Embracing Creative Automation: How Design Teams Can Use Tech to Enhance Their Imagination

Creativity is a uniquely human quality and no matter how advanced artificial intelligence may become, technology will never be able to generate ideas informed by imagination. But what it can do is liberate humans from the tedious tasks that all too often stifle creativity, especially when it comes to the production of digital marketing creatives. 

That’s where creative automation comes into play, enabling designers to fully tap into their talents without being distracted by repetitive administrative and production work. Today’s most successful marketing teams are taking advantage of these tools to increase their creative capacity, scale their content production and ultimately boost campaign ROI.

Why Scaling Content Creation Is Crucial

Thanks to the emergence of automated ad tech like dynamic creative optimization (DCO), it’s become relatively simple to deliver highly targeted and engaging ad content to customers based on a wide variety of user-specific data, such as location, weather, device type and buying behavior. While this innovation has been a game changer for many marketing organizations, it means producing large volumes of creatives in multiple formats and styles. Businesses that cannot meet this demand are at an immediate competitive disadvantage, which really puts the pressure on their creative design teams to deliver.

The solution? Increasing the design team’s creative output capacity by automating the monotonous, manual tasks that drain their time and energy. These creative automation tools do not replace or supersede a designer’s creative work. Instead, they relieve creative professionals of the work that can be just as easily handled by a machine, such as image editing, design sharing, copy trafficking and asset management. With these lower-skill tasks taken care of, designers, copywriters and other creative professionals can fully focus their attention on developing the clever campaign ideas that only human beings can create. 

Creative Automation’s Big Benefits

While it’s arguably the most valuable advantage for design teams, creative automation does more than simply boost the output of creative content. It also helps optimize other aspects essential to a marketing organization’s success, including:

Minimizing Errors

Even the most talented and diligent employees make mistakes — it’s the nature of being human. This is especially true when teams are tasked with producing a high volume of ad variations in a limited amount of time. Automating creative workflows and other manually performed creative tasks and processes significantly reduces this margin of error.

Improving Connectivity Among Teams

Automating workflows with project management tools like Trello, Smartsheet and Asana ensures that creative teams stay closely connected while minimizing time and energy wasted as a result of misinformation. Creative automation can also help streamline collaboration — even among people outside your team — by facilitating processes like feedback, revisions and approvals.

Keeping Content On-Brand

Maintaining brand consistency manually can be challenging when teams work remotely on large volumes of creative assets across multiple platforms and markets. In addition to improving team communication and connectivity, creative automation can help designers protect brand compliance by allowing them to monitor and control the usage of creative assets. For example, files can be locked and user-based permissions can be granted to ensure content is not improperly edited or altered.

Must-Have Creative Automation Tools

There’s no shortage of creative automation tools available and which ones work best will depend on the specific needs of each team. But it’s safe to say that in many areas, automation has become a must for marketing organizations hoping to boost their creative content production. 
 
When it comes to ensuring brand compliance, for example, tools like Templafy and Canva give creative teams the ability to manage and approve creative elements and upload templates for wider teams to utilize. 
 
For design sharing across teams, collaborative platforms like Invision and Piktochart make it easy for team members to review layouts and provide feedback on the latest versions of creative content. 
 
Software such as Filestage, GoVisually and Quickreviewer help organize and expedite the feedback and approval processes, while digital asset management systems like Wiredrive, Canto and Brandfolder give teams the ability to store, organize and distribute creative assets from one centralized location.
 

There are also easy-to-use tools to help teams maximize campaign performance by aggregating data on creatives across platforms, enabling creative production and optimization at scale. With Vidmob’s Creative Analytics, for example, teams receive deep, actionable insights in real time to help determine how specific creative elements such as how logos, text treatments, copy, and colors are impacting KPI.

In Summary

While creativity itself cannot be automated, creative automation can be used to streamline the digital design process and free creative professionals from grunt work. This allows them more brain bandwidth to produce the innovative and impactful design work that drives high-performing campaigns. Though the term “creative automation” may seem like an oxymoron, it actually has nothing to do with using technology to generate creative ideas. Rather, it’s about leveraging tech tools to help creative professionals fully tap in to their talents and imagination.

You may also like...

Subscribe to Our Blog

Subscribe to receive an email when we publish new content!

    Ready To Empower Your Business?

    We can help you future-ready your business with customized, innovative solutions designed to foster sustainable growth.

    Let’s Talk
    Meto

    Meto

    Meto is a tech-based nonprofit intent on making access to quality higher education a reality for all students. We have a special focus on creating scholarships for low-income students.


    In 2018, Meto was founded to connect African students with university opportunities. Along the way, we have learned that all students can benefit from our innovative model, wherein universities make the first move and invite good-fit students to apply. So, in 2023, we opened our platform to students across the globe.

    website: https://meto-intl.org/

              Nikhil Badlani Foundation

              The Mission of the Nikhil Badlani Foundation (the “Foundation”) is to enhance the lives of underserved children in West Orange, NJ and neighboring communities through music lessons, scholarships, and traffic safety education for all.

              Since the Foundation was established in 2011, Theorem has consistently been an annual sponsor of and team participant in the STOP for Nikhil 5K Run/3K Walk. This event intends to raise traffic safety awareness and to serve as a way to remembervbgfc ≈ and honor those who have been killed or seriously injured in traffic accidents. We recognize the importance of raising awareness and road safety amongst teenagers and parents alike, especially in the local communities of our Chatham, New Jersey office. Learn more about the Nikhil Badlani Foundation at nikhilbadlanifoundation.org

              Diversity and Inclusion

              Theorem actively aids in the ongoing fight against systemic racism and discrimination, realizing the importance of ongoing discussions surrounding diversity and inclusion.

              By contributing to organizations such as Black Girls Code and the Anti-Racism fund, we aim to be a fundamental supporter of diversity in the workplace and beyond. These organizations specifically speak to Theorem’s role as a leading voice in the technology innovation space and we avidly support their missions. The vision of Black Girls Code is to empower girls of color, ages 7-17 to become innovators in STEM fields and encourages them to be the builders of their own futures. The Anti-Racism Fund serves as a response to the inequities experienced by the African-American community. It provides monetary support to a dynamic portfolio of curated organizations as a way to inject and enable social change.

              Feeding America

              Feeding America is the largest charity working to end hunger in the United States. By partnering with local food banks, food pantries and other community food programs, Feeding America looks to advance change across the country and ensure equitable access to nutritious food.

              As a long-standing contributor and sponsor of Feeding America, we deeply believe in their vision of an America without hunger. The need for and importance of organizations like Feeding America has has become more and more prevalent as communities face more hardships as a result of the pandemic and the current economy. Theorem is dedicated to its continued contributions to Feeding America to do our part to empower and strengthen our communities. Learn more about Feeding America at www.feedingamerica.org

              Grameen America

              Grameen America is dedicated to helping entrepreneurial women who live in poverty build businesses to enable financial stability mobility.

              Since their founding in the United States in 2008, Theorem has supported Grameen America’s mission, which seeks to build upon the legacy of Presidential Medal of Freedom, Congressional Gold Medal and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. Through financial contributions and event participation, Theorem has contributed to Grameen America’s cause. As an immigrant entrepreneur himself, our CEO Jay Kulkarni is especially eager to support the organization’s mission of aiding underserved communities. Learn more about Grameen America at www.grameenamerica.org

              Vision Spring

              VisionSpring is making the wonder of clear vision possible for all by helping provide affordable and quality eyeglasses to those in need. For many, lack of access to affordable eyeglasses leads to loss of employment or less educational opportunities.

              VisionSpring partners with organizations who join them in their mission of supporting livelihood initiatives, enhancing potential for all. Learn more about Vision Spring at https://visionspring.org Theorem has consistently partnered with VisionSpring to organize free events, such as eye check-ups, across multiple villages in the Mysuru, India region, impacting over 3,000 rural residents. We stand with VisionSpring in their mission to increase accessibility to quality eyewear and eye care.

              Covenant House

              Covenant House provides housing and supportive services to youth facing homelessness, helping young people transform their lives.

              For more than 5+ years, Theorem has supported Covenant House with corporate sponsorships, leading career-building workshops at their Newark, NJ shelter facility and participation in the organization’s fund raising Sleep Outs. Covenant House utilizes these Sleep Outs to raise funds and help shine a light on the injustice of youth homelessness, inspiring communities to step up and protect the vulnerable. We are proud to support Covenant House’s programs, which are designed to empower young people to overcome and rise above adversity, today and in the future. Learn more about Covenant House at www.covenanthouse.org

              Contract Type

              |

              Location

              Job Title

              Contract Type

              |

              Location

              Job Title

              Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

              Apply Now