Polaroid Taps Anti-AI Marketing, Targets Data Center Water Use

Polaroid is running an ad that tells people to enjoy the outdoors "before the data centers drink it all up." The campaign, called "the best of summer is analog," is the latest from the 89-year-old camera company, which has leaned into anti-AI messaging in recent years.

The ad shows a person jumping into a lake, with a voiceover warning that data centers powering artificial intelligence consume vast amounts of water for cooling. Polaroid is positioning its instant cameras as an alternative to AI-generated images, which require server farms that draw on local water supplies.

The company has run similar campaigns before. In 2023, it released a spot called "The Polaroid Bill of Rights," which argued that analog photography preserves authenticity in an era of AI-generated content. The new ad extends that message by tying it to environmental costs.

Polaroid is privately held and does not disclose financial results. The brand has been revived under new ownership since its 2008 bankruptcy, focusing on nostalgia and physical media as digital and AI tools proliferate.

The ad is running on social media and streaming platforms. Polaroid did not respond to a request for comment on the campaign's production cost or expected reach.