Mondelez International, the maker of Oreo, Ritz and Chips Ahoy! is betting big on generative AI to speed up and sharpen its global marketing efforts. The snacking major has developed a proprietary tool called AIDA (AI + Data) — a platform built over two years with an investment exceeding $40 million.
Launched in July, AIDA is already helping Mondelez produce digital ads faster, cheaper and with far greater personalization. The company believes the tool could eventually cut marketing-content creation costs by up to 50%, while enabling tailored campaigns for specific consumer segments across its portfolio.
Executives say the push toward AI is driven by the sheer volume of content needed to fuel modern, data-led marketing. Traditional production methods, they noted, simply can’t keep pace with today’s demand for rapid iterations, personalized messaging and multi-format digital assets.
“We need a different level of content volume to deliver personalization and drive engagement,” said Jennifer Mennes, global head of digital marketing and strategy at Mondelez. “AI isn’t a new strategy — it’s an enabler that lets us do more, faster.”
Early learnings and limitations
The tool is still being fine-tuned to handle the nuances of different categories. Mondelez says AIDA performs better with some products than others — for instance, generating realistic imagery for chocolate requires higher fidelity than for biscuits. The company is also training the system to avoid visuals or messages that conflict with brand guidelines, such as depictions of overindulgence.
The AI engine must also maintain accuracy in product representation — a challenge for food brands that rely heavily on appetizing visuals. Unlike CPG peers that advertise bottles or packs, Mondelez frequently features the food product itself, making precision critical.
“We have a responsibility to stay true to our brand and the quality standards consumers expect,” said Tina Vaswani, vice president of digital enablement and consumer data. “AI has promise, but it still has room to grow.”
Not fully autonomous
Despite AIDA’s speed, Mondelez emphasized that nothing bypasses human and legal review. All marketing assets generated through AIDA still go through the company’s standard approval workflows before reaching consumers.
What’s next for AIDA?
The company is now identifying the next set of business areas that could benefit from the platform. Its long-term plan is to scale the underlying AI infrastructure across more functions, using AIDA as a foundational system for future automation and content innovation.
For a company managing a vast snacking empire across continents, AIDA represents Mondelez’s clearest signal yet: the future of snack marketing will be faster, more personalized, and powered heavily by artificial intelligence.