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Shoppers Notice Artificiality in Ads: How a VK Survey Is Changing Product Photo Approaches

A survey by VK Ads and Hi-Tech Mail reveals a demand for natural-looking images. I examine where AI generation truly helps a store and where it distorts the customer's understanding of a purchase.

A ceramic mug and fabric on a table in a product photography setup
In this article

A product on an advertisement image may look flawless, yet the shopper doubts the material, lighting, or scale. In an online store, such skepticism is dangerous: a photograph must help the customer understand an item they cannot touch.

On September 3, 2026, VK Advertising and Hi-Tech Mail published the results of a survey of over 5,200 participants. 77% of respondents preferred ads without the use of neural networks, and 70% considered it unacceptable to distort the real properties of a product. These are answers from participants in a specific survey, not an accurate assessment of the opinion of all shoppers in Russia.

Realism begins with subject accuracy

For a product card, it is crucial to preserve the shape, color, material, and contents. If the generation adds an extra pocket, alters a connector, or makes the fabric denser, the issue extends beyond aesthetics. The buyer receives an incorrect impression of the purchase.

Backgrounds and environments can be enhanced only after verifying the item itself. It is useful to compare the result with the original photo at scale: edges, hardware, seams, reflections, and small details. The higher the cost of a selection error, the more important it is to show accurate details.

Not every product requires a complex scene. For items like mounts, cables, or replaceable filters, a clear angle and dimensions are often more useful than a beautiful interior. People in the frame are needed only when they help demonstrate usage or scale.

Separate product photography from illustrative concepts

An image for an article about lighting selection may show a hypothetical interior. A product card for a specific lamp must depict the exact model being sold. Requirements for one format cannot be transferred to the other.

If an image demonstrates a possible use case, this must be clear from the context. Do not create the appearance of a genuine customer review or a documentary shot of an event through fictional scenes.

A store benefits from a small, standardized shooting protocol: general view, key details, scale, and included accessories. This helps compare products and reduces reliance on random inspiration when preparing each product card.

Check for more than just clickability

An eye-catching shot may attract more clicks while simultaneously increasing disappointment after delivery. Therefore, image evaluation must account for customer questions, reasons for returns, and discrepancies between expectations and reality.

Start with a few products that customers most often ask about before ordering. Add exactly the missing angles and details. A good photograph answers the customer's question. The technology used to prepare it becomes secondary when the store clearly shows what it sells.

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