Maintaining Brand Authenticity in the Age of AI | 5 Guiding Principles
Brand authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s an expectation. This craving for genuine, authentic human connection extends to every aspect of branding, especially in an era of AI-driven content. AI is transforming industries, with significant leaps in efficiency and potential for innovation. In the creative sector, generative AI tools are streamlining content creation and generating visual and written content at astounding speeds. As creativity becomes increasingly influenced by AI, brands need to prioritize authenticity.
As seasoned brand creators, we believe it’s essential for those creating and managing brands to use AI tools responsibly and in alignment with the brand’s mission, principles and values. With the technology rapidly evolving, exploring what’s possible with generative AI offers an opportunity for differentiation, but there are inherent risks, and it’s important to navigate with care.
So, in this issue, we’re sharing five guiding principles along with examples to help you integrate AI technology while maintaining your brand’s integrity.
1) Ensure alignment with your brand strategy.
Carefully consider your brand strategy—its purpose, mission, values, and attributes—and evaluate how generative AI can enhance or potentially erode its integrity.
While AI tools are available to help with brand compliance, human oversight from brand managers and skilled professionals can help ensure that AI-generated ideas and final executions align with a brand’s human-centered strategy. Without this alignment, there is a risk of creating inauthentic experiences. A recent article in Forbes underscores this idea, “The key is to blend the innovative capabilities of AI with the irreplaceable value of human insight, ensuring that your brand tells authentic stories that resonate with your audience.”1
Coca-Cola’s 2024 AI-generated holiday ad is an example of what happens when the human element is missing. “The Holiday Magic is Coming” sparked controversy with this AI-made ad. Critics argued that the ad lacked the emotional depth and human touch typically associated with holiday campaigns. The AI-generated imagery failed to capture the warmth and nostalgia that consumers expect during the holiday season.2
2) Lead with Human Creativity.
Ultimately, human-led strategic and creative direction should drive the brand. While AI is an amazing concept and prototyping tool, the final output generated by AI should be human-driven. Beyond the risk of potential copyright infringement, you may also face the challenge of failing to connect with your audience. As noted in Forbes, “AI is useful as a tool to start with, but experts suggest it takes a human, personal touch to make content resonate.”3 We all need to learn how to master AI—controlling the input and leading the refinement and final execution to ensure the authenticity of the final deliverable.
An excellent example is the unveiling of global design firm Pentagram’s work on the U.S. government’s website, Performance.gov. According to a recent article in Fast Company, it sparked an online debate within the creative community, with many voicing concerns that AI is replacing human creativity. Paula Scher, a partner at Pentagram, argues that AI can enhance the design process but should be used thoughtfully alongside human input.4 We applaud their transparency in explaining how AI was used—Midjourney in this case—to create the final output.
3) Prioritize Transparency.
To maintain trust, be upfront about when and how AI is used in developing your brand’s content. According to a 2024 article in Forbes, “Marketers are learning that most consumers can detect AI-created ads, which tends to undermine brand authenticity.”3 If you use AI-generated content, say so. A Getty Images report underscores this, revealing that nearly 90% of consumers expect transparency in AI usage.5 Because AI is often viewed skeptically, transparency should be central to every brand’s strategy, especially regarding AI.
4) Develop AI Usage Guidelines and Provide Training.
Define clear parameters for using AI to protect your brand’s reputation. Equip teams with the skills to use AI tools effectively and responsibly, fostering innovation without compromising integrity.
Dove’s “Keep Beauty Real” campaign is an excellent example of this. By vowing to “never use AI to create or distort women’s images,”6 Dove embodies its mission, “to help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem and realize their full potential.”7 This decision builds trust and strengthens consumer loyalty—a testament to the power of human-led execution. As Katie Calhoun explains in a recent Forbes article, “Campaigns like Dove’s Real Beauty and Patagonia’s Buy Less, Demand More have set new standards, with consumers now expecting advertisements to reflect their own values and relatable, genuine experiences.”8
5) Establish and Maintain Ethical AI Oversight in your Brand Governance.
To protect your brand’s reputation and integrity, establish clear ethical AI governance standards. Having this in place will help ensure that AI-generated content aligns with your standards. As noted in Inc. Magazine, “There’s nothing people want more than honesty.”9 Below are a few things to keep in mind:
- Avoid using AI to create misleading or deceptive representations of your brand that could harm its reputation.
- Collaborate with legal experts to address data privacy, intellectual property, and compliance concerns related to AI-generated content.
- Fact-check all AI-generated information to ensure accuracy and avoid perpetuating misinformation.
- Be aware of the inherent biases that feed AI. Watch for discrimination, stereotype perpetuation, and possible unintended consequences.
Looking Ahead: The Human Element Remains Key to Brand Authenticity
While we all learn how to embrace the full potential of AI, it’s important to remember that the true power of a brand lies in its ability to create a genuine connection with its audience. As Ginger Zumaeta in Forbes emphasizes, “When you consider the velocity and magnitude of content production enabled by AI, it’s easy to see why quality and authenticity will emerge as the difference-makers.”10 Ultimately, in an era driven by technological innovation, authenticity will remain a key differentiator.
Sources:
1 Katie Calhoun, “How Do Brands Tell Authentic Stories In The Age Of AI?” Forbes, updated June 18, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/committeeof200/2024/06/18/how-do-brands-tell-authentic-stories-in-the-age-of-ai/, para 20.
2 Bruna Horvath, “Coca-Cola Causes Controversy with AI-Made Ad,” NBC News, November 18, 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/coca-cola-causes-controversy-ai-made-ad-rcna180665.
3 Greg Petro, “Half of Consumers Say AI-Generated Ads Are a Turnoff,” Forbes, November 8, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2024/11/08/half-of-consumers-say-ai-generated-ads-are-a-turnoff
4 Mark Wilson, “Pentagram partner Paula Scher unapologetically defends using generative AI,” Fast Company, December 5, 2024, https://www.fastcompany.com/91240809/pentagram-partner-paula-scher-unapologetically-defends-using-generative-ai
5 Getty Images, “Nearly 90% of Consumers Want Transparency in AI-Generated Content,” Newsroom, April 30, 2024, https://newsroom.gettyimages.com/en/getty-images/nearly-90-of-consumers-want-transparency-on-ai-images-finds-getty-images-report
6 Dove, “Keep Beauty Real Campaign,” https://www.dove.com/us/en/campaigns/purpose/keep-beauty-real.html.
7 Dove, “Dove Mission Statement,” https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/about-dove/our-vision.html#:~:text=Dove%
8 Katie Calhoun, “How Do Brands Tell Authentic Stories In The Age Of AI?” Forbes, updated June 18, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/committeeof200/2024/06/18/how-do-brands-tell-authentic-stories-in-the-age-of-ai/, para. 3.
9 Marina Khidekel, “Bethenny Frankel’s Guide to Building an Authentic Brand,” Inc. Magazine, November 18, 2024, https://www.inc.com/marina-khidekel/bethenny-frankels-guide-to-building-an-authentic-brand/91018077.
10 Ginger Zumaeta, “Preserving Brand Identity as AI Takes Over Content Production,” Forbes, December 26, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/12/26/preserving-brand-identity-as-ai-takes-over-content-production/, para 5.
