I'm with the brand!
The Power of Branding in the Age of AI
With the relentless rise of AI-driven automation, I find myself thinking more and more about the power of brand. In today’s marketing landscape, we recognize that both performance marketing and brand-building matter, yet they rarely meet in a way that truly resonates. "Sales overnight" is driven by spend, fluctuating up and down like a yo-yo. But brand-building? That’s a long game—harder, yet infinitely more powerful. So in this new world, what comes first: the product or the brand? The chicken or the egg?
A Lifelong Love for Brands
I’ve been a massive fan of brands for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories of branding comes from a classic Holden commercial, which, at the time, we all thought was an ad about Australia that happened to include Holden. But as it turns out, it wasn’t as uniquely Australian as I had once believed. Adapted from a Chevrolet campaign in the U.S., the jingle—"We love football, meat pies, kangaroos, and Holden cars"—was designed to tug at patriotic heartstrings, solidifying Holden as the ultimate Aussie brand against its American rival, Ford.
Growing up, the rivalry between Holden and Ford was ingrained in my consciousness. It wasn’t just about cars; it was about loyalty, identity, and the fanatical belief that one brand stood above the other. We lived this rivalry on the racetrack at Bathurst and Mount Panorama (the Nascar of Oz), where these brands became more than vehicles—they were symbols.
Fast forward to today, and Holden no longer ranks in the top ten car brands in Australia. Toyota holds the top spot, followed by Ford, with the remaining positions dominated by Asian brands—Mazda, Kia, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, MG, Isuzu, Nissan, and GWM. Not a single Aussie brand in sight. What happened? It wasn’t just about the cars; it was about the failure to maintain brand belief, innovation, and a compelling narrative.
AI and the New Age of Creativity
In today’s digital era, AI has become an incredible enabler. It allows dreamers to dream faster, unlocking unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. Yet, as powerful as AI is, I still see commercial use cases where AI-generated design and content feel sterile and uninspired. This stems from a development culture focused on speed—more assets, more data, more targeting, more refinement. Sound familiar? We saw this in the programmatic ad era, where "tonnage" ruled the game.
But what if the biggest opportunity in AI isn’t in speed, but in meaning?
The Intersection of AI and Brand Power
AI is here to stay, and its impact on the digital landscape goes far beyond creative production. Search is changing before our eyes. Google is prioritizing AI-generated results, and ChatGPT referral traffic has skyrocketed by 2,490% in a single month for some brands. AI Overview now appears above traditional search results for 1 in 4 queries. Established brands with strong SEO are seeing traffic fluctuate by as much as 30%, proving that AI isn’t a passing trend—it’s a paradigm shift.
Even copyright law is adapting. AI-generated content now holds ownership rights as long as human input is involved. But while AI redefines content creation, it also reinforces the need for strong, human-driven branding.
The Case for Brand Evolution
But while this shift is happening, there is strong recommendation to continue building on the fundamentals of brand beyond just story and performance.
I have a Shingism—a term I call "Designalogue"—where you can build a brand without all the usual components, but rather through design elements that create a brand dialogue. I love doing these tests with audiences all the time, which confirms this: show them logos without the brand names, play a brand sound without the brand logo, or display a tagline without context—almost 100% of the time, they get it. Why? Because these brands have been built momentum over time, embedding subtle, subliminal messaging into culture.
Take Heinz, for example. They recently showcased their tagline differently: "It has to be..."—a powerful nod to brand recognition, making Heinz the supporting cast member while ensuring their product remains front and center. That’s the power of a strong brand.
If you ask anyone about the Jaguar brand in the past, most would think of the XJS, the XJ12, or the legendary E-Type Jag—bold, iconic designs. Yet, when Jaguar showcased their rebrand without directly tying it to their new car designs, it felt disconnected. The same critique was leveled at Kia’s rebrand; initially controversial, but in the context of their new car lineup, the old Kia logo now feels outdated.
Rebranding doesn’t always require a radical overhaul. Smart brand evolution, like Rocket Mortgage’s refresh or Walmart’s iconography and typography update, may seem subtle (like they just found the bold key!), but this can reinvigorate not only consumer perception but also internal teams. A well-executed brand update gives a company permission to make bolder creative choices and reinforces a brand’s relevance in a rapidly shifting world.
Some other rebrands of 2024 illustrate this balance beautifully:
RSPCA modernized its look while preserving its mission, blending bold colors and stylized animal icons for a contemporary feel.
L'eggs revived its retro aesthetic, proving that nostalgia, when done right, can be a powerful brand asset.
Audi took a radical approach for China, replacing its iconic four rings with a minimalist wordmark to appeal to a younger audience.
Oatly—One of the most celebrated rebrands of the past decade, so this isn't 2024 but it feels like it could be. Oatly transformed from a simple oat milk company into a challenger brand. Their 2012 rebrand where only the name survived, it was more than a logo update; it was a complete reinvention, making Oatly human, relatable, and full of personality. Every design choice, from the font to the witty messaging, reflected a brand that was humorous, smart, and creative—standing out in the otherwise sterile alternative milk category. The brand continues to evolve, staying fresh while maintaining its distinct, irreverent identity.
Branding and AI: The Perfect Symbiosis
The future of marketing isn’t AI or branding—it’s both. AI brings unparalleled efficiency, but branding provides the depth, trust, and emotional resonance that technology alone can’t replicate. As AI reshapes industries, the brands that survive and thrive will be those that use technology not just for speed, but to enhance their human connection.
Because in the end, while AI might create, optimize, and automate, it’s the brand that makes us believe.