{"id":483360,"date":"2026-02-16T09:10:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T09:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/483360\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T09:10:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T09:10:27","slug":"how-design-agencies-are-harnessing-brand-worlds-human-craft-in-the-ai-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/483360\/","title":{"rendered":"How Design Agencies Are Harnessing \u2018Brand Worlds\u2019 & Human Craft In The AI Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

As AI quickly reshapes the creative industries, design agencies are grappling with a paradox: never before has it been so easy to make things, yet never has it been harder to make something that truly stands out. B&T spoke with Weave<\/a>, Accompany<\/a> and Houston Group<\/a> to learn how they\u2019re responding.<\/p>\n

Across conversations with the three design agencies, one message came through loud and clear: while AI is transforming workflows, the future of brand differentiation will be led by human taste, craft and deeper brand thinking.<\/p>\n

Amongst many clients, the agencies all noticed an intensified desire for work with a human touch. Clients are seeking work that rejects automated aesthetics and are embracing tactics like crafted visuals, empathetic language, humour, imperfection and timeless storytelling.<\/p>\n

The prevailing view is that projecting this essential humanity builds trust in an increasingly synthetic world, particularly when the product or service is highly technological or service-led.<\/p>\n

\u201cCreative sentiment is mixed. Amongst many there is an intense optimism, as many practitioners and businesses realise that brand and design fuelled by empathy, creativity and bespoke craft drives competitive advantage and is best delivered by human expertise,\u201d Accompany\u2019s executive creative director Linda Jukic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, concern co-exists over the rapid commoditisation of design, driven by market pressures where many businesses now accept \u2018good enough\u2019. This dichotomy is demanding a sharper, non-negotiable focus on delivering undeniable, strategic value\u201d.<\/p>\n

What \u2018the human touch\u2019 looks like in collaboration with AI<\/p>\n

For most agencies, AI has already become part of the daily toolkit. Mostly, it\u2019s being used on the peripheries of the creative process, not at its core.<\/p>\n

At Weave, AI is helping accelerate ideation and production.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve found it most useful at the top and tail of the process,\u201d Weave\u2019s co-founder Marijana Simunovic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly powerful for research, summarising complex briefs and creating early mock-ups, and then again in post-production \u2014 but humans still do the middle bit\u201d.<\/p>\n

That balance has delivered tangible gains. Weave cites examples such as using AI to transform unusable photography \u2014 like empty wine glasses from a shoot \u2014 into finished, campaign-ready imagery.<\/p>\n

\"\"Xanadu \u2013 empty wine glass (before, left) and AI-enhanced wine glass (after, right).<\/p>\n

\u201cA shot that would traditionally never see the light of day suddenly becomes usable with the click of a button,\u201d Weave executive creative director Dan Cookson said.<\/p>\n

Accompany, too, has integrated AI into daily processes for things like summarising meetings, research, refining copy and image editing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat efficiency frees us up to focus on where we deliver true value: deep strategic thinking, imaginative ideas and high-level craftsmanship,\u201d Accompany\u2019s Jukic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI weaves efficiency and opportunity; design brings depth and meaning. When used in a rudimentary way, AI will only draw from what has come before. Designers have the advantage of shaping something unique and enduring,\u201d Houston Group ECD Alex Creamer said.<\/p>\n

The return of the (visibly) human touch<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re getting used to seeing a lot of generic sameness in the world. I think there\u2019s going to be more value placed on things that are handmade, tactile and a little bit imperfect,\u201d Weave\u2019s Simunovic said.<\/p>\n

That belief is embedded in Weave\u2019s practice, where illustration, collage and physical making are core capabilities. One example is the rebrand of Pizzini Wines\u2019 premium cellar-door range, where historic family photographs were hand-stitched by a creative director to form the label artwork.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pizzini Wines rebrand.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople still comment on those labels to this day,\u201d Weave\u2019s Simunovic said.<\/p>\n

The desire for a visibly human-made aesthetic is connected to a distinction between timeliness and timelessness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see the shift across the industry: some brands want to be timely and others timeless. The former have leaned more into AI, helping support the fast-paced nature of some sectors. While others are deliberately moving away from it towards a focus on craft, like Telstra\u2019s more tactile, handmade approach,\u201d Creamer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also worth looking at AI as just one tool in a wider arsenal. Newer platforms like TouchDesigner, and other node-based, real-time tools are changing how brands get built altogether, opening up ways to create real-time assets that feel far more alive than traditional design software has allowed.<\/p>\n

From purpose to \u2018brand worlds\u2019<\/p>\n

Beyond aesthetics, agencies are also seeing a shift in how brands are being conceived altogether.<\/p>\n

Weave describes this evolution as a move toward brand world thinking \u2014 a broader, more immersive approach to brand building.<\/p>\n

\u201cFive years ago, brand projects were about purpose and flexible systems,\u201d Weave\u2019s Cookson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow clients are asking for richer worlds \u2014 with depth, texture and storytelling \u2014 that can live across culture, experiences, packaging, retail and events\u201d.<\/p>\n

Simunovic likens it to cinematic world-building. \u201cThink Marvel rather than a standalone film. A brand world gives you flexibility, but also clarity about who you are and how you show up\u201d.<\/p>\n

Accompany\u2019s \u201chead and heart\u201d philosophy aligns closely. \u201cWe move beyond products and services, focusing on the impact, story and value a brand brings. That\u2019s how you create emotionally resonant brand worlds that audiences actively choose,\u201d Accompany\u2019s Jukic said.<\/p>\n

Houston Group is seeing similar needs from clients who are emerging from years of constrained investment. \u201cThey want engaging identity systems, but anchored in deep problem solving, not just aesthetics,\u201d Houston Group\u2019s Creamer said.<\/p>\n

A tougher market and a sharper focus<\/p>\n

While there\u2019s optimism around the value of design, there\u2019s no denying the pressure creatives are feeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe job market is tough. Junior and graduate opportunities have evaporated, and studio closures have gone largely unspoken,\u201d Houston Group\u2019s Creamer said.<\/p>\n

Still, he sees cause for hope: \u201cClients are becoming more cost-conscious and are looking for nimble, creatively led teams. Historically, great work often emerges from hard times\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s optimism around the power of bespoke, human-led design \u2014 but also concern about commoditisation and \u2018good enough\u2019 thinking,\u201d Accompany\u2019s Jukic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat demands a non-negotiable focus on delivering undeniable strategic value\u201d.<\/p>\n

For Weave, that value lies in taste and storytelling \u2014 qualities AI can\u2019t replicate. \u201cTaste is an intangible thing. Anyone can prompt AI, but without taste and curation, you end up with generic first results,\u201d Cookson said.<\/p>\n

In an era of democratised tools and in-house teams, the role of design agencies is evolving, but far from disappearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cA vision is just a vision until it\u2019s made tangible. Design agencies act as strategic catalysts, translating abstract ideas into distinctive expressions that can live confidently in the world,\u201d Accompany\u2018s Jukic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrand agencies are wired to put the work in at the beginning. Strategically backed, well-crafted design travels further and lasts longer than quick fixes,\u201d Houtson Group\u2019s Creamer said.<\/p>\n

Great work also relies on great partnership. \u201cOur best work happens when clients step into the arena with us. When there\u2019s trust, collaboration and a shared belief in the value of craft \u2014 that\u2019s where brands are truly set up for success,\u201d Weave\u2019s Simunovic said.<\/p>\n

In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, the design agencies that will thrive are those doubling down on what machines can\u2019t replicate: human insight, taste, and the ability to tell stories worth caring about.<\/p>\n

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts<\/p>\n

Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.<\/p>\n

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