Digital Dialogues

At present, a Google image search of AI or data generates infinite clichéd stock images of glowing circuit boards in outer space or dystopian cyborg heads. When the media and brands repeatedly use this type of imagery to represent technological advancements, it perpetuates the idea that they have unknown powers that are too complex to comprehend.

This is problematic. A recent study by Pega found that more than 70% of consumers harbour some sort of fear of AI, and this is partly due to a lack of understanding of what exactly AI is and what it does. This knowledge gap has the potential to negatively shape consumers’ perceptions of new technologies. Consequently, how we brand and communicate these concepts needs to change to overcome this mistrust.

As ever more complex data systems drive our lives, our focus as designers and artists is to create new metaphors that help people, brands and institutions to talk about these abstract and intangible things.

Through the use of dynamic typography and responsive digital visualisations, progressive creative practitioners such as Field and Tendril are addressing this issue head on, and are establishing a new visual language that eradicates the current ambiguity. ‘As ever more complex data systems drive our lives, our focus as designers and artists is to create new metaphors that help people, brands and institutions to talk about these abstract and intangible things,’ explains Marcus Wendt, creative director at digital studio Field.

From top: Virtual Gap Year by Pitch Studios for IAM; Microsoft Ignite branding by Tendril; System Aesthetics by Field; The Body by Waltz Binaire; Virtual Gap Year by Pitch Studios for IAM; The Body by Waltz Binaire

From top: Cytora by Pentagram; IBM Think festival by Foam; Cytora by Pentagram; IBM Think festival by Foam

From top: The Emotional Art Gallery project by Clear Channel; Microsoft Ignite branding by Tendril; BOB by Ian Cheng; The Emotional Art Gallery project by Clear Channel

This toolkit reveals the key design cues and treatments to consider when incorporating this design direction into branding, advertising, UI, UX and art direction.

Here we highlight the talent to work with to implement this design direction. These three creative practitioners are leading the way in developing new visual metaphors that represent complex data and technology systems through a combination of digital animation, dynamic typography and informative experiences.

: Creative studio Field is a category leader in creating future aesthetics for design, emotion and experience. The studio is made up of artists, designers and consultants across strategy and branding, moving images and immersive experiences, and has produced digital experiences for a cross-sector of clients including Stella McCartney, Samsung and Toyota

: Having established a diverse client base that includes Gucci, Vodafone and Starbucks, creative information design studio Accurat recognises that data is not just a set of numbers, but a manifestation of people, places, ideas and values. The studio creatively communicates data-heavy information through multiple digital formats that include AR experiences, installations and retail interiors

: Canada-based Tendril works at the intersection between technology and art to create future-facing brand narratives. Its internal R&D lab for AR and VR pushes the boundaries of storytelling and informs digital activations for clients such as Microsoft, Shopify and Nike