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For me, it’s cultural context. AI can generate references, but it can’t fully replicate lived experience. As a South African creative, so much of my work relies on instinct, memory, language and the nuances of how we actually experience our culture.
When I’m reimagining iconic or legacy South African brands, the success of the work depends just as much on what I bring to it as the tool itself; my lived experience, cultural memory, understanding of our language, humour, visual codes and the way South Africans actually experience these brands.
The technology can help me execute an idea faster, but it can’t replace the instinct behind why something feels recognisably South African, why a certain reference matters, or why one creative choice will resonate more deeply than another.
Fabulous work, I keep circling back to it! 🤍
If AI can generate beautiful illustrations in seconds… why would you still draw one yourself? 🤨
I'm currently working on a packaging project that I can't share just yet, but one part of the process stood out: the hero element is a custom vector illustration, drawn by hand from...
This lines up with what I see in branding work. The tool speeds up execution, but choosing which cultural reference actually carries weight is the part only lived experience gets right, and that instinct is what makes the work feel local instead of generic.
Asif, I agree broadly with what I suspect you mean when you talk about choosing which cultural reference carries weight being the part only lived experience gets right.
Here's the hidden little hinge:
What happens when the culture being referenced isn't originally or even...
Absolutely love this perspective. AI can accelerate the execution, but the cultural instinct, lived experience, and understanding behind the creative direction are what make the work truly resonate. Really thoughtful work. 🤍
Well said
So nice, love it
Absolutely. AI can assist with execution, but lived experience, cultural memory, and creative instinct are what give the work its soul. Thank you for sharing this perspective—and for the kind words!
Beautiful
Amazing
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