Generative AI for Creative Storytelling (Without Losing Brand Identity)

Let’s talk about something that’s been buzzing across every Slack channel, marketing meeting, late-night creative brainstorm, and of course, LinkedIn: generative AI.

It’s everywhere.

In your editing tools. In your design software. Inside your CRM. Embedded in every new startup’s pitch deck. Honestly, it can feel a bit much.

Every scroll feels like another “10 AI tools that will 10x your content” post, and if you’re anything like me, it’s equal parts exciting and exhausting.

That said, it is impressive.

You can feed it a few prompts and get back halfway-decent visuals, headlines, maybe even a full script in seconds. Five years ago, that would’ve sounded like science fiction. Now it’s just… Friday (when I’m writing this post 😀).

I always have a concern. When everyone’s pulling ideas from the same machine, the results start to blend together.

And that machine? It only exists because we trained it.

It works by remixing the creative work we put into the world – past campaigns, brand stories, art, copy, culture – everything we’ve already done.

So if you rely on it too much, what you’re really doing is pulling from a giant pile of what’s already been said and done. The output feels familiar because… well… it is!

The Double-Edged Sword of AI in Creative Work

On one hand, AI is a bit of a dream.

It speeds things up. It gets you from zero to draft one without the existential dread of staring at a blank Google Doc. Personally, I use it a lot when I’m stuck – not just for output, but for thinking. I’ll start chatting to it almost like I’m talking to myself (which, let’s be honest, I already do when I brainstorm 😅).

I throw weird questions at it. I ask it to challenge me. Sometimes I get absolute nonsense back (if I could highlight it even more, I would)- but sometimes, it nudges me down a path I never would’ve considered on my own. That’s the magic. Not the end result, but the surprise detours it helps unlock in the creative process.

But unfortunately, everything that’s too goof to be true tends to have the flip side.

We’ve all seen those AI-written LinkedIn posts or brand videos that feel… not just a bit off – but really off. Cheap, even. Like someone asked a bot to whip something up just to tick a box and hit publish, and it shows. It ALWAYS shows.

Because when you’re building a brand, especially in a world absolutely flooded with content, that stuff just doesn’t land.

The meaning matters!!

Not in some weird fluffy, philosophical way, but in a concrete, bottom-line kind of way. It’s the difference between something people scroll past and something they feel, and that’s not something AI can manufacture on its own (thank god!).

Even platforms are starting to recognize this. YouTube recently rolled out monetization restrictions on AI-generated content – which is a pretty clear signal. They want more of the real stuff. Less sameness and more human soul. Hopefully, that pushes us all to value what actually connects: authentic human stories told by actual humans.

So… Where Should AI Fit into Storytelling?

Generative AI is the ultimate assistant. It’s not the strategist, not the creative director, and definitely not the voice of your brand.
Think of it like a super-fast intern who’s great at pulling together moodboards, writing first drafts, and brainstorming 30 tagline options in a minute.

But never consider it your creative lead.

It doesn’t understand nuance. It doesn’t feel tension. It can’t spot the weird, wonderful, slightly uncomfortable angle that makes something actually memorable.

It’s great at helping you move – but it doesn’t know where you’re going. THAT’S YOUR JOB!

Use It To Assist, Not Replace

Here are a few ways I actually use AI to elevate storytelling – without flattening the voice or losing the soul of a brand:

1. Ideation & Exploration

This is where AI shines for me – especially when I’m stuck at the beginning.

If I’m trying to find a fresh angle for a campaign, I’ll literally just start talking to it like I’m thinking out loud. Sometimes I’ll ask it to show me five completely different tones or emotional directions for the same idea. Other times, I’ll challenge it with a “what if this were done like a 90s Nike ad?” or “how would this sound if it were more rebellious… or more tender?”

It’s like brainstorming with someone who never gets tired of your weird questions – and never runs out of answers.

Most of it I’ll throw away. But occasionally, it unlocks something unexpected – and that spark sends me down a path I wouldn’t have taken on my own.

2. Drafting & Structuring

Once I’ve got the idea, I’ll often use AI to sketch out a basic structure. It’s useful for those moments when your brain’s firing with high-level thoughts, but the paragraphs just aren’t forming yet.

I’ll ask it to outline a rough flow for a script or a blog – not because I’ll keep it, but because it gives me something to respond to. Something to rip apart or rebuild.

It’s like working with clay: the AI gives you a messy lump of something, and then it’s on you to mold it into something that actually means something.

3. Versioning & Repurposing

This one’s purely for efficiency. Say I’ve just written a long-form blog (like this one). I’ll ask AI to help me pull out some key points – maybe turn them into tweet threads, email intros, or Instagram captions.

It saves a lot of time, but I always go through and rewrite parts.

Warning Signs You’re Leaning Too Hard on AI

One thing I’ve started paying close attention to in my own work and in what I see out there, is when brand voice starts sounding… weirdly familiar. And not in a good way. 😔

Like suddenly, everyone’s using the same phrasing. Same tone. Same slightly-too-polished confidence. And you realise:
“oh no, this all sounds like AI.”

If that’s happening to your brand, it might be time to take a breath and really look at what you’re putting out.

Here are a few signs I’ve noticed – either in my own content or when working with clients – that things are drifting into the generic:

• Your messaging feels safe. Like, technically correct, but totally forgettable.
• Campaigns hit the brief, but don’t hit anything emotionally.
• You’re editing less and publishing more just because “AI wrote it and it sounds fine.”
• And maybe the biggest one: when someone asks, “What does your brand actually sound like?” – no one has a clear answer. 😞

That last one is a gut punch. Please never let yourself, your brand or your company to ever get to this stage.

Let’s Find Your Voice Together

At Mensoi, this is exactly the kind of work we live for, helping brands rediscover (or finally define) a voice that actually feels like them.

Whether you need a creative team to bring it all to life, or you just need someone to sit beside you, ask better questions, and sharpen your thinking – we’re here for both. We can build it with you, or guide you in building it yourself.

If anything in this post made you pause, or made you think “yeah… that’s where we’ve been slipping” – then let’s talk. 😉