Athletes: contract first, generation second
Endorsement deals specify media, territory, term and approvals, and many were written before generated likeness was practical, so they often do not cover it. Before creating any digital version of a sponsored athlete, agree a specific amendment: what may be generated, where it can run, for how long, who approves each asset and what happens to the model afterwards. Without a contract, a recognisable athlete in an ad can amount to a false endorsement. English courts found exactly that in a 2002 case where a photo of a racing driver was altered to show him holding the advertiser's radio. In the US, college athletes can now license their name, image and likeness, which brings younger talent, and more first-time contracts, into play.
Clubs, leagues and event windows
Crests, kits, stadium names, league logos and trophies are trade marks and licensed properties, and a generated scene that shows a recognisable kit or stadium implies a partnership the brand may not have. Official partner status is sold, and rights holders police it closely, especially around major events. The Olympic Charter's Rule 40 limits how participating athletes appear in non-sponsor advertising during the Games period, under guidelines set by each national Olympic committee, and host countries often pass event-specific laws against ambush marketing. Generation makes ambush easy by accident: a crowd in team colours, a familiar skyline, a trophy shape. Brief what must not appear, and check event calendars before a campaign runs.
Bodies, results and claims
Fitness advertising sells change, and change is what regulators scrutinise. Before-and-after images must be genuine and representative, so a generated 'after' body is fabricated evidence. The UK CAP Code's weight-control section forbids claiming precise weight loss within a stated period, or loss from specific parts of the body. Norway has required a label on ads with retouched body shape, size or skin since July 2022, and France requires 'photographie retouchée' on commercial images where a model's silhouette has been altered. Performance claims, such as faster, stronger or better recovery, need the same evidence whether they sit on a shoe, an app or a programme.
Technique, safety and the training library
Generated exercise imagery fails in ways a coach spots instantly: knees caving in a squat, a rounded back on a deadlift, a kettlebell gripped wrongly, a heavy bench press without a spotter, machines that do not exist. Those images do not just look amateur; they teach unsafe movement. Have a qualified coach review every exercise demonstration, and prefer real footage for technique that people will copy. Where generation helps is volume around the programme: thumbnails, localised captions and voice-over, seasonal variants, versions for different equipment. The studio's saved elements keep the kit, sets and graphics consistent across a whole training library, so the hundredth video matches the first.
Updated 25 September 2026 · General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current text with your legal team before relying on it.