Flowwow Rebrands: A Fresh Logo and Illustrations by Shchuka

Contents:

• Universal Market of Pleasures
• Gardens and AI
• Criticism from the Online Community

At the Sreda-2024 New Design Festival, the Shchuka Bureau project dedicated to the Flowwow flower and gift marketplace won a gold award in the category "Use of AI and neural networks in branding." The team's specialists developed the concept of a "virtual art director," creating a prompt capable of generating illustrations that match the brand's unique style.

In this article, we will discuss the process that took place at Shchuka, where emotions were transformed into graphic images, and also touch on the questions that a small group of designers had in connection with the use of illustrations generated by artificial intelligence.

A Universal Market of Pleasures

Flowwow was founded in 2014 and became an early participant in the digitalization process in the field of flower sales and delivery. She offered local shops and florists the opportunity to join the platform, giving them the chance not only to serve customers in their region but also to expand their customer base into other cities and even countries.

By 2023, Flowwow had become more than just a flower marketplace. The platform offers a variety of products, such as cakes, coffee, jewelry, candles, cosmetics, and tableware—everything traditionally given as a token of love and gratitude.

In October 2024, the company announced the rebranding process, presenting a new logo and beginning a phased update of the visual design of its products and communication materials.

The Flowwow flower has acquired new qualities - it has become more flexible, soft and diverse. Now it can be transformed into a cake, a surprise box, or even a crown, depending on your mood and situation.

The updated logo symbolizes our versatility and aligns with our commitment to creating a platform where everyone can discover something unique.

A presentation on the Flowwow brand update.

With the change in the graphic style of the sign, which became softer, the orange color, which is the main one for the brand, also became less bright. The coral shade demonstrates harmony between dynamism and comfort, standing out from the usual red shades used in the e-commerce sector.

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What color can do

Gifts, as a topic, are invariably associated with positive feelings. What images come to mind when this word is mentioned? Surprise, celebration, joy—all are integral parts of the gift-giving and gift-receiving process, which is itself filled with magic. Each of us can recall those moments when the anticipation of a surprise or the reaction of a loved one becomes truly memorable. This desire to discover what's hidden in the box or the rush to deliver a long-awaited gift—these emotions formed the basis of the new approach to the rebranding.

It also emphasized the role of our marketplace: some users choose gifts for loved ones and friends living far away. For them, it's important to convey their care and warmth, despite the distance.

We defined our mission as "Creating Joy." Since choosing a gift is no less personal than giving it, it's important to us that our customers can experience this process in a cozy atmosphere. We slowed down. After all, a fairy tale takes its time.

Daria Buchakova is the design director at Flowwow, a marketplace specializing in flowers and gifts.

Gardens and AI

Flowwow's vision and clear mission—to bring joy—is vividly illustrated by the image of a perfect blooming garden, created in a magical universe.

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The Sreda Festival has announced the names of the winners.

Shchuka creates magical garden worlds filled with a multitude of details, elements, and characters that appear light and airy. The aesthetic design draws inspiration from a variety of styles, such as Rousseau, Monet, Renoir, Liljefors, as well as contemporary illustrators working on children's literature. However, it is worth noting that none of this was created by humans.

We developed the AI ​​prompt through thousands of experiments, which allowed us to create a library of sample images. We then improved the prompt, which made it possible to maintain a consistent style despite the different themes.

We designed a space that can be integrated with new components, developed, cared for, and protected. Our goal was to create an atmosphere of infinity, so we chose an original prompt instead of a fixed number of illustrations. Artificial intelligence played a key role in shaping abstract emotions and ideas about a perfect world, as well as in expanding the Flowwow team by adding a virtual art director.

From the text about the project for the Sreda-2024 festival

The idea to integrate magical worlds based on the works of Henri Rousseau into Flowwow's visual language came from the Shchuk brand bureau.

From the very beginning, my team and I developed a strong connection. We shared similar views on change, values, and working methods. This shared spirit proved crucial, as we recognized that rebranding is a lengthy and sometimes tedious process. Therefore, it was important for us not only to have a contract, but also to understand each other and share similar views.

The atmosphere of Flowwow's magical worlds, which we transfer to packaging, merch, and digital communications, represents the best solution for us as design specialists. The tangibility of such objects is pleasing because they can be perceived not only through a screen. They can be interacted with in real life.

For example, we created the first advent calendar, designed in the new style, as a New Year's gift for our partners. Recipients noted that "it's really impressive."

Daria Buchakova is the design director at the Flowwow gift and flower marketplace.

Criticism from the online community

Creating designs with the help of artificial intelligence in the field of visual communications has already become commonplace. Many companies use AI to create a unique photo style, develop patterns, or create sets of graphic elements.

However, for some unknown reason, the illustration style created by Shchuka has become the subject of active discussion. This happened after the bureau published the news of the Flowwow rebranding on their LinkedIn page.

The comments highlighted three key themes:

• Admiration and recognition of the bureau's achievements.

• Assessing the quality of illustrations created by artificial intelligence raises many questions and debates. Many experts raise issues related to the detail, stylistic consistency, and originality of such images. Sometimes, AI-generated images can look unnatural or contain errors that are difficult to ignore. Furthermore, some argue that these technologies are not fully capable of conveying the emotional depth and artistic expression characteristic of the works of human artists.

  Some critics also point out that the use of AI in image creation can lead to a loss of individuality and uniqueness inherent in traditional art. Copyright and ethical issues also come into play in the context of using AI to generate artwork, sparking debate about who should be considered the author—the algorithm or its developers.

  Thus, despite the impressive advances in technology, criticism of the quality of AI-generated illustrations remains an important topic of discussion in the artistic and technological communities.

Created using artificial intelligence is more like mood board rather than the finished product. The color scheme is appealing, but the number of visual elements is excessive. For example, the work features four different types of birds, and they clash in style and form. The same applies to the plants and the overall palette.

Please, if you are reading this and planning to implement something similar in your project, consider consulting an illustrator. A true professional will be able to easily spot any inconsistencies.

"So far, I'm not particularly impressed. Professional animators and talented illustrators would certainly have done a much better job."

Complicated emotions. On the one hand, the first impression of the illustrations and design was positive. The idea of ​​using artificial intelligence to create limitless visual space seems very relevant. It's amazing how such technology opens up new horizons, and its potential is difficult to overestimate. Moreover, the imaginative blurry effect and smooth color transitions conceal some inconsistencies in the images. However, I didn't see any individuality or even originality in this work. I'm convinced there were opportunities to distinguish the project from other AI-generated works. At the same time, I realize that I will miss the times when such illustrative worlds were created by hand - from the first sketch to the final version.

• There is an opinion that the use of artificial intelligence may be unethical, since this technology can displace professionals with real skills, and the process of creating images requires significant environmental resources.

"The question is undoubtedly very serious, since it is impossible to achieve such a result without the significant work of modern illustrators. At the same time, none of them will receive compensation for projects that were made possible only thanks to their efforts. Objectively speaking, this is an example of excellent branding: it is consistent and carefully thought out. Therefore, there is reason to be concerned about the fate of professional illustrators, and not only them."

"I understand the resonance caused by artificial intelligence and your creative process based on innovation. I know that human labor is more expensive than the work of neural networks. However, I believe we must protect the visual expression and uniqueness that are created by human labor."

"I wish AI would start creating cakes, candles, cosmetics, and jewelry... and take your job in the process."

"What is the state of the art regarding the ethical use of data for your neural network? Has it ever obtained artists' work without their consent?"

"Our principles are based on the fact that people are the most valuable asset, and as a team we strive to achieve results while showing empathy [...]". I am deeply disappointed that you have chosen to focus on the technology and forgotten the human aspect."

The discussion of the ethics and controversies surrounding the use of AI in the Shchuka project, instead of engaging professional illustrators, raises intriguing questions about the boundaries of creative labor and the role of technology. On his Telegram channel, the bureau's founder, Ivan Velichko, noted: "I believe that our work possesses striking artistic qualities and is undoubtedly the result of collaborative effort. Nastya Butrym brought her creative approach to the development of the AI ​​tool, Vanya Vasin recalled his roots as an artist and Henri Rousseau's "The Customs Officer", which served as a primary source of inspiration. Kostya Frolov went through numerous unsuccessful attempts created with Midjourney. Ultimately, the final prompt was refined by Dima Okulich-Kazarin, who is known at Shchukin for taking vacations exclusively to devote a couple of weeks to painting." I do not share the opinion of those who claim that the final result pleases the eye due to its "human" essence. In my opinion, this clearly demonstrates the nature of the tool, and it is absolutely clear that the images are created algorithmically, not by hand. It's similar to the situation with high-quality digital painting, where even the most masterful works leave the viewer feeling like they were done in Procreate rather than with traditional oil paints.

For context: the project client approved both the concept and the resulting design, choosing an approach based on Shchuka's prompt rather than commissioning illustration sets.

— Artificial intelligence is an important part of our approach, as it harmoniously combines technology with local specifics. Flowwow covers the entire territory of Russia, collaborating with businesses and clients from various regions. We are constantly working to improve our platform to ensure a high standard of service. AI complements this concept.

The primary creators who transform the results of artificial intelligence into finished products remain the design team from Flowwow and the Shchuka studio.

Our brand embodies the values ​​of love and care, which applies to both our clients and team members. The rebranding process requires considerable time and resources, especially when it comes to carefully elaborating all the nuances. The use of artificial intelligence technologies has enabled our designers to improve their efficiency while maintaining a high level of quality.

In my opinion, the discussion of ethical issues related to the use of various tools is reminiscent of the times when programs like Photoshop were first introduced. Back then, they raised many doubts, but today they have become a common part of professional work.

Daria Buchakova

This case demonstrated that the discussion of the role of artificial intelligence in design is undergoing a change. Instead of flamboyant and emotional pronouncements about how AI threatens jobs, we're increasingly seeing more measured reflection on how to properly perceive this tool. It also raises questions about the line between exploiting someone else's creative work and being inspired by it.

Project team

• Anastasia Butrym holds the position of creative and strategic director and is the author of the generative principle at the Shuka company.
• Ivan Vasin, creative director and concept developer working at Shchuka.
• Konstantin Frolov is an art director at Shchuka.
• Dmitry Okulich-Kazarin is an experienced senior designer, illustrator, and curator in the field of graphic arts working at Shchuka.
• Natalia Radnaeva is a designer working on the Shchuka project.
• Victoria Meshchaninova, design specialist | Shchuka
• Maria Orlova holds the position of Director of Customer Service at Shchuka.
• Ksenia Kalinina holds the position of Senior Project Manager at Shchuka.
• Narek Vatinyan holds the position of Project Manager at Shchuka.
• Vasily Kolesnik holds the position of Content Director at Shchuka.
• Katerina Shcherbakova holds the position of Senior Content Producer at Shchuka.

• Daria Buchakova holds the position of Design Director at Flowwow.
• Anastasia Ivanova, Head of Brand Design at Flowwow.
• Renata Mikhailova holds the position of Brand Manager at Flowwow.
• Irina Tatarinova is the Brand Director at Flowwow.
• Daria Oreshko is the PR Director at Flowwow.
• Anastasia Dalmatova is the Leading Public Relations Manager at Flowwow.
• Alexander Filatov is a leading specialist in media design and holds a key position at Flowwow.
• Amir Shakirov is the Head of Product Communications Design at Flowwow.
• Veronica Becker, Head of Digital Design at Flowwow.
• Ekaterina Polishchuk, Leading Specialist in Banner Creation | Flowwow

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