In today’s episode, we dive into the latest developments in AI-driven marketing and what they mean for brands, designers, and content creators.
- What happens when marketing activities are no longer executed by humans, but by AI agents?
- How should brand books be rewritten to guide AI-driven campaigns?
- And are we heading toward a future where even our ads are only seen by artificial intelligence?
With AI reshaping everything from brand storytelling to performance marketing, companies need to rethink their approach to content creation, design systems, and audience engagement. We break down the insights from our latest research and discuss the implications for the future of branding.
Hosted by:
Konrad Olsson, Editor-in-Chief, Scandinavian MIND
Erik Olofsson Haavikko, Creative Director, Scandinavian MIND
Key Takeaways from the Episode
AI is Reshaping Brand Identity and Marketing
The rise of AI in marketing is forcing brands to reconsider how they document and communicate their identity. Traditional brand guidelines, which are often too complex or lack clarity, must evolve to support AI-driven execution. As Erik explains, “What happens when this documentation is written for an AI application layer or an AI agent? That’s the interesting question.” The challenge is ensuring that AI-generated content stays true to brand principles while allowing for rapid iteration.
Creative Direction is More Important Than Ever
As AI takes over execution, the role of creative direction becomes increasingly critical. Konrad points out, “The common thread we’ve been arguing is that creative direction is more important than ever. How you instruct these AI tools will be crucial for a brand or any individual using them.” Designers and marketers will need to focus on defining rules and strategic frameworks rather than manually creating content.
AI Will Replace Repetitive Design Tasks
AI is rapidly automating low-value, time-consuming design tasks, shifting the role of designers toward system development. Erik explains, “Software companies are doubling down on this, seeing the diminishing need for traditional design work—pushing pixels. They are shifting their business models towards managing design systems that enable AI to execute brand aesthetics for digital interfaces.” The emphasis is now on structuring and maintaining design systems rather than manual design work.
Personalized Content and Layouts Will Dominate
AI-driven personalization will redefine how users experience content. Erik explains, “Now we need to consider how layouts can be different for each user based on their preferences.” Konrad adds, “More and more of what we consume—whether tools, interfaces, or digital content—will look different for each individual user.” While hyper-personalization presents exciting opportunities, maintaining brand consistency across varied user experiences will be a key challenge.
Advertising Will Shift from Targeting Humans to AI Agents
As AI increasingly mediates digital content, advertising is evolving away from targeting human audiences directly. Erik references Ken Mandel’s insights, “Today, humans see and interact with ads. In the near future, AI agents will filter everything—they will see the ads, not humans.” Konrad reflects on this shift, saying, “This is getting so meta… Brands must transition from traditional advertising to influencing AI agents.” The future of marketing will involve optimizing content for AI-driven decision-making rather than for human audiences alone.
