At the end of 2023, VDMA – Europe’s largest association of mechanical and plant engineering – opted for a very special experiment: it commissioned awikom to design the 2024 annual report using images generated exclusively by generative AI. The design had to convince both online and in print. This ambitious project set out to push the boundaries of professional, classic annual-report design and to underscore the technological competence of the association and the industry it represents.
Challenge
- “Unique” theme: the guiding concept called for unique, surprising visual worlds that leave room for interpretation and spark the readers’ curiosity.
- Industry-specific imagery: as the industry association of mechanical and plant engineering, VDMA sought motifs with a clearly industrial character – from abstracted technical details to dynamic factory silhouettes.
- Colour concept: the imagery had to reflect the then CI colours blue, orange and grey to strengthen the association’s brand recognition.
- Consistency & quality: AI-generated images can vary widely in style and level of detail. Our task was to guarantee a coherent aesthetic and professional print readiness across different AI systems.
Our approach
- Choice of AI tools: With Midjourney 5.2 and DALL·E in ChatGPT, we relied on the most advanced AI image-design tools of 2023/24.
- Prompt strategy: simple yet precise guidance: instead of complex instructions, we worked with lean prompts that guided the AI very freely to create industrially inspired scenes in shades of blue, orange and grey.
- Iterative refinement: in several rounds, we fine-tuned the prompts until the motifs were both technically abstract and aesthetically convincing.
- Open, abstract motifs: rather than detailed depictions, we chose vague, surreal compositions that open up room for the viewer’s own interpretation.
- Quality control: all images were taken directly from the AI tools without manual retouching or colour correction. Each draft underwent a multi-stage check for print suitability and clarity. Only images that met our high standards (and those of VDMA) were approved for print.
Outcome
- Consistency: the final motifs combine surreal, abstract forms with suggestive references to mechanical and plant engineering – always in the blue, orange and grey palette. The AI-generated motifs shine through their freshness and unpredictability – a picture portfolio that perfectly matches the “Unique” motto.
- Efficiency gains: compared to classic photo shoots or elaborate illustration commissions, we significantly reduced the time required without compromising on quality.
- Visual impact: the unusual, AI-generated compositions attract a great deal of attention and give the annual report a distinctive brand identity.
- Exhibition at the VDMA building: in January 2025, the motifs were printed in large format on high-quality acrylic glass and presented at the VDMA building in Frankfurt. At the vernissage, Steffen Buchert gave exciting insights into the creative process and delighted numerous visitors.
Outlook
Strengthening the innovation brand: with this bold step, VDMA positioned itself as a pioneer among associations in adopting new technologies and demonstrated how AI can boost creativity. Where AI meets creativity, the images of tomorrow emerge.
Not only in mechanical and plant engineering: those who dare to take new paths set the standards for the future.
