Getty’s Rebecca Swift: generative AI in image making – a guide for advertising

The advertising industry is grappling with what an AI-powered future means for brands and their visual identity. Consumer attitudes towards AI vary regionally, with British consumers among the most nervous globally about the technology’s impact on the world. They are looking for businesses to be transparent in how and when they use AI tools in their ad campaigns.

According to our VisualGPS research, 90% of people globally want to know if an image has been created using AI, so taking a thoughtful approach to integrating these tools is crucial.

Think of AI as another tool that can help enhance creativity and workflow. Reflect on your brand values and evaluate if using AI content in your ads will best convey your message. Consider how you leverage it alongside other types of content, such as user-generated content (UGC) or pre-shot stock imagery – determine which content type is best for the job.

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images.

Advertising has always relied on creative and authentic visual storytelling, which remains vital for building connections with audiences. We have seen this with the response to our authentic collections #ShowUs, The Disability Collection, and The Disrupt Ageing Collection, which are informed by or created by the people they represent.

Brands which are baked in authenticity are choosing not to use AI

For example, Dove has pledged never to use AI imagery to represent real women based on their findings that women feel pressured to alter their appearance due to AI. If the strategy is to tell stories rooted in real experience, opt for pre-shot stock content or UGC to amplify your message, especially as 98% of consumers say that authenticity in imagery and video is crucial for building brand trust.

Elsewhere, there have already been some fun uses of the technology. McCann developed an interactive AI-powered “Mucus Masher” game for Reckitt’s cough medicine brand Mucinex, which reinforced its benefits while users engaged with the brand’s mascot and ‘quashed’ their mucus. This example shows how generative AI can be leveraged for a fun and engaging on-brand experience. It all comes down to the brand identity you are working with.

An intentional approach to generative AI will change the way we work for the better. New technology hasn’t hindered creativity in the past – the first smartphones only made photography more accessible to the average person. Commercially-safe generative AI will similarly spur new creators and creativity.

Dr. Rebecca Swift is global head of creative, Getty Images.