AI gets thrown around as the answer to cutting costs and speeding things up. Michelle Reeves, Co-founder and CEO of Zipline AI, has a different take. “AI should never replace the relationship”, she says. “It should free us up to focus more on what really matters to customers”. In other words, the real opportunity isn’t to automate customers out of the picture: it’s to pull them in closer.
Co-Creation Keeps Customers Engaged
When brands let customers co-create, something clicks. In Zipline’s early tests with Gucci and Disney, average site time jumped from 54 seconds to 11 minutes, with some people hanging around for 45 minutes. One campaign had fans designing sneakers based on Inside Out characters. Suddenly, sad sneakers and angry sneakers weren’t just products, they were badges of pride. Shoppers walked away saying, “That’s my shoe”.
That’s a level of connection no email campaign can touch.
Gen Z Wants To Shape, Not Just Shop
Michelle points to a staggering stat: Gen Z spent 58 billion hours last year creating digital products and content. They aren’t waiting for brands to hand them the keys. They’re already designing, remixing and experimenting. If that energy isn’t captured inside a brand’s ecosystem, it leaks out into TikTok feeds and bootleg versions. Brands that open the door aren’t just playing with user-generated content, they’re tapping into the raw passion that fuels long-term loyalty.
But this idea isn’t just isolated to Zipline. Pet Circle showed how semi-automated customer care can feel human when it’s done thoughtfully: offering donation options for excess pet food instead of just a discount. Good Pair Days built a recommendation engine that acts like Spotify for wine, leaving customers with the sense that the brand “gets” them. Both prove the same point Michelle is making: AI works best when it’s designed for engagement, not just efficiency.
Data Disguised As Play
Michelle calls Zipline “an analytics tool disguised as a creative playground”. While customers are busy having fun designing shoes or packaging, brands are collecting data that can fuel hyper-personalised offers. Instead of a blanket 10% off, you can serve up navy-and-green collections to the customer who uses those colours in every design. That’s the kind of touch that turns browsers into repeat buyers.
Flip The Script On AI
If there’s one thing to take from today’s Playbook, it’s this: don’t lead with efficiency. Flip the script. Use AI to connect, to engage, to get customers creating. The efficiencies and sales will follow, but only if customers have a reason to care. For ecommerce operators, the lesson is clear: AI isn’t a shortcut, it’s a stage. Put customers in the spotlight and they’ll keep showing up.
In this Playbook:
- How Zipline AI helps brands like Disney, Gucci and Hugo Boss use co-creation to boost engagement
- Why Gen Z spends billions of hours creating digital products and what it means for brand loyalty
- How Pet Circle used semi-automation to turn a “dog on a diet” moment into customer care gold
- Why Good Pair Days built a Spotify-style recommendation engine for wine lovers
- The power of treating AI as a creative playground that secretly collects high-value customer data
🎧 Listen to the full Playbook with Michelle Reeves from Zipline AI now on Add To Cart.
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