Zalando’s session at OMR 2025 was a sharp look at how Europe's largest fashion platform is transforming content production. Matthias Haase, VP Content Solutions, shared how the company is using AI to meet rising customer expectations—faster, more contextually, and with fewer returns.
1. Gen Z arrives to explore, not to buy
“These younger customers… are on an inspirational journey, and they are making their buying decisions during this journey.”
Zalando is responding by shifting away from standard packshots and toward contextual, lifestyle visuals. Informative video and editorial-style photography help Gen Z shoppers connect with products in a way that reflects how they actually browse.
“We clearly see an increasing engagement, and we see a clear reduction in return rates.”
2. Content in 72 hours, not 6 weeks
Zalando’s reactive content team tracks micro-trends, feeds insights into GenAI systems, and publishes new creative assets in a matter of hours.
“We are able to reproduce and regenerate content—some even within the same day.”
The reactive setup allows the team to meet customers where their attention is—on trends that may not last beyond the weekend.
3. A new structure for storytelling
Haase outlined four categories in Zalando’s new content model:
- High-production campaigns
- Creator-led content
- Weekly editorial storytelling
- GenAI reactive content for trend-driven moments
Each layer builds on the other and allows Zalando to shift between brand-building and responsiveness without changing its infrastructure.
“We implemented GenAI technologies in these physical productions and empower our creative people to really leave the physical borders behind them.”
4. AI helps make content feel personal
GenAI has helped Zalando create tailored experiences across channels. This has translated into measurable results, especially in advertising.
“By using a technology to be able to produce personal, relevant content, we are increasing the engagement.”
5. Digital twins are already live
To reduce the gap between shoot and launch, Zalando now creates digital replicas of models. These digital twins allow them to extend the use of campaign assets long after filming ends.
“We are able to create a digital twin of our campaign models… and it’s hard to say which one is the original and which not.”
“The digital twin… belongs to the model, and the marketing rights are managed by the classic model agency.”
This allows the team to localise content, respond to last-minute inventory updates, or refresh creatives without another shoot.
6. Output isn’t the goal
The KPIs have shifted. What matters now is how the content performs, not how much gets made.
“We look especially at time spent… we are looking into how less do customers return.”
“Those who are not as happy… reflect, ‘I don’t like to return a product.’”
Lower return rates, stronger engagement, and positive feedback in NPS reports now signal success.
7. The creative team isn’t going anywhere
Haase addressed concerns about automation head-on. Zalando isn’t downsizing studios—it’s equipping teams with tools to meet rising content demands.
“We are not replacing a creative mind with technology… it empowers creative talent, giving that creative talent more hands.”
“We develop our own ERP system to make the AI accessible for everyone.”
Stylists, photographers, and art directors are staying in the loop, now collaborating with generative systems to accelerate production while staying true to Zalando’s visual identity.
So what?
Zalando isn’t just testing GenAI—they’re operationalising it. The model they’ve built moves beyond pilots and prototypes. It's already producing weekly campaigns, real-time reactions, and scalable creative assets. For any brand still debating how to “experiment with AI,” Zalando’s message is clear: stop experimenting—start integrating.