Gen-AI in Branding & Design

As we marked the first anniversary of Chat-GPT on November 30th, 2023, the tech world buzzed with the drama at OpenAI during Sam Altman’s dismissal and subsequent reinstatement, coupled with a significant reshuffling of the board. This corporate saga merely skims the surface of the transformative wave unleashed by gen-AI over the past year.

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By Brian Wilson, A.I. Catalyst | Generative AI Educator for Creative Professionals | Brand Architect

In this era of technological displacement, those of us in Branding & Design face a crucial inquiry: How will gen-AI redefine our craft, and how might gen-AI revolutionize your own creative processes by opening new avenues for innovation and creativity? 

I will walk you through one scenario integrating gen-AI into a creative workflow, transforming the tool from a novel concept into a tangible asset in your professional toolkit. 

Consider ChatGPT

Branding professionals understand that valuable assets are more than pretty pictures and nifty terms. Use of generic prompts will yield uninspired results, because Chat-GPT is limited to the knowledge you give it.  Professionally targeted use of Chat-GPT conjures its true power.  A pre-made prompt might yield a wordy answer back from Chat-GPT, but more words, even well-written, do not equal more impact. Imagine directing a junior designer to “build me a logo for client XYZ” and not providing any further context. Even if we added “do it in the style of Saul Bass”, we know Saul Bass would not just doodle a shape and call it good without first acquiring more information. 

Taking a thoughtful approach to ChatGPT, I began by giving it insights. Then I had it reference what I’d shared, and give its observations back to me. This is how I began experiencing the power of the TOOL with the Human Element.

I am not referencing the Large Language Models exclusively, rather the focused and specific elements relevant to my client and current project parameters. Avoid vague or generalized phrasing in your prompts. Get specific and provide a customized framework of information you wish the platform to reference. Think of this as a conversation between a knowledgeable teacher and a curious student.  I share my Brand Strategy session, typed and formatted, to ChatGPT. Then I converse with the app about the information I am giving it. My Brand Strategy, includes a series of questions that explore and clarify the client’s Culture, Customer, Voice, Feel, Impact and X-Factor.  

Let’s say that we have a pretend soap brand for which we have defined the following Brand Attributes:

Culture: Artisanal, Professional, Trusted, Scientific, Hygienic, Reliable.

Customer:  Detail-oriented, hygiene-conscious professionals who value quality and effectiveness in grooming products, Health-conscious, meticulous medical professionals seeking effective and safe cleanliness solutions.

Voice: Knowledgeable, Confident, and Refined, Authoritative, Informative, Trustworthy

Feel: Luxurious, Invigorating, and Refreshing

Impact: Superior cleanliness, enhanced grooming experience, and skin nourishment.

X_Factor: Unmatched quality with a unique blend of natural ingredients tailored for professional grooming needs, Advanced antiseptic properties and endorsement by medical professionals, setting a new standard in medical hygiene.

In this dynamic intersection of technology and creativity, you can see how gen-AI, when guided with precision and insight, complements and significantly elevates our branding strategies. Embracing this era of technological innovation, it’s clear that the fusion of human creativity with the prowess of gen-AI offers an unparalleled frontier for us in Branding & Design, transforming our workflows and the very essence of how we connect brands with their audiences.