The Salvation Army leveraged AI in a retail campaign last fall, aiming to boost store visits during the holiday season. Partnering with BarkleyOKRP, the campaign focused on creating urgency around thrift items by advertising recently sold, rare items instead of current stock. This approach tapped into the fear of missing out (FOMO), encouraging potential customers to act quickly. The team utilized AI tools, particularly Google’s Gemini and the image generator Nano Banana, to produce a high volume of polished, styled images in a short time frame. BarkleyOKRP's team faced the challenge of sifting through thousands of product photos. They used Gemini to evaluate these images, while Nano Banana helped create visually appealing images from basic inventory photos. The campaign resulted in a striking aesthetic that resembled high-end fashion editorials, impressing stakeholders with its quality. The campaign achieved a low cost per store visit of $11, and a click-through rate significantly higher than Google Display Network benchmarks, with over 58% of clicks leading to in-store searches. Tim McCracken from BarkleyOKRP emphasized the importance of viewing AI as a creative enabler rather than just a production tool. He urged creatives to treat it as a multiplier that can reveal deeper insights from existing data. As AI technology continues to evolve, he believes future campaigns will be even more personalized, enhancing the connection between consumers and retail experiences.