From Prompt to Primetime: PJ Ace’s AI Breakout

C-Suite Notes: The latest Kalshi ad produced by PJ Ace is a case study in how a creative director's instincts and command of AI tools can disrupt traditional production economics and a reminder that tech doesn’t replace talent. It rewards those who know how to wield it creatively, especially when the tone is as unhinged as the tools are powerful.

“I was working in my underwear—and making real money.”

A commercial film director PJ ACE (also going by PJ Accetturo) has exploded into the spotlight after creating a surreal, low-budget, AI-generated ad that aired during the NBA Finals. It cost just $2,000, took two days to make, and garnered 18 million views within 48 hours—shaking up assumptions about what it takes to produce viral video content.

But make no mistake: this success didn’t come from pushing a few buttons.

PJ ACE: From Creative Veteran to AI Power User

Accetturo is no newcomer. With 15+ years as a commercial director under his belt, he didn’t stumble into this moment—he directed it. His recent breakout came not just from using generative AI, but from knowing how to art-direct AI with the same precision he brought to live-action productions.

“Just because this was cheap doesn’t mean anyone can do it this quickly or effectively,” he wrote in his newsletter. “You still need experience to make it look like a real commercial.”

He continued:

“I’ve been a director 15+ years, and just because something can be done quickly, doesn’t mean it’ll come out great. But it can—if you have the right team.”

His process blended traditional creative tools like editing suites with cutting-edge AI: Gemini for scripting and prompting, Google Veo 3 for video generation, and ChatGPT for refining prompts and creative direction.

A Dog Ad, a Bet—and a Broadcast

It all began with a parody ad for a fictional dog antidepressant—produced entirely using AI. The next day, Kalshi, a U.S.-legal prediction market, reached out. They needed a viral commercial in just a few days, to air during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Accetturo pitched a GTA-style concept loaded with street-level absurdity: raw visuals, bizarre characters, and chaotic energy. As he put it: “Unhinged street interviews are Veo 3’s bread and butter right now.”

The final ad depicted wild scenarios: Floridians betting on eggs, hurricanes, and aliens—all presented in absurd, GTA-inspired fashion. It struck a chord with viewers, with millions watching the segment live during the Finals broadcast.

Absurdity as a Strategy

Accetturo's creative direction suggests a belief that absurdity and surrealism are especially well-suited to the current limitations—and strengths—of AI video. With AI still struggling to produce photo-real consistency or coherent realism, unhinged and outlandish concepts allow creators to turn those quirks into features rather than flaws.

His Kalshi spot embraced this fully: odd camera angles, nonsensical settings, and mismatched visual logic. While AI struggles with realism and nuance, Accetturo leans into the weird. The result was content that felt as unpredictable as it was unforgettable—a tone that seems to resonate particularly well in the early AI content ecosystem. His creative thesis? Absurdity isn’t a glitch—it’s the aesthetic:“I guarantee you that everyone will copy this soon,” he wrote about his surrealist approach to Veo-generated content.

This creative stance—matching the medium’s quirks with surreal storytelling—allowed him to flip technical limitations into cultural capital.

And it worked. He describes shooting the Kalshi ad as: “It was just aired on TV a few minutes ago, alongside $400K+ 2-month-long productions, and this took me 2 days, costing a lot less. But most importantly, I got to stay in my underwear for the entire shoot.”

How He Did It (and How Others Might)

The Kalshi ad was produced with roughly 300–400 AI generations to yield 15 usable clips—crafted over just two days. Accetturo’s workflow:

1. Write a rough script

2. Use Gemini to convert it into prompts and shot lists

3. Generate scenes in Veo 3

4. Edit in CapCut, Premiere, or FCPX

He emphasizes precision in prompting: “Each prompt should fully describe the scene as if Veo 3 has no context of the shot before or after it… Re-describe the setting, the character, and the tone every time to maintain consistency.”

He even includes fine-tuning tricks: avoid describing background music (“or it’ll be mixed super loud”), and use accents explicitly in the prompt for better alignment.

Despite the tech, the human element—his eye for comedy, visual pacing, and tonal control—remains central.

Takeaways for Brand Leaders:

The next phase of advertising isn’t big-budget broadcast spots—it’s small teams creating viral, brand-adjacent content weekly, delivering “80 to 90 percent of the results for way less,” like Accetturo puts it. The Kalshi ad case isn't just an AI story—it’s a reminder that tech doesn’t replace talent. It rewards those who know how to wield it creatively, especially when the tone is as unhinged as the tools are powerful.