The Best Set the Standard: Alexander Jaggy of Thjnk on Brand Consistency in the Age of AI.
We asked the top three agencies in the creative rankings for a statement. What’s on the minds of Thjnk, Farner, and Sir Mary this year? What’s frustrating them, what’s making them happy, and what’s next? We’ll start with Alexander Jaggy from Thjnk.
The big issue that’s on our minds at the agency is brand consistency in the age of AI. The emergence and democratization of new marketing tools are fundamentally changing the rules of the game in brand management. What once required expertise can now be quickly scaled and automated. But with this new efficiency comes a risk: the creeping erosion of brand identity. Brands used to be clear voices in a manageable space. Today, they speak through an endless stream of channels, formats, and algorithms—often simultaneously and sometimes even contradictorily. What remains is not always a clear picture, but rather an echo of fragments. This is precisely where the real challenge of modern brand management begins.
In the age of artificial intelligence, a brand needs emotional intelligence. No algorithm in the world would ever think to turn the theft of 12 metric tons of KitKat bars into a PR coup with an official statement. A response as humorous and self-referential as that requires a three-dimensional understanding of a brand—and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor. A strong brand has personality, a presence, a voice, an opinion, and a purpose. A strong brand is consistent and has a distinct style. Two attributes that aren’t necessarily associated with AI.
There are a few strategies that protect brands from erosion while also enabling them to leverage complexity productively. We’ve observed a significant need for this among our clients.
Strategy as a Coordinate System for the Brand
Without a strategic foundation, every campaign becomes a matter of chance. A robust framework defines purpose, positioning, target segments, and competitive differentiation. In a fragmented media landscape, this framework ensures that every initiative points in the same direction, even if it takes different paths across various media channels.
Creativity as a Narrative Operating System
Formats come and go, but great ideas endure. A good creative concept is strong enough to unfold across channels—adaptable yet consistent. It isn’t limited to a single medium but functions as a narrative operating system. You can recognize good creative work by the fact that it works just as well as a 6-second bumper as it does in long-form, without losing any of its meaning. Those who think only in terms of channel optimization produce content. Those who work in an idea-driven way build a brand.
Holistic Coordination of Measures
In practice, brands often speak with many voices: on TV, on billboards, in social media ads, and in newsletters. Without coordination, the result is a cacophony. (Pardon my German.) Effective messaging means managing content throughout the customer journey so that it complements rather than competes with itself. It’s less about a conductor’s baton and more about a score: clear message hierarchies, a defined tone, and coordinated timing. Consistency here doesn’t mean monotony, but rather recognizability with room for variation.
Brand Design as a Catalyst for Visual Clarity
Design is not just an aesthetic add-on, but a strategic tool. In crowded feeds, the first frame often determines whether a brand captures attention. A concise, flexible design system creates brand recognition in milliseconds. At the same time, it must be scalable—from brand campaigns to user-generated content. Good brand design is like a good suit: it fits perfectly in every situation without looking like a costume. Ultimately, brand management today is less a static set of rules than a dynamic ecosystem. The art lies in balancing stability and movement. Those who consistently implement their strategy, use creativity to develop communication opportunities, skillfully orchestrate messages, and view brand design as a brand asset need not fear fragmentation. Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive, understand, and consciously manage one’s own feelings and those of others. This requires a keen human sensibility—an instinct for what is right and appropriate for a brand—as demonstrated by KitKat’s outstanding public relations efforts.
Emotional intelligence remains the most important differentiator in marketing. Artificial intelligence handles the rest, thereby serving to amplify a brand strategy.
