G.O.D's Douglas Young on how brands can stay authentic in the tech-driven era

In a world obsessed with artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and the next big algorithm, it's easy to forget the timeless foundations that built some of the most enduring companies: brand, culture, and content.  

Don't miss: Survey: 48% of HK, SG and ID consumers concerned about loss of human touch in AI

In fact, almost half of consumers (48%) in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore are concerned about the loss of human touch in AI. This increases to 50% among Singaporeans, according to a YouGov survey.   

Meanwhile, 42% of Hongkongers are concerned about the loss of human touch with the use of Gen AI in content creation, while 48% of Indonesians and 50% of Singaporeans are worried about the issue.  

For local brands that place creativity at their core - such as G.O.D, a heritage design and lifestyle brand dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Hongkongers - AI is seen as a tool to support human creativity, not replace it, said Douglas Young, G.O.D’s co-founder and CEO at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Content 360 Hong Kong. 

For example, at G.O.D’s airport store, Young highlighted a poster featuring an AI-generated model wearing one of the brand’s T-shirts. "We created it when AI first came to the scene, and everyone was convinced he was a real person and wanted to meet him," he said. "A lot of people started taking pictures in front of that poster, and we can't change that poster because it's been so popular."

Human creativity VS AI

AI can be fast and convenient, but it may lack the creative diversity of the human mind, said Young, adding that it's dangerous to just rely on AI to come up with designs and creativity, so balancing between the two is key.  

“You will come up with choices and solutions, which maybe your competitors will also come up with. So I think that's the dangerous part. So as much as we use AI, I also encourage the team to actually go to places such as Yau Ma Tei and experience reality and find inspiration that is raw, that you may have to work a little bit harder on to come up with a solution. So it's a mixture of both,” he added. 

Describing AI as “Google on steroids”, Young emphasised that AI can’t entirely replace human creativity.

“What AI does is offer us a lot of new choices, and it’s time-saving, but human beings need to make the final adjustment, especially if you’ve been to a G.O.D shop and you’ve seen products, I hope you see some humour in them. And I think my experience is that the computer cannot do humour just yet, the sort of G.O.D naughtiness has to come from myself,” he added. 

Creative collaboration is key

This balance between technology and human creativity naturally leads to the importance of collaboration - especially when it comes to promoting a unique and culturally rich place such as Hong Kong.  

“I think collaboration is a big thing, especially in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has always been a place where East meets West. And westerners come and work with local people and work with local technology. So the city is about collaboration, and I think collaboration can give us a lot of unique and authentic content,” he said. 

For overseas brands that wish to venture into the city, Young said it’s all about the particular blend of technology and the resource of creativity. “It's about local resources, heritage, and inspiration, even if your brand is not from Hong Kong, you could work with Hong Kong content providers to come up with something that's authentic.” 

Young also encouraged Hong Kong creatives to take risks wherever life takes them. “The more risks you take, maybe there's more excitement and more danger, but I think the rewards are also greater. So I would encourage brands to step out of their comfort zone. Some of our best collaborations came from brands such as Starbucks. We used to have a Starbucks restaurant (冰室) in 2008, that was when the word 冰室 was revived.” 

But at the end of the day, it's up to the CEO of those companies to make such a bold decision, he said. “But by making a risky and bold decision, by stepping out of your comfort zone, you surprise your customers, and you come up with a product that nobody thought was possible. So I would encourage all brands to do that and take risks.” 

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