Can AI Master the Art of Emotional Branding? What You Need to Know
AI has revolutionized how we do branding and marketing.
What used to take hours now just takes seconds. An AI logo maker can whip up a complete logo design in a snap. Chat tools like ChatGPT or Gemini can create a long blog article with just a short description. Videos can be color graded and sharpened in one click. And so on.
However, speed doesn’t always equate to a great design. What’s important is the emotion behind it. Can people connect with your story? Do they feel something when they look at your brand? Do they find you relatable, aspirational, or intriguing?
Top brands always have a powerful story that drives them forward. But AI, as efficient as they are, are still “robots” in the end. Can we really rely on them to create emotional stories, or is that something uniquely human?
Join us as we take a deep dive into the scope and limits of AI in emotional design below. We’ll also take a look at how to use AI for branding, from logo creation to full brand storytelling, plus see how we can combine the efficiency of AI with a human’s authenticity to create more powerful designs.
Let’s get started!
Why Is Emotion Important in Branding and Design?
Customers don’t buy products based on logic. In fact, 95% of buying decisions are driven by our emotions.
This is because our brain puts more value on our emotional and psychological needs over anything else. Does this make you excited? Does it make you look cool? Will you be part of a group if you buy this product? Will it put you closer to a dream lifestyle? If you answered yes, you’ll buy the product, even if you logically do not have any real need for it.
Brands know this, too, which is why they put careful thought into their branding and design. Even small things like the shape of their logo or the color palette can trigger a specific emotional response from their customers.
For example, yellow makes you happy and cheerful, which is why LEGO and McDonald’s use that color. Green is associated with nature, which is why eco-friendly brands like Whole Foods and Green Toys use a predominantly green palette. Triangles are related to movement and action, which is why they’re a popular shape in sportswear logos.
Narratives can also strengthen your branding. Ever felt inspired by the stories of athletes in the Nike ads? Felt empowered by Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign? Cried at the P&G’s “Thank You Mom” commercial? You’re probably more inclined to choose their product over the others because you felt a strong connection to them due to their stories.
Emotional branding like these can transform you from a dime a dozen business to a powerful brand. It adds more heart to everything you do. You’re not just selling a product, rather, you sell a lifestyle, community, or mission.
How Do AI-Powered Branding Tools Work?
Wondering how to start using AI in your business? Let’s first take a look at how AI works. They operate primarily by:
Pattern Recognition
AI creates output by analyzing patterns and trends commonly associated with your industry or target branding.
For example, if you are looking to generate logos for a coffee shop, your logo maker tool will give you a design with beans, coffee cups, or pastries, and color palettes in the shade of brown, creams, and warm yellows.
Maybe you want your brand to feel playful and kid-friendly. Then the AI will give designs that lean towards softer silhouettes, cute mascots, and bright poppy colors.
AI can also tap into shape psychology or color psychology to give more fitting designs. So the AI knows that a wellness brand should avoid sharp angles, while a cybersecurity firm should lean toward structured shapes.
Data-Driven Predictions
AI can also draw from huge datasets to predict what will resonate with audiences. They can look into sentiment and feedback across social media, reviews, and surveys, then adapt their tone and design accordingly.
Let’s say customers perceive your brand as unfriendly. The AI will then suggest softer and more casual language in your social media copies and rounder shapes for your illustrations to give you a more approachable look.
AI can also spot emerging trends. If they see a spike in searches for a specific color, they’ll recommend that you use that color in a design to get a head start. This can help you stay ahead of your competitors.
Generative Creativity
AI can create from “scratch” by using models like Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) or diffusion models. They study thousands of references to come up with a design that incorporates a common style, silhouette, color palette, typography, and other visual elements that appeared in those references. The result is a “new” design, but it is still based on works that are proven to be effective and emotionally resonant with their audience.
What sets AI apart from humans is the speed at which it does things. Sure, humans can also study market trends or research successful campaigns from the past. But humans will take hours, weeks, or even months to do all of that. AI can crunch numbers or look through thousands of artworks in a few seconds, which is why it can create suitable images in a flash.
Can AI Truly “Feel?”
AI is powerful but it still has limits. Here’s where they fall short:
Lack of human empathy, context, and nuance
AI is excellent at pattern recognition, which is why it can replicate common emotional cues. They know that blue conveys reliability, the circles feel inclusive, and that sans-serif fonts feel modern.
But human emotion can’t be summed down to a simple formula. Context, personal experiences, cultural backgrounds–all of these can affect how we feel towards one thing.
Let’s say you are a sports brand. AI can analyze what worked before and thus give you triangular shapes and action-oriented copy. After all, that’s what Nike or Adidas does!
But what if you want to focus on inclusivity, on making sports feel like a community where you can have fun and find friends? Then softer, more empathetic messaging, combined with circular or cartoonish design, is a better fit.
Nuance like this can get lost in AI, which is more focused on following common patterns of the past. You then risk creating messages that are technically correct but emotionally flat.
Risk of generic or derivative outputs
AI relies on its training data. That’s why most of their generated outputs are something that can fit perfectly into this data. They can only find commonality or find the “average” between all previous works.
So yes, you can get a sleek black and white logo, so long as you enter the right keywords. But you also risk looking too similar to hundreds of other logos.
AI can also only do things that have been done before. They can’t really “think” of new designs that aren’t based on their data. This means getting original and out-of-the-box ideas is impossible with AI.
Emotional mismatch or tone issues
AI can misjudge cultural or contextual nuances, which can make your branding feel off the mark, or worse, offensive.
For instance, white may signify purity in Western branding but mourning in some East Asian countries. But if your AI is only trained in Western data, it can’t spot that using white is wrong for the context that you are looking for.
Some color, words, numbers, or visual elements can also be associated with politics, disasters, or recent events. AI may miss this contextual information and give you a design that may be seen as insensitive if used at the wrong time.
Copyright, licensing, and ownership issues
The legality and ethics of AI are still hotly debated topics as of today.
AI is trained on data and previous works, with some of them collected without the creator’s knowledge or approval. This can lead to serious disputes between copyright, ownership, and stolen works.
AI-generated designs might also come too close to an existing brand’s identity, even if AI didn’t intentionally mean to do that. Again, this can lead to issues about copyright.
Worse, some output may look unique at first glance, but upon further inspection, may have used a small element that is actually copyrighted.
Licensing can also be an issue. You might come up with questions like: Who actually owns the output? Is it you? Or the AI platform where you created the design? Can I trademark a logo made with AI? Can I use AI images for my brand, or do I need to pay first?
All of these concerns can put your brand at risk, which is something that you want to avoid at all costs.
How To Use AI for Branding: Combining the Powers of AI and Human Creativity
AI’s limitations don’t mean that they should be completely ignored. At the same time, you can’t completely replace humans, either, just in the quest for speed and efficiency.
The key is to find the balance. Think of it as a collaboration–use AI to generate ideas that can be used as a starting point, with humans refining them by adding meaning, emotion, and nuance.
Some other ways you can level up your AI use and make them geared more to emotional branding are by:
Starting with a strategy
Define your brand’s emotional core first.
What feelings do you want to evoke? Is it warmth and coziness? Passion and determination? Smart and reliable?
AI works best when guided by a clear vision. If you don’t have a clear idea of what you want your designs or branding to look like, then you can’t write good prompts for the AI to follow, nor can you refine the outputs to fit your vision better.
You can refer to our guide on brand personality to help you find the suitable emotional identity for your brand.
Writing better prompts
Speaking of prompts, you’ll get better results if your prompts are clear and comprehensive.
Avoid generic prompts like “Design a logo for a coffee shop.”
Instead, add information like, audience, tone, or emotional context you want it to have. Something like “Design a welcoming and comforting logo for a family-friendly coffee shop, using warm colors and rounded typography” should give you designs that are closer to what you are looking for.
Prioritizing brand consistency
Having a brand bible can help you and the AI stay consistent.
A brand bible is a document that entails the dos and don’ts on how your brand looks and feels. This ranges from the acceptable color palettes to the right font combinations, down to the correct tone of voice to use in all your writings.
By having a brand bible to reference, you ensure that each asset you create is aligned with your branding.
Using the right tools
Which AI tools streamline branding workflows? Well, it depends on which stage of branding you are in.
For early concepting, AI logo makers and design templates can quickly generate visual directions for you to explore. You can also use color palette or typography generators to come up with ideas for your visual assets.
For storytelling, AI writing platforms can help you shape brand narratives, slogans, and messaging in different tones until you find the right emotional fit.
If you already have a design and just want to validate it, you can use AI for analytics to help you measure and analyze your audience’s reactions.
A good strategy is nothing without the right tools. Ensure you choose the one that aligns with your purpose to achieve a smoother workflow and maintain a cohesive and emotionally resonant brand identity.
Testing and checking
AI should never be a “one and done.”
Make sure you refine every AI output to make it more “human” and personalized. You also need to run a check to ensure that the output is culturally appropriate. Does it hit the right emotional notes? Is it in line with your brand identity? This helps you avoid those soulless, generic designs.
And just like with human-made outputs, testing is also important for the AI-generated ones.
Run A/B tests, surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, or simply ask your team for feedback on what they like or didn’t like. This should give you enough insights on how to improve the work, which you can then apply by either tweaking the design manually or adjusting the prompts.
How To Use Brandcrowd To Create Emotionally Resonant Logos
Wondering how to create a brand logo with AI? Thinking of which AI tool is best for branding?
Then this section is for you.
Head on to our AI logo maker tool now to get started with your AI journey. Simply enter your business name and a short description and wait for the AI to give you tailored results.
Make sure you add context. Add keywords like “playful”, “bold”, or “cute” to get suitable designs.
You can also choose designs based on the emotions you are looking for, rather than just relying on aesthetics.
For instance, pinks, lavenders, or light blue will work well for the nail spa example above since they can convey coziness and cuteness better. Rounder designs and a more cartoonish art style can also fit better compared to sharper or minimalist styles.
Found a design you like? Great! Just click the logo to customize it further. And once you’re happy with the result, just click “Download” to use.
But don’t stop there! Make sure you incorporate your logo into your website, marketing collaterals, campaigns, and brand storytelling. This should ensure that your visual identity is aligned with your messaging and overall brand narrative.
Feel free to check out our tools like a business card maker, website builder, or social media templates, such as Facebook covers.
Luxury Nail Salon by BrandCrowd
What Are the Risks of Using AI in Branding?
Even with the right tools and strategy, brands need to tread carefully around using AI for branding.
- Overdependence on AI: Brands risk becoming bland and generic if they outsource too much creative control. It’s still best to either have humans come up with the strategy itself, which the AI can then follow, or have the AI ideate, but still have humans to check and refine.
- Bias in AI training: An AI is only as good as its data. If there is not enough information or if they have cultural biases, the AI will not be able to produce great outputs.
- Transparency: There are many people who are wary of AI. Disclosing when AI was part of the process builds trust with them and shows that you value transparency.
- Emotional manipulation: Heartwarming or heartwrenching stories build a connection with your customers and forge a deeper sense of loyalty with you.
However, triggering emotions like these can slide into exploitation if not handled ethically. Avoid engineering fear, guilt, or false urgency. Instead, focus on enhancing emotions like joy, happiness, nostalgia, or inspiration.
Conclusion
So, can AI design emotion?
Partially.
AI can replicate emotional cues for your logos and brand storytelling. They know what works and what doesn’t based on data and previous works. So yes, they are smart enough to know to use light purples for a wellness brand or use more direct and confident speech for a dynamic ad agency.
But AI is still not human in the end. They won’t be able to understand our emotions, show the depth of human empathy, “read the room”, or draw from lived experience that makes branding truly resonate.
The key is using both. Use AI to brainstorm ideas, generate designs, or to speed up the editing. Then humans should strategize, guide, refine, personalize, and check the output. Together, they can design brands and stories that are not only visually striking but emotionally unforgettable.
Curious about what AI can do? Our tools here in BrandCrowd can help you get started. Try it out now and see what wonderful designs you can create!
Read more about AI and branding here:
- What Is Brand Marketing? A First-Time Entrepreneur’s Guide
- How AI Is Transforming the Way Entrepreneurs Build Businesses
- 7 Reasons AI-Generated Logos Are Perfect for Small Businesses
FAQ on How To Use AI For Branding
How do I use AI to generate branding ideas?
AI can be used in logo generation, color palette creation, typography creation, typography matcher, content creation, business name generation, and more. Of course, a human touch is still needed to personalize and check the output, but AI should be able to give you a good starting point for your branding.
Can AI design with emotion?
In a way, as AI can suggest colors, icons, and typography that align with emotional associations. However, the true depth of feeling comes when humans refine these designs with the right emotional context and authenticity.
How do I get AI to match my brand voice?
Add context and information. Include emotional keywords like “trustworthy,” “energetic,” or “heartwarming” in your prompt. You can also specify tone or audience, or add examples to give you better results.
How to use AI for branding without losing the human touch?
It’s best to treat AI as a collaborator and partner rather than having it as the final say. Use it for brainstorming, variation, or editing, then have a human look at it and refine the output to craft more authentic and impactful brand experiences.
Can I use AI images and logos for my brand commercially?
It depends. Some AI tools guarantee commercial rights, but copyright and licensing issues remain complex. Always review the terms of the platform you are using before downloading and use.
Which AI tool is best for branding?
It depends on your specific needs. If you are looking for logos and design templates, then BrandCrowd or Design.com is a great choice. If you need help in ideation, tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude can help. Tools like Color Hunt, Coolors, and Vondy can also get you started.
Can ChatGPT do branding?
Yes, ChatGPT can assist with aspects of branding. You can have it generate brand names, taglines, or messaging. It can also help produce visual assets. Still, the key to success lies in providing detailed prompts to guide the AI and with human oversight to refine and personalize the output.
How much do AI branding tools cost?
It depends on the tool you are using. Some are free, some have one-time fees (like $50 for an image download), while some have monthly subscriptions ranging from $10-$100.
How can I test whether an AI logo feels trustworthy?
You can test this by running surveys, focus group discussions, or mini-interviews with your customers or team. Instead of just asking if the logo is good or aesthetically pleasing, go for deeper questions like asking how the logo makes them feel, what adjectives they associate with it, and presenting them with different logo samples and having them pick which ones seem more trustworthy for them.
Can AI handle a full rebrand or just ideation?
AI can assist you with a rebrand, but just like in ideation, you need to feed the AI with the right information and context to get better results. And similarly, you will still need to review and refine the AI-generated outputs.
Faviola Publico is an SEO Content Writer specializing in branding and digital marketing strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys reading slice-of-life novels and watching any mystery thriller-themed series.
Original Artwork by Khim John Blazo
