional boundaries to become part of culture itself. This isn't just about being amusing - it's about creating valuable entertainment intellectual property that builds long-term brand equity whilst generating the short-term engagement metrics that modern marketing demands.

Who could win in this scenario?

Brands have the opportunity to look into their archive and pick out their most successful assets and deploy in a new way. Originality is often cited as a hindrance when using Ai in creative applications, but here we are feeding the beast with inputs that could create something magical.

As we look to the future of brand storytelling, these technological advances don't just offer efficiency - they open up entire universes of narrative possibility. Our beloved advertising characters could become more real, more relatable, and more engaging than ever before.

Perhaps it's time to look beyond the traditional constraints of advertising and ask: what other stories are waiting to be told? What other dimensions could we add to these iconic characters? The technology is ready - are brands brave enough to explore these new narrative territories?

About the author

Al Berry is a creative leader and brand storytelling maven, working at the intersection of culture, design, marketing and brand innovation. Accomplished in building transformative experiences that champion creativity to entertain consumers. His blend of strategic leadership, creative vision, and deep understanding of cultural trends and emerging technologies, position him as a leading force in the AI-enabled marketing landscape of 2025.