SHOULD YOU USE AI FOR YOUR EVENT PROMOTION MATERIAL?

Conversations surrounding AI have been very topical over the last few years, especially within the creative industries. From AI generated videos, imagery and music, to copywriting and social media content – these platforms are getting smarter and producing higher quality outputs. This raises an important question for event organisers – should I use AI to create promotional materials for my event or do I invest in a graphic designer to develop my marketing assets?

One side of the argument is that AI is a powerful tool that can save businesses time and money. A recent ABC article highlighted the Treasury’s view that Australia risks missing out on the economic benefits of AI due to slow business adoption, with technology providing the potential to deliver significant productivity gains. In summary the report states “New advice provided to Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia’s current AI uptake was widespread but shallow, with less than 10 per cent of businesses reporting “significant” adoption”. It goes on to say “…there are large parts of Australia’s economy, like health, education, construction and tourism, which are considered much harder to transform with AI” (Armstrong, 2026).

On the other side of the argument, AI is taking away human creativity and impacting the work of creative professionals. In the case of marketing, design and social media have seen the most impact, with imagery, video, branding and social feeds being painted with an AI brush. 

But are consumers really engaging with AI-generated content in the same way as human-led creativity?

In a recent ABC article, artists are already reporting losing commissions as AI generated imagery becomes increasingly accessible and “good enough” for consumers (Berlage, 2026). There are also growing concerns surrounding originality, with ARIA announcing that AI generated tracks will not be eligible for the ARIA charts, alongside broader questions about whether audiences are engaging with and trusting content they see.

KFC Picklecore Campaign

KFC launched its picklecore campaign in Australia running from 1 September to 30 September 2026, and as a pickle connoisseur – I love the entire campaign direction. But what we questioned was the visual direction of the promotional material. The video features highly stylised, surreal shots such as pickle perfume bottles, pickle lipstick, which look very three-dimensional and don’t necessarily look like something you’d see in the real world. The video is highly polished, and deliberately artificial-looking,  resembling the style of AI-generated videos that have become increasingly common across social media. The general audience sentiment in the comments was mixed. Half of the comments were people excited to try the menu, while the other half called the video “AI Slop”. 

That’s where this conversation around graphic design becomes really interesting. Gone are the days of highly stylised, crisp, quality content. With the rise of AI-generated creative on social media, it is changing the way audiences interact with visual content and their overall trust in what they are seeing.

Willy’s Chocolate Experience 

The BBC explored this issue, touching on the use of event and gig posters, highlighting the growing use of AI generated artwork to promote live music events and the frustration this has caused among not only artists, but audiences as well (BBC News, 2026).

The report notes “As soon as savings is mentioned now, one of the first things businesses think is, ‘Could we can use ChatGPT to do that?’ “Often the answer is, ‘Yeah, sure’. But the problem is that ChatGPT doesn’t do as good a job as an actual artist would. It can’t replicate like that authentic artistic expression”. “…AI can be “used for a quick turnaround” but is “regurgitative and soulless”.

‘Willy’s Chocolate Experience’, was an event held in Glasgow in 2024 that became infamous after its promotional materials promised a vivid, lolly-themed fantasy world inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Their marketing materials and website featured colourful, highly stylised imagery that created an expectation of an immersive experience. However, visitors who paid up to €35 (around $67 AUD in 2024) to attend were very disappointed when the reality fell short of what was advertised. With no alignment to what the actual event offered, audiences took to social media to voice their disappointment (BBC News, 2024). These case studies are particularly important for events which rely on genuine, real-life experiences. 

AI vs Human

A six-fingered person with a 6-pack who walks through walls will certainly capture attention…but likely for the wrong reason.

AI can absolutely be useful! AI can generate a beautiful image. AI can write a blog. AI can make a video. AI can recommend a restaurant. AI can answer a question. AI can even simulate a conversation. 

But, AI cannot walk into a room and strike up a conversation. It can’t create the energy in a room or the vibe inside festival gates, a handshake, a hug, meeting someone unexpectedly, or the feeling of seeing your favourite artist on stage.

AI can help start an idea or shape a thought and answer questions, but it can’t replicate being there. Human interaction, true connectedness and feeling can only be created and felt by humans.

What Does This Mean for Event Organisers and Event Marketers?

In a nutshell, people want reasons to put down their phones, leave the house and connect with a place, a brand, a community or each other.

We’re moving from a world where brands compete for attention through content to one where attention alone isn’t enough. AI-generated content and social feeds that are overrun by stylised and artificial-looking creatives can blur the line between what is real and what isn’t, making it hard for audiences to connect with and trust what they are seeing, and ultimately trust the experience being sold is what they will actually get when they attend your event. 

And, the more AI-generated content we consume – be it automated interactions, clickbait, or endless scrolling – the more valuable genuine human content and experiences become. Because when everything can be generated, curated and personalised by a machine, creating something that feels genuinely human becomes the real creative advantage.

For designers, creatives need to capture your audience’s attention, build trust in your brand and cut through the increasingly over-produced content we are seeing online. A graphic designer will bring a considered approach and provide authentic brand representation. The creative direction itself needs to be considered, aligned and tested. The future event creator also isn’t competing with AI. They’re using it as another tool in the creative toolkit. AI can take care of the data, efficiencies and endless possibilities, giving event creators more time to focus on what really matters: the idea, the people and the experience.

The Event Marketer’s role is also changing. AI can help with insights, make it faster to optimise campaigns, identify audiences and ideate. But the role of the event marketer is not to inspire to “click”,  it’s about creating anticipation, building desire and ultimately putting bums on seats or heads on beds. In the real world, marketers bridge the gap between a curator and an in-person action. They create the spark that turns ideas into connection and ‘participation’. 

The ultimate KPI for an event marketer isn’t a like, an impression, a comment or a media article. It’s getting people through the door.

In summary, the future isn’t about choosing between digital and real-world experiences. It’s about using digital to create the desire, then giving people a reason to show up in real life