Image rules and AI prompts in standards
Images are where a brand can easily go off track, which fonts and colors cannot fix, while AI commands are only reliable when human image rules are clear beforehand.
The image law should be included if you tell stories through images, as this is where consistency is most easily lost, which colors or fonts cannot compensate for. The command section for the AI assistant should be added when the team has frequently used AI for image creation, as AI does not read PDF files and will invent styles if not described in words. If the team has not yet used AI for image creation, focus on the photography law first and leave the AI command for a later update.
- brand selling through images like cosmetics, F&B, travel
- the team is using AI to create visuals weekly
- many people create images in parallel, needing a common base command
- Your team hasn't used AI to create visuals for the next update.
- Limited imagery in brand content
Comprehensive brand guidelines typically include sections on color, font, and logo. However, images are where a brand can deviate the fastest and be the hardest to recognize. You can use the correct colors and fonts but still appear as two different brands if each person chooses a different style for images. The command section for AI assistants is a newer layer, but the logic is the same: if the style isn't described in words, the AI will make it up.
Two layers need to be distinguished clearly
Image rules and AI prompts are two different things, although closely related. Image rules tell humans how to shoot, whether the tone is light or dark, how the layout should be, which images are on-brand, and which are off-brand. AI prompts communicate similar instructions to machines in a language they understand. AI prompts are only effective when human image rules are clear beforehand, as AI amplifies ambiguity rather than filling it in.
AI command (for machines): translate the above principles into reusable text descriptions when creating visuals with AI assistants. Only valuable when the image rules are clear.
When image rules are mandatory
If your brand sells through images, image law is not optional. Industries such as cosmetics, F&B (food and beverage), travel, and fashion rely on images to create the first impression with customers. Without rules, each team member will shoot and select images based on their personal taste, causing the brand to dilute without you knowing exactly why.
The minimum image rules must include: overall style (authentic or staged, light or dark, close or distant), color tone for photo processing, preferred layout, and at least one example photo with an explanation of why it is correct.
When to add AI commands
The AI command for image generation assistants (like Midjourney, ChatGPT, or similar tools) should be added to the standards when the team has been using AI for image generation regularly, meaning at least a few times a week. The simple reason: AI does not read your standard PDF files. Without a standard command to reuse, each person will type spontaneously and produce images in different styles each time.
AI commands are a translation of visual principles into machine-readable text. They only hold up when human visual rules are clear beforehand; otherwise, AI amplifies ambiguity.
Sinh Vũ
Common mistakes when missing these two layers
- Omitting image guidelines so that each team member takes and selects photos in their own style, gradually losing brand consistency without anyone identifying the cause.
- Expecting AI to intuitively understand brand style without verbal description, resulting in images that vary in tone each time.
- Copying AI prompts from another brand may look appealing, but it reflects that brand's personality, not yours.
- Writing AI commands before having image rules leads to ambiguous commands that each person interprets differently.
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
Sinh Vũ provides image and voice guidelines to ensure that photographs maintain a consistent personality over time and across various contributors. The command for AI assistants is an optional layer that Sinh Vũ adds when your team frequently creates visuals using AI, not a requirement for completeness.
The correct order is: finalize the image rules for people first, test for a while, and then if the team is using AI to generate images, translate those rules into a standard command set. Reversing this order builds on an unstable foundation.
If you are unsure whether the team will use AI for long-term design, do not rush to add command sections to the guidelines. A concise guideline that is genuinely used is better than a comprehensive one that the team ignores because it is too lengthy.
Decision checklist
Topic: Should we add image guidelines and AI commands to the brand standards? Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Bynder · Brand Guidelines Definition; Google Cloud · Ultimate prompting guide for Nano Banana; Sinh Vũ's practical experience.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI commands replace a creative brief?
No. An AI command is a translation of the brief into a language that machines understand, not the brief itself. If the brief is vague, the command will amplify that vagueness instead of resolving it. Establish the rules for human images first, then write the command.
If you copy the AI command of a famous brand, can it be used?
The result will produce images that reflect the personality of that brand, not yours. The AI command needs to be written based on the brand's unique visual principles; otherwise, the output will miss the mark even if it looks good.
A small team, with only one person doing photography, is there a need for image guidelines?
Necessary, but it can be more concise. The issue is not just the number of people but the number of image sources and the timeframe. When that person is on leave, when adding collaborators, or when you use AI to create images, existing image rules will maintain a consistent style.