When our client, Vestergaard, came to us with an animation brief, we knew there was potential to do things a bit differently without compromising on production value or creativity.
The challenge was compelling from the get-go: bring to life the powerful impact long-lasting insecticide-treated nets have on the fight against malaria. It was immediately clear that the story needed to be told with impact—something rich in colour, texture and emotion to match the gravity of the message.
But the big question was: what was the best way to get there?
Creative challenges rarely come with just one solution. But by bringing AI on as a partner, we knew we’d be able to dramatically boost production value and creative quality. We’ve chatted before about how AI isn’t about replacing the human touch but rather giving you more choice—and our approach to this project was a case in point.
So we let our curiosity take the reins and ran a little test. Two versions, side by side: one made the traditional way, and another where we let AI lead the way. That way, the Vestergaard team had the freedom to decide which version best fitted their brief.
We started by testing the animation side of an AI platform, quickly finding that the results were inconsistent, mismatched and not up to scratch.
What they did do, though, was give us heaps of inspiration. While the animation was lacking, one of the early outputs sparked a strong visual direction. So we shifted focus, using the AI platform to generate imagery before handing it back to the humans to refine and animate with their irreplaceable flair.
The final workflow was roughly 80% handmade design and animation, with 20% AI input. This hybrid approach wasn’t about speed or budget, but flexibility. By using the best of both worlds, we could test ideas, iterate and respond to the Vestergaard team’s feedback without having to go back to square one each time.
Voiceover-wise, the team went with an AI-generated performance. Capturing an authentic accent, however, proved tricky, but we got there with a bit of finetuning, using voice changing which we then refined with AI. Once again, it came down to finding the right balance: AI kicked things off, and the human touch made it shine.
Many people think working with AI means clicking a button and getting a perfect output. In reality, it’s almost never that simple.
There’s also the idea that AI should automatically make things cheaper because it speeds everything up. While that can sometimes true, it’s not a given. Really, it boils down to cost versus value. AI doesn’t always bring down the price tag, but it can unlock value in ways traditional methods can’t.
It can also give us the chance to be even more creative (more on that here). AI is especially helpful in the early stages of the creative process, giving us more space to explore illustration styles, colour palettes and the like. In this case, it gave us chance to layer in more depth, texture and colour, and move through creative iterations far more quickly than if we’d ploughed on without. And the Vestergaard team thought so too.
When we presented both versions—one produced traditionally, the other enhanced with AI— Vestergaard chose the latter, and were genuinely delighted with the quality of the finished animation.
But the thing is, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. No two projects are ever the same, and with AI evolving so quickly, every workflow ends up looking a little different too. That’s all part of the fun—tweaking and adjusting until we reach the best solution for each brief.
For us, AI isn’t a shortcut. It’s about balance. We’re still learning, and always will be. But one thing’s certain: the real magic still lies in the balance between human creativity and smart technology.
That’s what makes the work worth watching.
AI voiceovers are advancing at a rate of knots, and it’s easy to see why. They’re practical, efficient and can save serious time, especially when used in the right context.
What’s clear is that they’re a valuable addition to the creative process. An addition that means we have more tools in our toolkit than ever before. But rather than replacing what already works, AI voiceovers simply expand the options available.
For some projects, a human voice will be the natural choice; for others, AI may prove the smarter option—and often, a blend of the two can work marvellously. Our role in all of this is to help you work out which approach delivers the best results for your audience, timeline and budget.
…That’s the theory. Now for the practice.
We wanted to explore just how far AI voice tech has come. So we used our enterprise AI models to build a simple demo using a non-actor’s voice: one script, two reads—first by the human, then by an AI clone of the same voice. The example switches seamlessly between them.
What do you think?
Note: we used a fictional diabetes product script to show how AI handles medical terms. Any likeness to real products is purely coincidental.
This isn’t about replacing human voiceovers or picking sides. It’s about giving you more choice. We audition and sample both human and AI reads on your script so you can hear the difference for yourself.
Sometimes a human voice carries instinct, emotion or nuance that just clicks. Other times, technology can surprise you with speed, consistency and unexpected flow. Often, the magic happens somewhere in between.
Of course, AI isn’t flawless. Longer reads can get tricky, clones can shift between sessions, and technical language or names need a careful touch. Rights and transparency matter too—check out the EU AI Act for more on this.
But that’s where we come in: building glossaries, setting pronunciation guides, running quality checks and making sure that every voice is used with clear consent. By handling these details, we keep AI reliable, consistent and safe to use so you can make the most of what’s possible.
We’re here to remove faff and add value. Great work doesn’t come from tools alone; it comes from the choices we make. Our job is to help you make the right ones for your project, every time.
Recently, our Joint MD, Adam Sherlock, teamed up with our Creative Director, Peter Michels, and Art Director, Andy Upton, to explore how AI is pushing us to be more human, more analogue, and more creatively unhinged (in a good way).
There’s been a flurry of conversations recently about whether or not AI is creative. Is it going to wipe out the creative community in one Spielbergian zap? Should you finally open that doggie bakery your neighbourhood desperately needs?
Maybe we’re looking at this all wrong. Maybe we’re not asking the right questions.
It’s not about whether AI is creative. It’s about how AI is affecting our own creativity and our creative futures—positively. This is about us after all.
I’d like to approach this discussion of AI in the design space from a different perspective: what if AI actually sets us free creatively?
I sat down with our Art Director, Andy Upton, to talk about how AI isn’t here to steal our creative souls—it might just let us fly. If we play this right, if we own this moment, AI could be our ticket to being more human, more analog, and more unhinged (in a good way) with our ideas. At least as artists. We could be quicker, stronger, and capable of grabbing the undiscovered.
Hear me out.
“The reality of AI is that it’s a simulation of creativity,” Andy said after a sip. “It’s taking what it’s learned and piecing it together. So, is it creative? Not in the truest sense of human creativity.”
AI isn’t out here dreaming up the next postmodern masterpiece. It’s pulling from what already exists, remixing it like a DJ with unlimited samples. It can assist, but it can’t originate.
That’s where we come in.
The wild originality. The gut feelings. The moments where you think, this is either genius or completely certifiable. The subjective messiness of creativity—that’s human.
For the longest time, beyond the artistic spark, being a designer meant mastering tools—whether it was charcoal and ink, scissors and glue, or Adobe. But now?
Still true. But AI shifts the game.
“AI takes away the more skill-based element of knowing how to do something and pushes you more into the idea side of things,” Andy pointed out. And that’s liberating.
Being creative for creativity’s sake. Digging into the dusty corners of your heart and soul. AI lets us actually open up areas of our brain that haven’t raised their hands in a while.
Instead of grinding for hours in soul-crushing stock libraries, a well-trained prompt lets us generate those elements ourselves—and they’re ours. There’s even a sense of pride in that.
Think about the exploration on all levels—concepting, inspiration, building elements, even proofing. It’s not about losing craft—it’s about separating craft from creativity.
At this point, it’s critical to realise that AI replaces nothing whole. It’s still a skill. A tool. And like any tool, it needs the piloting of a craftsman. Even then, it can’t do everything—it’s just one coat of paint.
I have cameras that haven’t smelled silver in decades, records hibernating in the “B’s” that haven’t hit the mat since consistent seasons (I haven’t forgotten about you, Bangles), and ornate plates that house a dozen oysters perfectly—that have been used… never.
None of these things are going anywhere.
I’m not a hoarder.
There’s a visceral connection—a memory of that emotion. These are crumbs of our creative therapy.
What I’m getting at is that AI is actually making a lot of us less digital. It’s pushing us back into the analogue world, giving us more time to experience the things that make us who we are.
We’ve been freed up to get our hands dirty again. Get everything dirty.
“I’ve seen more designers excited about getting physical with their work—painting, collaging, using their hands—because AI can’t replicate that experience,” Andy said. “There’s something about physically pushing paint around that you don’t get from just prompting MidJourney.”
AI is pushing us back toward our roots as artists and storytellers. The things that feel raw, messy, and personal—AI can’t touch those. And that’s exactly why they matter more than ever.
That’s the paradox.
AI gives us speed, efficiency, and endless iterations, but it also reminds us why human touch matters. It helps us focus on the feeling behind the work, rather than just the mechanics.
And that’s not to say using AI isn’t a part of this analogue evolution. Andy’s personal work proves it. Finding the right image or pattern to “cut out” for his compositions has dropped the needle on the next chapter of his visual storytelling.
The problem isn’t AI itself—it’s the idea of AI. It’s the fear of AI.
But let’s be real: people once thought Photoshop was cheating. Now? It’s just part of the process.
“It’s just expected. AI as a term will probably disappear and just become part of most of our tools. It’s already happening,” I told Andy.
“It’s important to remember it’s just part of the process, not the process,” Andy said. “Like Photoshop helped you get where you were going, AI does the same—but you need to know when and how to use it. That’s a skill on its own.”
Narratives always change over time.
AI isn’t a supervillain. It’s not the main character, either. It’s that background extra holding a boom mic, making sure we sound good while we do our thing.
It’s here to help us create and evolve. To make us wilder, more unpredictable, and push storytelling beyond the expected seven storylines.
I’m not treating it like a threat.
I’m treating it like the overqualified, unpaid intern who still has a lot to learn.
And I haven’t had to talk to HR in weeks.
It might even bring you a taco someday while you’re busy changing the creative world.
And take comfort in this: if AI were really here to replace us, it would have come up with a better closing line than this.
So, what do you think? Does AI make us more creative or am I off base? Is it an overqualified intern, or are we actually training it? Drop your thoughts…somewhere?
Feeling inspired? See how we can free your mind on your next project. Get in touch to see how we can collaborate.
Recently, our very own Adam Sherlock, Corey R., and Rebecca Darley shared why the secret sauce to unforgettable events isn’t found in algorithms alone—but in human imagination, playfulness, and creativity.
When you try to narrow down what makes a great event, words like connection, excitement and creativity spring to mind.
But what about fun? When we really gave it some thought, it seemed to us that fun—or more specifically, playfulness—is a crucial yet often overlooked element of what makes an event memorable for all the right reasons. When used well, it has transformative potential, turning a run-of-the-mill experience into something truly unforgettable.
Playfulness can be a powerful tool. But, speaking of powerful tools, how does it fit in with the biggest buzzword on everyone’s lips right now?
We’re talking, of course, about AI.
As a word, ‘play’ is difficult to neatly define precisely because it encompasses so many different activities, contexts and purposes. So, rather than us sit here and try, we’ll go straight to the experts.
Peter Gray, Professor of Psychology at Boston College, argues that ‘play’ has four defining characteristics:
It’s easy to see the connections between AI and those first three characteristics in particular:
But it’s that fourth point we really want to home in on. Can AI replicate the creativity and imagination of the human brain when it comes to playfulness?
We’d argue that, no, it can’t.
Back to events—or more specifically, great events. Think back to your last memorable exhibition: Was it the tech alone that made it stand out, or was it something more personal and unexpected? Often, it’s a clever idea dreamed up by someone who understands what genuinely resonates with people.
Take our stand for Sage at Accountex. The idea for our centrepiece (a GIANT umbrella, representing the uniting of their brands under one… well, umbrella) came straight from our very own brains. It was human imagination that sparked the idea, and human graft that delivered a quirky, fun and inviting experience that attendees simply couldn’t resist snapping a picture of.
Sure, we could have used AI to help generate a similar concept, but it’d have been nowhere near as good. Aside from the sheer scale of the thing, it was the subtle human understanding of humour, context and emotional connection that made it such a talking point.
That’s the thing with AI. It supports, but it doesn’t create. At least, not in the same way that we do.
What AI does really well is amplify human ideas. It also helps boost efficiency in the planning stages—things like rapid idea generation, fast visualisation, and predictive analytics are invaluable when it comes to streamlining our processes.
Crucially, the more streamlined our processes, the more time we have to push creative boundaries.
It’s a collaborative relationship, not a competitive one. The best event ideas, the ones that spark laughter, delight and connection, will always need a human touch. No amount of algorithmic planning alone can generate the genuine buzz of good, old-fashioned fun.
So, where does this leave us?
AI undoubtedly offers exciting new possibilities for event planning, helping us refine and execute our playful, creative ideas. But it’s authentic, spontaneous human interactions that create the real power of play at events. While AI is a valuable assistant, it’s never the star of the show.
At Outlook Creative, we believe in playful partnerships—human imagination, supported by smart AI. The future belongs to those who can harness AI’s strengths while never losing sight of what makes events truly unforgettable: creativity and human connection.
After all, you can programme AI, but you can’t programme genuine fun.
Now, excuse me while I go and ask ChatGPT how to fix my boiler.
Feeling inspired? Let’s bring some FUN to your next project. Get in touch to see how we can collaborate.
AI is a daily topic of conversation here at Outlook Creative—and for good reason. With developments moving at breakneck speed, it’s high time we update you on our approach to AI, the immediate benefits you can expect and how we see it shaping our future.
But before we launch in, there’s one important thing to reiterate: Confidentiality comes first. In all our AI explorations, protecting our clients’ information, data and outputs remains our top priority.
As an agency, we’re committed to using the latest and most advanced software, many of which have integrated AI into their latest offerings. All our production teams have access to these tools, and we’re already seeing the benefits in the speed and quality of outputs.
We’re still working on quantifying this in detail, but early data suggest that both cost per asset and the average overall project cost are decreasing.*
There’s a growing list of ‘quick wins’ facilitated by AI. Let’s get into them.
Voiceovers
AI voiceovers have come a long way in recent months. Historically, our view was that they weren’t quite good enough. But now they are, we’re looking at how we can take full advantage to reduce your costs. On average, we’re currently seeing cost reductions of 50–80% when using AI voiceovers—and much shorter lead times.
For the avoidance of doubt, there’s absolutely still a place for human voiceovers. But there’s also now one for AI-generated alternatives, too.
Moving forwards, for all projects requiring a voiceover, we’ll provide you with both options. The decision will always be yours to make.
LinkedIn
We know video posts perform better on LinkedIn—they get 5x more engagement on average. And with research suggesting that around 30% of people are auditory learners, adding voiceover can help make your message more memorable, accessible and effective.**
Given that AI voiceovers now provide a quality, more cost-effective solution, the team will now provide you with the option of an AI voiceover to support your LinkedIn assets. Again, this is your choice, but we will always give you the option.
Social assets, including LinkedIn
We’re also seeing some encouraging results when we take static social posts and animate them using AI, and we have a feeling that this will soon be ready for us to suggest as a matter of course. Once we get there, the team will routinely ask if you’d like to add animated versions of your static social posts to the assets we produce. Again, your choice.
We’ve formed an internal AI Action Group—a cross-agency team that pilots and tests new AI solutions as they emerge and meets regularly to discuss their findings.
It’s easy to get drawn in by the big, shiny applications of AI—and we have an eye on that. Our team is focusing on tangible, real-world applications that support your need for efficient, cost-effective solutions. Our efforts are underpinned by a ring-fenced fund dedicated to AI research.
Ongoing pilots include but are not limited to: ElevenLabs, Midjourney, Runway, Copilot, Claude, Descript, Adobe Firefly and ChatGPT. Some of you may have already received AI-generated meeting notes and actions to support effective project management.
Please note: These pilots are being conducted with confidentiality considerations as a top priority.
It would be very easy to make big, bold and profound predictions. However, the reality is that in this field, there’s still a lot to play out.
In the last few weeks alone, we’ve seen global news stories about the emergence of new AI being developed for a fraction of the cost—with even more capabilities. It feels likely that this is a story that will continue long into the future.
We also predict that AI technology will increasingly begin to migrate towards core products. The integration of AI into long-standing, trusted industry software is already happening, making further advancements surely inevitable. As a result, we expect any outstanding legal questions around licensing, usage, copyright and the legalities of AI-generated content to be resolved.
In the meantime, however, we must look to take advantage of AI within sensible risk parameters.
What’s for sure is that we intend to fully embrace this technology and explore all that it can offer our industry and the service we provide to you.
We’d love to hear from you if you have questions, ideas or thoughts. I’ve provided a link below for you to do just that.
*Based on a cross-section of example projects delivered in 2024 compared to previous years.