Prada has never been a fashion house particularly interested in doing things the conventional way. From turning industrial nylon into a luxury statement to collaborating with some of cinema's most distinctive filmmakers, the Italian brand has built much of its identity around challenging expectations of what luxury should look and feel like. Its advertising has often reflected that philosophy, treating campaigns as opportunities for artistic expression rather than simply presenting beautiful clothes and accessories.
Founded in Milan in 1913 by Mario Prada, the brand began as a leather goods business before undergoing a significant transformation under Miuccia Prada, who took over the family business in the late 1970s. Her approach helped establish Prada as a fashion house associated with intellectual curiosity, experimentation and an unconventional understanding of beauty. Over time, these qualities have become just as recognisable in the brand's advertising as they are in its collections.
Some of Prada's most memorable campaigns demonstrate this willingness to approach advertising differently. Its 2013 short film Castello Cavalcanti, directed by Wes Anderson, brought the filmmaker's distinctive visual storytelling into the world of luxury fashion, while the Prada 365 campaign series, introduced in 2017, challenged the traditional seasonal advertising format by presenting collections through several different visual narratives. More recently, its Galleria campaign featuring Scarlett Johansson, directed by Jonathan Glazer, explored the craft of acting and the relationship between performance and identity.
These campaigns share an interest in creative expression that extends beyond the products themselves, which makes Prada's latest holiday campaign, Drawing Prada, an interesting continuation of an established approach rather than a complete departure from it.
Released in November 2026, the campaign brings together photography by Glen Luchford and traditional hand-drawn animation led by John Pomeroy, a former Disney animator. Featuring Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Luther Ford and Chen Haoyu, it places the celebrities within a whimsical winter setting where illustrated animals interact with Prada accessories, mice carry shoes and familiar festive scenes take on the appearance of an animated storybook.
The result is playful, nostalgic and visually distinctive, but the decision to use traditional animation is also central to what Prada wants the campaign to communicate. Although these days, brands are increasingly experimenting with AI-generated advertising, but Prada has chosen to draw attention to the time, skill and human involvement required to create something by hand.
Alongside the campaign, the brand released a behind-the-scenes film showing the artists at work, with Pomeroy discussing the importance of preserving traditional animation techniques and passing those skills on to future generations. The creative process therefore becomes part of the campaign's message, allowing Prada to connect its celebration of artistic craftsmanship with the wider conversation about the role of human creativity in an increasingly automated industry.
One of the strongest aspects of Drawing Prada is how the creative execution supports the values the brand is trying to communicate. Prada has long positioned craftsmanship, artistic expression and attention to detail as important parts of its identity, so the decision to collaborate with an experienced traditional animator feels appropriate. Rather than simply producing a campaign about the importance of human creativity, the brand has invested in a production process that demonstrates the skill and artistic judgement behind the finished work.
The combination of photography and hand-drawn animation is particularly effective because the contrast between the two techniques gives the campaign its visual character. The illustrated animals and whimsical settings introduce a sense of imagination that feels different from conventional luxury advertising, while the photographic elements ensure that the celebrities and Prada products remain recognisable.
The imperfections and individual characteristics associated with traditional illustration makes it much more appealing, and that’s what the campaign captures. These qualities can make creative work feel more personal, particularly when audiences are increasingly exposed to digital imagery that can be produced and reproduced at scale.
However, the behind-the-scenes film is arguably where the campaign becomes most interesting because without it, audiences might simply see another beautifully produced festive advertisement featuring celebrities and animated characters. By showing the artists developing the illustrations and discussing their techniques, Prada gives viewers a reason to appreciate the work beyond its visual appearance. This is an important distinction because the campaign is also encouraging audiences to consider the people, decisions and expertise involved in bringing that idea to life.
The campaign arrives during a period of growing debate about the use of generative AI in advertising, particularly around originality, authenticity and the value of human creative work. As AI tools become more accessible, brands can produce sophisticated visual content more quickly and potentially at a lower cost. While this creates opportunities for experimentation and efficiency, it also raises questions about what makes advertising distinctive when similar production capabilities are available to almost everyone.
Consumer attitudes are becoming an increasingly important part of this conversation. Research published by the Interactive Advertising Bureau has highlighted growing scepticism towards AI-generated advertising among younger audiences, suggesting that brands need to think carefully about how the technology influences perceptions of authenticity and trust.
Prada's response does not make an explicit argument against AI but places traditional creative skills at the centre of the campaign and allows audiences to recognise their value. This approach reflects a wider trend sometimes described as effort signalling, where brands make the time, labour and expertise behind creative work more visible. The idea is that consumers may place greater value on something when they understand the effort and skill involved in producing it.
For a luxury brand, this connection is particularly relevant because luxury products often command higher prices partly because of the craftsmanship, heritage and specialist knowledge associated with their creation. By extending that same appreciation to its advertising, Prada reinforces a value that already sits close to the heart of its brand.
The challenge, however, is that showing how much effort went into creating something does not automatically make the finished work more meaningful to consumers. Although Drawing Prada is beautifully executed, there is a question about whether the campaign's strongest idea is the story being told or the process used to tell it.
The animated animals, snowy settings and interactions with Prada accessories create an engaging festive atmosphere, but the narrative itself is relatively familiar. Whimsical illustrations and storybook-inspired worlds have been part of luxury advertising for many years, particularly during the holiday season.
What makes Prada's campaign relevant is therefore less about the originality of the festive story and more about the deliberate decision to celebrate traditional animation at a time when AI-generated content is receiving considerable attention. That is not necessarily a weakness, but it does create a potential limitation. If audiences need to watch the behind-the-scenes film to understand what makes the campaign particularly significant, the main creative execution may not communicate the full message on its own. There is also the risk that the conversation around human creativity becomes another marketing trend. As more brands begin highlighting handmade processes and traditional artistic techniques, the approach could lose some of its distinctiveness, particularly if it becomes a visual style that brands adopt without demonstrating a meaningful commitment to the people behind the work.
Although John Pomeroy receives recognition for his contribution, the campaign could have given greater visibility to the wider creative team and the individual decisions involved in developing the illustrations. Exploring how characters were created, how the animation evolved and what the artists brought from their own experiences would have made the human element even more central to the storytelling. It would also have created opportunities for additional content beyond the main campaign, allowing audiences to engage with the creative process in greater depth. If the campaign is intended to celebrate the value of human creativity, giving the people responsible for that creativity a more prominent role would strengthen the message.
Prada is not the only luxury brand recognising the value of making human creativity visible. Hermès has consistently incorporated illustration, animation and handmade artistic work into its brand storytelling, often using creative content that draws attention to the processes and skills involved in producing something by hand.
Recent examples include social content featuring miniature creations, illustrated characters and artistic interpretations of the brand's recognisable symbols. These executions reflect a broader approach in which craftsmanship is not simply a subject for individual campaigns but an established part of how the brand communicates.
The distinction is important because Hermès has spent years building an identity around the expertise of its artisans and the processes behind its products. Its creative content therefore reinforces something audiences already associate with the brand, rather than introducing craftsmanship as a response to a particular cultural conversation.
Prada has a similarly strong heritage of artistic collaboration, but Drawing Prada presents an opportunity to make those creative relationships more visible and consistent across its communications.
Luxury haircare brand Oribe, for example, has collaborated with artists to create distinctive holiday packaging, bringing the creative process into the physical products consumers purchase. This establishes a more direct relationship between the artistic work featured in the campaign and the customer experience.
Meanwhile, brands experimenting with AI-generated imagery, including Gucci and Valentino, have faced criticism from some audiences who question the originality and authenticity of the work.
These different approaches highlight the fact that the debate is not simply about whether brands should use AI or traditional creative techniques. It is about whether the chosen approach feels appropriate for the brand and contributes something meaningful to the message being communicated.
A handcrafted campaign can still feel predictable, just as a campaign developed with AI assistance can demonstrate originality and creative thinking. The technology or production technique alone does not determine the quality of the idea.
Prada has created a campaign that fits naturally with its artistic heritage, but there is an opportunity to develop the idea beyond the festive season.
One possibility would be to create a series of short films exploring the individual artists and specialists involved in its campaigns. Rather than focusing exclusively on the finished visuals, these stories could examine the creative decisions, techniques and experiences that shape the work.
This would give audiences a closer relationship with the people behind Prada's creative output while reinforcing the brand's longstanding association with artistic experimentation.
The brand could also explore collaborations with emerging illustrators and animators, creating opportunities for younger creatives to learn from established practitioners such as Pomeroy. This would make the campaign's message about preserving traditional skills more tangible, particularly given the emphasis on passing craftsmanship to future generations.
There is also potential to connect the artistic processes used in Prada's advertising more closely with the craftsmanship behind its products. Bringing together the perspectives of animators, designers and artisans could help audiences understand how creativity operates across different parts of the brand.
These approaches would require additional investment, but they could help transform a seasonal campaign into a more sustained expression of Prada's creative philosophy.
The important consideration is consistency. If brands want audiences to believe that human creativity is something they genuinely value, that commitment needs to extend beyond the moments when it is culturally fashionable to celebrate it.
The wider lesson from Drawing Prada is not that brands need to abandon AI or invest in expensive handcrafted advertising to connect with consumers.
Prada has the resources, creative relationships and established artistic identity to make this approach work, but the same production model would not necessarily be appropriate or achievable for every business.
What other brands can learn is the importance of identifying the human expertise and perspectives that make their work distinctive.
For some, this might mean giving designers and creative teams greater visibility. For others, it could involve documenting product development, collaborating with independent artists or showing customers the people responsible for delivering a service.
These approaches do not necessarily require large production budgets. In many cases, the most interesting stories already exist within a business but are rarely included in its marketing.
Brands should also consider how their creative choices relate to the experiences and expectations of their audiences. If consumers are becoming more sceptical about AI-generated advertising, the response should not simply be to replace digital imagery with something that looks handmade.
Instead, marketers need to understand what is driving those concerns. Is it a lack of originality, uncertainty about how content is produced, the perceived replacement of creative professionals or a broader desire for more authentic brand communication?
Each concern requires a different response, and simply adopting a handcrafted aesthetic may not address the underlying issue.
There is also a commercial consideration. Traditional animation and other specialist creative processes can require considerable time and resources, so brands need to be clear about what they want those investments to achieve.
A campaign should not be considered effective simply because it took longer to produce. Its success still depends on whether the creative idea communicates something relevant, strengthens the brand and connects with the intended audience.
What makes Drawing Prada worth discussing is how it brings an established part of the brand's identity into a contemporary conversation about creativity and technology.
Prada has not suddenly discovered the value of artistic collaboration. Its history demonstrates a longstanding interest in bringing together fashion, cinema, design and other creative disciplines. What has changed is the context in which those collaborations are being viewed.
As generative AI becomes increasingly common in advertising, the visibility of human creative work may become more meaningful to audiences who are questioning how the content they encounter is produced.
Prada has recognised that opportunity and used it to reinforce an existing brand value, which is a more credible approach than attempting to adopt an entirely new identity simply because a particular subject is attracting attention.
Nevertheless, the campaign also illustrates the limitations of relying on craftsmanship as a differentiator. As more brands begin celebrating traditional techniques and showing their creative processes, audiences may become less impressed by the fact that something was made by hand and more interested in whether the work itself offers something original.
For Prada, the strength of Drawing Prada is that its creative approach feels consistent with the brand's heritage, while its weakness is that the story behind the production may be more compelling than the festive narrative itself.
The campaign succeeds in making human creativity visible, but it could have been stronger if the artists and their individual contributions had played a more prominent role in the overall storytelling.
Ultimately, Prada's latest campaign demonstrates that innovation in advertising does not always require adopting the newest technology. Sometimes it comes from recognising the relevance of skills, ideas and creative traditions that already exist.
For marketers, the more useful question is not whether human creativity is better than AI, but how brands can use both creative expertise and emerging technology without losing the originality and perspective that make their communications distinctive.
As more brands gain access to similar tools and production capabilities, the real competitive advantage may not lie in how content is created, but in the quality of the thinking behind it and the people who make those ideas worth remembering.
