AI, AI, Here Comes AI. Does it mark the end of the graphic designer as we know them? Or does AI present new opportunities for them?
In marketing and communication, artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s here and now. AI is already transforming the way brands build their identity and communicate with consumers.
As a result, the creative process is changing. And so is the role of the brand designer. Where designers were once the sole creative force behind a brand identity, they now face a reality where AI plays an increasingly significant role.
A curse or a blessing? Maybe both. Instead of being a threat, this shift can also create opportunities. What does the future of branding look like for graphic designers? And how will their role evolve?
Graphic designers: obsolete or essential? The rise of AI has significantly impacted how branding is approached. Tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney, and other AI-driven platforms can create logos, color palettes, and even entire brand identities—sometimes with minimal input.
This raises the question: will the role of the graphic designer become obsolete?
While AI can deliver—admittedly impressive—results, there are elements that a machine simply cannot replicate. The nuances of emotional expression, cultural context, and brand personality all require deep knowledge, subtlety, and understanding. That’s why human input remains indispensable.
In this sense, AI can certainly support and enhance certain aspects of the design process. But completely replacing a human designer? That’s a different story.
AI is more of a powerful tool that expands creative possibilities. It enables designers to focus more on the strategic and conceptual aspects of branding.
Synergy instead of copying Creativity remains at the heart of effective branding. No matter what AI and automation can offer, the unique creative flair of a human designer is something that cannot easily be replicated.
The future of branding will likely be shaped by the synergy between technology and creativity, with designers using technology to enhance their work and increase efficiency—without losing their creative freedom and expression.
Think about designing initial concept ideas or analyzing large amounts of data to identify trends. These applications can help designers work faster and with greater insight. Meanwhile, they can focus on refining and personalizing the final design.
The future: more than just designing In the future, graphic designers will be more than just designers; they will be key players in shaping brand identities and customer experiences. Their role will become more complex and versatile, requiring mastery of both the creative and strategic aspects of branding. They must learn how to leverage technology to enhance their creativity and continuously innovate to stay relevant.
The future of branding will be defined by collaboration between AI and human designers. AI will take over repetitive, data-driven tasks, while humans will focus on the creative and strategic aspects. To succeed, brands must find the right balance between technological advancement and their authentic, unique identity.
For designers, this presents new challenges—but also unprecedented opportunities to reinvent their craft and make an even greater impact on the brands of the future.
It’s crucial for designers to explore the possibilities of generative AI and embrace best practices—just as we once evolved from pencil and paper to Adobe.
That’s why we recently launched plai, a safe environment where we can explore new possibilities and experiment without completely disrupting our creative process.
At RCA, our designers use smart AI tools daily. As a final note, here’s a brief overview of the AI apps and programs that help make our work easier and more efficient:
Adobe Sensei
Functionality: Adobe Sensei is the broader AI and machine learning technology integrated into many Adobe products. It assists with tasks such as automatic object selection, image restoration, and facial recognition.
Usage: Sensei is applied across a wide range of Adobe products, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, and Adobe Experience Cloud. It improves workflow through AI-driven suggestions and automation.
Adobe Firefly
Functionality: Adobe Firefly is a dedicated AI tool for generating creative content, such as images and text, based on simple text input from users. It can produce illustrations, designs, full scenes, and effects.
Usage: Firefly is designed for direct interaction with designers, often integrated with Adobe tools like Photoshop and Illustrator, enabling quick content generation that can be adjusted and refined within the same tools.
Figma’s Auto Layout
Functionality: Figma’s Auto Layout uses AI to automatically adjust and regroup elements in a design when content changes. This ensures that designs remain consistent and organized, even when scaled or modified.
Usage: It improves workflow efficiency and helps maintain a consistent design system—crucial for UI/UX design.
DALL-E
Functionality: Developed by OpenAI, DALL-E is an AI tool that generates images based on text descriptions. Designers can use it to quickly visualize conceptual ideas or create unique illustrations.
Usage: It provides a powerful way to explore out-of-the-box ideas and rapidly generate visual concepts in the early stages of a project.
Midjourney
Functionality: Midjourney is an AI tool that excels at generating conceptual artwork and designs based on simple text instructions.
Usage: It is useful in the early stages of a project when inspiration or quick visual ideas are needed. Designers can input descriptions, and Midjourney generates an image accordingly
ChatGPT
Functionality: ChatGPT is an AI language model that assists in generating text, ideas, and even creative input for designs. It can create slogans, brand stories, and product descriptions and serve as a virtual brainstorming partner.
Usage: It supports the creation of comprehensive branding packages by providing inspiration and supplementary content for both textual and visual elements.
Imagine your company has developed an exciting innovation. You're eager to take the market by storm. You launch it with all the bells and whistles. And then… nothing happens. How is that possible? Well, chances are you either thought about your go-to-market strategy and the new product branding too late or too little.
The perfect link between innovation and branding This blog was partly inspired by the Innovation Strategy course by Geert Vanhees (4Growth). I was particularly struck by the parallels between innovation strategy and branding. A strong innovation strategy consists of several key elements that perfectly align with a solid brand strategy and identity. If we take a closer look, we see how the two are inseparably connected:
Strategy and innovation Just like an innovation strategy, a brand strategy must be clear and focused. Both processes begin with a strong vision and mission, serving as a guiding principle for all future decisions.
Culture and innovation A strong brand culture enhances consistency and recognition. Brands with a clear identity and values can embrace and integrate innovation more easily.
Opportunities and customers Customer co-creation is crucial for both strategies. Customers provide valuable insights that strengthen both innovation and brand development.
Choices and investments Investments in innovation are inherently strategic, planned with a long-term perspective. Similarly, brands invest in initiatives that contribute to sustainable growth.
Projects and results Both innovation projects and branding initiatives require careful management and execution to ensure success. This demands a structured approach and continuous evaluation.
Analytical and strategic methods Both innovation and branding benefit from strategic models that provide direction.
The Ashridge Mission Model helps formulate a clear mission and vision.
The Value Discipline Model (Tracy & Wiersma) refines strategic focus.
The Value Proposition Canvas aligns product development with customer needs.
Trend research ensures that both innovation and branding strategies remain relevant and future-proof.
Conclusion Brands are of strategic value to businesses. A strong brand strategy and identity form the foundation for success, just as a well-thought-out innovation strategy does for new developments.
By allowing branding and innovation to go hand in hand, you can not only enter new markets but also build long-term, meaningful relationships with your customers.
Interior studio. Design store. Art gallery. Juhla does a lot—a whole lot. As if that weren’t enough, owner Dorien Boven is also the expert in this year’s season of the TV show Blind Gekocht. In this interview, she talks about the impact of Juhla’s rebranding. “You are truly dedicated to your craft—you can feel it in everything.”
Why did Juhla need a rebranding? We designed our previous logo ourselves, but it no longer matched the image we wanted to project. On top of that, we were about to move into a larger space. A professional rebranding was necessary to take that step.
What was your first impression of the proposal? We weren’t presented with just one, but three different identity concepts. This concept immediately stood out to us. The new identity is trendy, catchy, and to the point. It aligns perfectly with our values and vision. We did have to get used to the bold red color, but after testing other options, we were 100% convinced.
How did your customers react? We received a lot of positive feedback. The rebranding fits beautifully in our new store space. We also notice that the new look resonates well on social media. It’s hard to say if this has directly led to more customers, but we do see clear growth, and business is going well.
What did you appreciate about our approach, and what could be improved? You radiate expertise and truly understand your craft. We expected a great result—and we got one. The fact that you are also wonderful people makes working together even more enjoyable. What could be improved? Perhaps even more guidance in the execution phase? But of course, that’s also a budgetary decision.
Would you, Lex & Turner, now recommend RCA Brandstudio? We already have—multiple times. So, yes. 🙂 Seeing is believing.
The Brandstudio of communication agency RCA is expanding with Lex & Turner, the branding boutique. By joining forces and sharing expertise, we can help brands and companies even better with smart and creative branding work.
Companies and organisations looking to take their brand to the next level often come to us for help. But before we design them anything, we go through a comprehensive strategy phase.
