26-05-2025
Alive > Automated: The case for living brands in the age of artificial everything
Albert Einstein once said, 'The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.' Intuition – that unexplainable gut feeling, the spark that seems to come from nowhere – is central to human creativity. It can't be reasoned or replicated. It's not efficient or logical. But it's often where our best ideas come from.
In a world shaped by automation and algorithms, something is getting lost: the human voice. AI can mimic human creativity, analyse data, and generate content with remarkable speed – but it doesn't dream or feel. It can assist, enhance, even surprise – but it can't create meaning. That remains a deeply human act.
This isn't a call to reject AI – it is a valuable tool – but we must stay grounded in what makes us human. To collaborate with AI, without surrendering the wheel. Because the brands that truly endure aren't the most polished; they're the ones that feel alive.
The AI mirror
We don't always know where our creative ideas come from, but we do always know where the ideas of AI come from: us. As philosopher Shannon Vallor writes, 'It is these machines that now tell us the story of our own past, and project our futures. They do so without living even one day of that history, or knowing a single moment of the human condition.'
A resurfaced interview with Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki went viral after the rise of AI tools that mimic his art. When shown an AI-generated animation of a grotesque figure dragging itself by its head, he recoiled: 'Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is… I feel this is an insult to life itself.'
His response raises a critical point: can AI, which has never felt pain, ethically depict emotion? In branding, this matters deeply. Emotional storytelling is a powerful tool for brands – but when that emotion is manufactured, it risks being manipulative, even exploitative. It becomes a performance of a feeling.
Perfectly imperfect
AI produces flawless output – but perfection isn't impressive anymore. It's expected. What truly captivates us now is imperfection: the unique fingerprint that says 'a human was here.'
Mark Schaefer, in Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World argues that while AI will reshape business, it's up to humans to 'own crazy' – and take creative risks. The human advantage lies in bold storytelling and the unpolished emotional nuance that only we can offer.
As Deepti Velury, Global COO of Tag, puts it: 'The core of humanity is having beauty and imperfection together'.
We want real
Algorithm-driven feeds have trapped consumers in a loop. Everything feels relevant, but nothing feels surprising. Now, consumers are craving realness.
This is an opportunity for bold, authentic brands. Take Oatly, known for its quirky, anti-corporate tone that feels human and unfiltered. Or Liquid Death, that built an entire brand on satire, poking fun at wellness culture and packaging water like a hardcore energy drink. It's absurd, unexpected – and consumers love it.
These brands don't follow trends – they interrupt them. That's how we escape the loop. By creating work that doesn't necessarily align with data, but resonates emotionally. The kind of work that makes someone pause and feel something unexpected.
Let brands live
So where do we go from here? How can brands stay human – and stay relevant?
The answer lies with living brands — ones that evolve, and, above all, feel. These aren't just businesses with clever slogans. They listen and reflect the realities of the people they serve.
Much of what makes culture meaningful is intangible – feelings, memories and instincts. AI might recite facts about love or grief, but like Will in Good Will Hunting, it doesn't know them. As Robin Williams' character reflects: 'I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel'. The same can be said of AI; it can catalogue every detail, but it will never feel the air inside. That feeling – that ineffable sensory detail – is the thread that connects us to meaning.
Living brands stand as a counterforce. They remind us of what it means to feel something. And we carry the responsibility of representing that messy, passionate truth with care, courage, and humanity.
By Mark Rollinson, Chairman, All About Brands
