Written by Victoria O’Neill

In a world of infinite AI-generated brand content possibilities, a clear divide is emerging.  

A select few are standing out for their creatively rich, engaging and effective campaigns, while others slowly erode their brand’s value by pumping out uninspiring, generic and forgettable assets. 

It’s not the technology or flush budgets driving this yawning chasm, but something far harder to come by. Taste. 

“AI didn’t unlock creativity. It exposed who had it.” 

These are the words of Ben Cooper, one of the panellists at this year’s HumAIn conference in Sydney. 

As Ben and three other industry experts shared their thoughts on how creatives can use AI to enable creativity and avoid homogeneity and mediocrity, the word ‘taste’ kept cropping up.  The reason? With this technology at our fingertips, it’s never been easier to demonstrate poor or no taste when creating content. 

Brands are under immense pressure to achieve cut-through in an increasingly crowded content environment. With AI, the wildest and weirdest creative ideas can be realised quickly and without blowing the budget, but brashness without strategy, intuition or taste can quickly lead to disaster.     

Here’s why taste matters and how to know if you have it… 

• Relevance – AI can produce almost anything, but those with taste use their judgement as brand custodians to know if it is relevant to their audience and whether or not it will resonate. 

• Brand authenticity – Content should confidently reflect the brand’s identity. Generic language and tone choices are the hallmarks of a brand operating without a clear sense of self, or taste.         

• Social awareness – True taste ensures content is ethical, culturally nuanced and respectful. 

• Human instinct – Those with taste know the difference between automation and artistry. They use technology to enhance the impact and value of their projects without compromising its emotional resonance. 

To find out more about how AI can boost your next creative campaign, contact Victoria O’Neill at victoria@impactagency.com.au.