My “Aha!” Moment with AI: Why a Creative Brief Is More Important Than Ever
Lately, I’ve been on a deep dive into the world of AI which is not surprising, since it seems like everyone is. We're all using it, whether it's for organizing meal plans, designing a garden, planning a vacation, or building more efficient workflows to get our jobs done.
On this journey, I came across someone talking about their "AI aha moment," and it got me thinking about my own. While I’ve been using generative AI for a while—editing content, brainstorming new ideas, drafting emails, and researching topics—my true epiphany happened on a specific project.
The Tagline That Taught Me a Lesson
I was working with a client who was very interested in using new taglines to enhance their messaging. (I have a lot of opinions about taglines, but that’s a blog post for another day.) I set out to brainstorm some ideas, focusing on different categories like emotional benefits and product differentiators.
I quickly hit a wall. Frustrated by my lack of ideas, I decided to see if AI tools could help me generate better options.
My initial prompt was simple: "Help me generate some taglines for [product name] with [target audience]. Give me options focusing on product benefits as well as emotional benefits." The results were… okay. They were exactly what you’d expect—generic and uninspired.
I went back and edited my prompt, asking for a different tone and more options, and including specific examples of what I liked. The results started to get better. After about 90 minutes of working on this, it hit me: You have to know exactly what you’re looking for before you ask AI for help.
Since this project wrapped up, I have taken a prompt engineering course where one of the key lessons was, "Always be iterating." This simple phrase made so much sense, and I realized it was the core of my “AI aha moment."
Why "Garbage In, Garbage Out" Is the Most Important Lesson
Another common phrase in AI prompt engineering is "Garbage in, garbage out." While this seems like common sense, my experience with the taglines validated two crucial truths for me: the importance of a creative brief and the indispensable skill of critical evaluation.
Before this moment, I thought I was simply using a tool. But I realized I was directing a strategic partner. Just as you wouldn’t send a copywriter off to create content without a clear brief outlining your goals, target audience, and desired outcomes, you can’t expect AI to deliver without that same level of strategic direction.
This critical skill can only come from experience. In that moment, as I was working with AI like I would with a human creative professional, I saw the enormous gap in outcomes.
In the hands of an inexperienced marketer, AI might provide outputs, but they would be generic and undifferentiated, and worse, they would be available to everyone. But for someone with experience and an understanding of branding, market positioning, and the strategic purpose behind a tagline, the AI's output becomes a powerful starting point. It's the difference between a list of random words and a finely tuned instrument. Even with AI there is no magic answer, there is still work to be done.
Your Role in the AI Future
It was only in reflection I realized this was my “AI aha moment,” and since then, I’ve used that confidence to explore and learn more about AI and how it will change the role of marketing. I'm building workflow agents, defining new processes, and doing in-depth market research.
I recently attended the AI-Powered Women Summit, where one key message resonated deeply: If we don't understand AI and aren't part of building the future with it, our voices won't be heard. AI is a mirror of our collective experiences, and it’s up to us to ensure that reflection is positive, purposeful, and reflective of our expertise.
So, here’s my question for you: Are you approaching AI with a clear purpose and a strong brief? Or are you simply asking for an answer, hoping for the best, and settling for generic results? Have you had an “AI aha moment”?
