Google and Omnicom Test Video Ads with AI Before Launch

Google and Omnicom Advertising have launched a joint AI-powered creative intelligence system that scores video ads before they go live, giving creative teams specific fixes rather than vague post-campaign feedback. The partnership debuted in the Middle East in April 2026, with UAE telecoms provider du the first brand to use it.

Two AI Layers, One System

The system stacks two separate AI tools.

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The first is Google's ABCD framework, a set of four principles for evaluating whether a video ad is likely to perform well on YouTube:

• Attention: Does it hook viewers in the first few seconds?
• Branding: Is the brand memorable throughout?
• Connection: Does it create emotional resonance?
• Direction: Does it tell people what to do next?

Google built an AI detector tool that scores ads against these four pillars automatically.

Omnicom added its own layer on top. Its proprietary AI agent, called Brave Bot, pushes back on creative work from a different angle. It challenges whether an ad is distinctive enough, culturally relevant, and genuinely breaking conventions rather than playing it safe.

When both systems flag the same moment in an ad, that is a strong signal something needs fixing. The system does not just identify the problem. It prescribes a fix. A note like "it feels slow" becomes a specific instruction: "tighten the first five seconds, add an early brand mention, strengthen the call-to-action in both audio and on-screen."

A third layer handles regional cultural intelligence. The AI helps creative teams assess whether the tone and human relationships shown in an ad feel right for the target market.

du Pilots the System Across Ten Video Assets

UAE telecoms company du was the first brand to run its campaigns through the system. The AI analyzed ten video assets and surfaced problems that human reviewers had missed, including gaps in brand presence, pacing, and emotional connection.

Scores ranged widely. Some ads scored 44%, signaling major structural problems across all four ABCD pillars. Others reached 80%, indicating strong performance. The system gave specific guidance on each one.

For du, the value was not just the diagnosis. It was the speed.

"In a competitive market like ours, creative work has to cut through fast," said Ibrahim Al Mayahi Al Nuaimi, Vice President, Brand and Marketing Communication at du. "This system gives us clarity on what's actually driving performance. It doesn't just tell us what's wrong, it shows us how to fix it. As a result, we're seeing stronger creative and faster turnarounds, which means we can be more agile in how we show up for our customers."

AMET First, Global Rollout Next

This is the first time Google's ABCD AI detector has been customized and deployed in the Africa, Middle East, and Turkey (AMET) region. Omnicom describes the Middle East pilot as the blueprint for a global rollout.

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The next step is expanding across the full AMET region, followed by a worldwide rollout. The companies are also exploring whether the same framework can apply to social video, connected TV, and digital-out-of-home advertising.

Noah Khan, Chief Innovation Officer at Omnicom Advertising for Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, said the goal is not automation. "We're not using AI to make the work more automated. We're using it to make the work more intentional, and to make sure every great idea delivers a great result."

For marketing and communications leaders across Asia Pacific, the signal is clear. Omnicom is embedding AI into the earliest stage of the creative process, before a single dollar is spent on media. If the global rollout follows the Middle East blueprint, AI-powered pre-testing could become a standard step in how agency campaigns get made and approved.