The AI Shift From Novelty To Necessity Showcased In Award Winning MTN And Springboks Campaign

A turning point: The campaign that changed everything

One of the breakthrough moments for us at Moonsport was during our “One Team, 60 Million Voices” campaign with MTN and the Springboks in 2023, where we collaborated with Thekiso Mokhele to craft key visuals that vividly captured the heartbeat of South Africa's support. This collaboration proudly won a Bronze award at MMA Global Smarties South Africa in the Artificial Intelligence Category of Experience Technology. A #RWC2023 collaboration showcasing the unity of 1 Team, 60 Million Voices.

As mentioned, we needed to visually represent a fanbase that spanned a nation, a crowd of millions. Previously, that would’ve meant hours of Photoshopping, compositing, and layering. But now, with AI, we were able to render large-scale visuals in minutes, sometimes seconds, then refine them to perfection. Don’t get me wrong, we still needed to retouch things as AI at that point wasn’t always accurate. But the creative jumpstart it gave us was really powerful. That moment cemented the idea that AI wouldn’t replace our creativity; it would extend it.

AI as collaborator, not competitor

Today, AI is fully embedded into our design workflows, not as a replacement, but as a collaborator. It speeds up ideation, sharpens research, and accelerates crafting. It’s especially powerful in early-stage thinking, where time is tight and ideas need to flow fast. Of course, we still guide the process. AI merely generates, but the decisions still sit with human creativity. We are the filter between brand nuance & creative execution, and for now at least, an algorithm can’t replace our instinct for client taste, brand alignment, and cultural insight.

There’s a misconception that AI kills originality - I’d argue the opposite. For curious, committed creatives, it opens up entirely new ways of thinking. Take our internal experiments with vibe-coding or tools like the in-house Graphics Generator, a coded system that allows us to guide generative outputs with just the right amount of randomness. I didn’t want a machine that did everything for me; I wanted something that worked with me, that sparked ideas I wouldn’t have arrived at on my own. That’s what AI offers when you approach it intentionally. This shift has also changed the way we brief, research, and build moodboards. We’re relying less on stock libraries and more on writing precise prompts. We spend less time scrolling and more time shaping. While the results still sometimes require post-editing, especially when it comes to adding logos or correcting visual flaws. But the speed and specificity we gain are worth it. And importantly, we’re always transparent with our clients. We don’t hide AI’s role in the process. We explain how it helps us elevate the work, not shortcut it. The results speak for themselves. But here’s where we draw the line: when things start to feel inauthentic. You know it when you see it as work that looks good but lacks soul. That’s the danger of over-automation. AI can suggest, but only people can sense what feels right. That emotional intelligence is still a human superpower.

Reinventing the creative process

Regarding originality, I often go back to Austin Kleon’s Steal Like an Artist, a book that reminds us that no idea is 100% original. We all build on what’s come before. AI is just another source of inspiration. What makes a designer great isn’t their ability to invent something from thin air, but their ability to combine influences in fresh, meaningful ways. That’s what taste is. And that’s what separates good work from unforgettable work.

Looking ahead, what excites me most is how design disciplines are starting to blend. Motion, code, direction, editing. Everything is converging. Creatives today are becoming multi-hyphenates, with access to an ever-growing toolkit. At Moonsport, we’re exploring that intersection daily, coding our tools, experimenting across formats, and empowering our team to think beyond traditional boundaries.

For young designers coming up in this new AI-infused world, my advice is this: Learn the fundamental principles of your field so you can rationalise how and why you make the creative decisions you do. Don’t limit yourself to one space; become a multi-disciplinary designer. AI is here to stay. It’s vital to learn to use it. There are completely new ways to think; you just need to want to learn. Be inquisitive, be objective, show intent. Surround yourself with great people and build a community you can lean on, as this world we are living in is changing so fast that without it, you will get left behind.

AI is here to stay. The question is: will you use it passively, or will you shape it with intent?