There’s something about a visual that speaks before words do. In our world of creative marketing, we’ve always known that. We’ve built our reputation around it.
A single image has the power to invite, provoke, reassure, even challenge. The beauty of storytelling isn’t always told. Sometimes, and I would like to believe, often, it’s felt.
Today, with the emergence of AI, the art of storytelling seems to be on a clock. AI tools are changing the game, offering up content in a matter of seconds. Need a futuristic skyline? Done. A perfectly lit dinner table? Easy. A kid in space boots, eating cereal? No problem…easy peasy.
And yet, despite all this progress, something gets lost in all this instant perfection. Something important.
Speed Isn’t Vision
At the speed of business, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. At 3H, although we enthusiastically embrace what’s new, we don’t chase the ‘shiny’. We ask why. We dig for truth. And when it comes to AI and creative work, the truth is this: the tool might be fast, but the vision still has to be ours.
Garbage In. Garbage Out.
Visual storytelling is so much more than design or a pretty picture. Every photo, every frame, should reflect something deeper. AI can’t feel the weight of a brand’s history. It doesn’t know your founder’s favourite colour or the reason your tone shifted last year. More importantly, it doesn’t understand your audience nor does it understand nuance. It understands patterns and what you tell it to understand. It draws from the information you provide to spool out visuals that articulate what you want. Without you…the output is lackluster.
Same Tools, Same Output
AI-generated visuals are starting to blend together. They’re clean, polished, technically impressive and often forgettable. That’s what happens when convenience starts to steer the process. You lose what makes a brand unique. You lose texture. Voice. Point of view.
Great branding comes from decisions that aren’t always obvious. A slightly off-centre crop. An imperfect detail left in on purpose. The shadow that softens a bold message. AI can imitate these things, but it can’t originate them
Use It. Don’t Depend on It.
That doesn’t mean AI doesn’t belong. It does. We use it. It helps us move faster when speed is needed. It helps us pressure-test concepts. It gets us thinking. But it doesn’t replace thinking.
We still build from the same foundation: insight, relevance, creativity, intention. And those things aren’t auto-generated. They’re earned. Experience, instinct, and a willingness to trust the process is what built them.
The Data Is Useful. The Direction Is Yours.
Automation can tell us what visuals perform well. It can highlight which colours draw attention or which layouts increase dwell time. But data is there to inform, not direct.
There’s still a place for surprise. For taking a risk that can’t be measured in advance. For following the feeling, not just the formula. That’s where real creative work lives.
Stay in the Story
If you take anything from my perspective, let it be this: storytelling doesn’t speed up just because the tools do. The moment you trade intention for efficiency, the message starts to slip. Fast isn’t the goal. Impact is.
AI is a tool, not a teammate. Use it when it helps, question it when it doesn’t, and don’t let it lead. That part still belongs to you. When it comes to building brands that last, it’s not about how quickly you can create content. It’s about how deeply that content can connect.