Alexander MacMillan Whiteway
Alexander MacMillan Whiteway
 

Case Study:

Transform with Sensei – A Visionary Brand Campaign for Adobe

 

The Challenge

The Ask: How can Adobe drive awareness of Adobe Sensei and reposition itself beyond being perceived as just a creative software company?

While Adobe is a market leader in creative tools, the company's future depends on its ability to establish Adobe Sensei as the transformative AI engine behind its cloud platforms. Adobe Sensei powers personalization, creative efficiency, and smarter decision-making, yet awareness and understanding of its role remain low among key audience segments, particularly at the enterprise level.

The Reframe: How can Adobe reposition itself as a company of service, focused on enhancing the customer experience with technology, creativity, and innovation powered by Adobe Sensei?

The Situation

Adobe Sensei is central to Adobe’s mission of empowering creativity and optimizing workflows, yet artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) remain misunderstood.

  1. Lack of Awareness:
    Many potential users, particularly in the C-suite, either misunderstand or undervalue AI’s capabilities. They focus on the complexity and disruption of transformation, missing the benefits of Adobe Sensei in enabling seamless creativity and collaboration.

  2. Perception Gaps:
    Adobe Sensei’s naming evokes mastery and teaching, but its potential as a transformative force is not well communicated to its target audience.

  3. Target Market Complexity:
    C-suite executives, marketers, creatives, developers, and data scientists all interact with Sensei differently. While these segments share common pain points, each requires tailored messaging.

  4. Education as a Barrier:
    AI is often conflated with "scary robots" and automation fears. There is a need to demystify AI by showcasing its human-centric benefits and connection to well-being.

The Opportunity

Instead of simply explaining what Adobe Sensei is, the campaign took a bold approach:

Show, Don’t Tell:
Create experiences that highlight Sensei’s transformative power, linking it to Adobe’s mission of fostering creativity, well-being, and innovation.

  1. Connect Adobe Sensei to Well-being:
    By aligning the campaign with Adobe’s Global Well-being Initiative, we positioned Adobe Sensei as a tool that enhances not only productivity but also holistic human well-being.

  2. Inspire Transformation:
    Highlight the ROI of digital transformation for enterprises, showing how Adobe Sensei simplifies workflows and empowers creativity for all.

The Strategy

Vision: Adobe Sensei as "The Teacher of Collective Transcendence" – enabling creativity and well-being through technology.

Key Themes:

  • Mind: AI + Machine Learning that simplifies tasks and boosts creative capacity.

  • Body: Practical efficiency through workflow optimization, freeing up time for meaningful work.

  • Spirit: Empowering creativity and fostering innovation across industries.

Positioning Statement:
"Adobe Sensei blends the art of human creativity with the science of data, transforming workflows and fostering well-being across all dimensions."

 

THE EXECUTION

1. Campaign Concept:


Transform with Sensei: Well-being Across All Dimensions

Positioned Adobe Sensei as the enabler of creativity and efficiency, empowering enterprises to transform their workflows while fostering individual and collective well-being.

Adobe Cosmos – A Vision for the Future:

  • Developed Adobe Cosmos, a conceptual evolution of Adobe’s platforms, featuring hyper-personalized, unified dashboards.

  • Redesigned the Adobe logo to symbolize molecular integration, aligning with Sensei’s transformative role.

Experiential Marketing:

  • Dojo Workshops: Interactive sessions blending Sensei education with mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation.

  • Sensei Galleries: Live demonstrations of Sensei’s algorithms, showcasing their real-world impact on workflows and creativity.

Educational Content Creation:

  • Developed videos and articles explaining AI and ML in accessible terms, tailored for each audience segment.

  • Published case studies highlighting Sensei’s impact on enterprise efficiency and creativity.

Integrated Messaging:

  • Unified the campaign with Adobe’s mission of providing #creativityforall, emphasizing how Sensei bridges technology and well-being.

KEY RESEARCH INSIGHTS

QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Extensive research was conducted for this project over the course of several months to uncover insights into The 4 Truths: Company, Culture, Customer, Competition.

Primary Research:

  • Conducted interviews with C-suite executives, marketers, developers, and creatives to understand their perceptions and needs.

  • Organized focus groups to test campaign messaging and refine creative concepts.

Secondary Research:

  • Analyzed digital transformation trends and AI adoption barriers.

  • Reviewed Adobe’s internal brand assets to identify storytelling gaps.

 

Key Findings

Awareness Gap:


Many decision-makers misunderstand or undervalue AI’s role in fostering creativity and efficiency.

Transformation Hesitation:


C-suite leaders fear the disruption that digital transformation may cause within their organizations.

Data Silos:


Fragmented systems hinder collaboration and productivity, emphasizing the need for Sensei’s integration capabilities.

TARGET AUDIENCE RESEARCH

A critical component of the campaign was understanding the diverse segments of Adobe Sensei’s target audience, their unique pain points, and how AI and machine learning could address them. By tailoring messaging to resonate with each segment, the campaign aimed to bridge knowledge gaps and inspire adoption.

Personas

1

Enterprise Decision Makers (C-Level) & Their Line of Business Managers

Key Insight: C-level executives, including CEOs, CMOs, CIOs, and CTOs, require clear ROI and strategic value to justify investing in digital transformation.

Barriers:

  • Hesitancy due to perceived disruption and high costs of transformation.

  • Limited understanding of AI and ML capabilities and their relevance to business outcomes.

Needs:

  • Solutions that simplify decision-making and provide measurable business results.

  • A compelling vision for how Sensei can enable seamless collaboration across departments.

2

Marketers

Key Insight: Marketers value tools that deliver insights and automate repetitive tasks, enabling them to focus on creative strategy.

Barriers:

  • Sensei’s capabilities often go unnoticed within Adobe’s broader suite of tools.

  • Unclear messaging around how Sensei specifically benefits marketing initiatives.

Needs:

  • Demonstrations of Sensei’s personalization features, such as optimizing ad spend and predicting customer preferences.

3

Creators

(Designers, Artists, and Content Creators)

Key Insight: Creators thrive on Adobe’s Creative Cloud but often lack awareness of how Sensei’s AI features can streamline their workflows.

Barriers:

  • Misconceptions about AI replacing creativity rather than enhancing it.

  • Minimal understanding of how Sensei saves time on repetitive tasks (e.g., tagging assets, removing backgrounds).

Needs:

  • Messaging that emphasizes Sensei’s role in amplifying creativity by automating mundane tasks.

4

Enterprise Developers

Key Insight: Developers see value in the technical scalability of Adobe Sensei but need clearer frameworks for integration within existing enterprise systems.

Barriers:

  • Lack of accessible documentation and training for utilizing Sensei’s APIs.

Needs:

  • Customized resources showcasing how Sensei can be adapted to specific enterprise applications.

5

Data Scientists

Key Insight: Data scientists are interested in Sensei’s capabilities for building custom AI models but require technical depth and flexibility.

Barriers:

  • Limited exposure to Sensei’s advanced tools, such as the Data Science Workspace within Adobe Experience Cloud.

Needs:

  • Detailed demonstrations of how Sensei’s framework supports customization and training of AI models for specific business needs.

 

CUSTOMER INSIGHT GENERATION

Insights Across Personafied Segmentations

Pain Points Identified:

  • A widespread lack of awareness about Adobe Sensei’s capabilities, exacerbated by misconceptions about AI.

  • Concerns over how AI and ML might disrupt workflows rather than enhance them.

  • The need for education and hands-on demonstrations to bridge gaps in understanding.

What They All Have in Common:


Each audience segment values tools and technologies that simplify their work, enhance creativity, and deliver tangible outcomes. Sensei’s role as an enabler of efficiency and well-being was positioned to address these shared needs while tailoring specific benefits to each group.

 

PRINCIPLES OF TRANSFORMATION WITH SENSEI

To ensure Adobe Sensei resonates with its diverse audience and drives transformation, the campaign established key principles that guided the brand's messaging, behavior, and delivery of experiences.

Be a Teacher, Not Just a Tool

  • Rationale: Sensei means "teacher," symbolizing mastery and guidance. Adobe Sensei should embody this role by not just providing AI-powered features but also educating users on their transformative potential.

  • Execution:

    • Develop interactive workshops (e.g., "Dojo Workshops") that teach C-suite executives and creators how to use Sensei for their unique needs.

    • Create self-guided resources like videos, tutorials, and webinars showcasing real-world applications.

Focus on Empowering Creativity for All

  • Rationale: Adobe’s core mission is #creativityforall, which Sensei supports by automating tedious tasks and enabling users to focus on meaningful work.

  • Execution:

    • Emphasize Sensei’s features that save time, such as automatic tagging, asset optimization, and personalized content delivery.

    • Highlight success stories that demonstrate how Sensei frees marketers, creators, and data scientists to innovate.

Integrate Technology and Well-Being

  • Rationale: By aligning Sensei with Adobe’s Global Well-being Initiative, the campaign positioned technology as a driver of holistic well-being—enhancing mental clarity, reducing stress, and fostering work-life balance.

  • Execution:

    • Introduce "Mind-Body-Spirit" messaging to illustrate how Sensei benefits each dimension:

      • Mind: Simplifies decision-making through AI-driven insights.

      • Body: Automates workflows to reduce workload stress.

      • Spirit: Inspires creativity and innovation by removing repetitive barriers.

    • Partner with mindfulness and well-being advocates to reinforce these messages.

Make Transformation Accessible and Human-Centric

  • Rationale: Transformation can feel daunting, particularly for legacy enterprises. Sensei’s role is to simplify the process and make it achievable for all.

  • Execution:

    • Provide clear ROI metrics and cost-benefit analyses for C-suite executives.

    • Create simplified onboarding experiences for developers and data scientists, emphasizing ease of integration.

    • Design campaigns that humanize AI, using relatable storytelling to dispel misconceptions.

Align with Adobe’s Cultural Beliefs

  • Rationale: Adobe’s workplace culture is recognized globally as a leader in employee well-being and innovation. Sensei should reflect these values.

  • Execution:

    • Leverage Adobe’s accolades as a top workplace in messaging, demonstrating that the company practices what it preaches.

    • Develop co-branded campaigns showcasing Sensei’s alignment with Adobe’s cultural ethos.

Deliver Seamless, Integrated Experiences

  • Rationale: Adobe Sensei connects across the Creative Cloud, Document Cloud, and Experience Cloud, creating a unified ecosystem. The brand should emphasize this integration.

  • Execution:

    • Highlight how Sensei bridges silos between marketing, creative, and data teams, enabling collaboration and innovation.

    • Use "Adobe Cosmos" as a future-forward vision of what seamless integration looks like, including hyper-personalized dashboards.

Foster Co-Creation and Collaboration

  • Rationale: By inviting enterprises to co-create their transformation journey, Adobe Sensei becomes a trusted partner rather than just a service provider.

  • Execution:

    • Develop pilot programs where enterprises collaborate with Adobe to tailor Sensei’s features to their needs.

    • Host innovation challenges, inviting marketers, creators, and developers to explore new applications of Sensei’s technology.

Lead with Purpose-Driven Storytelling

  • Rationale: Sensei’s transformative potential is best conveyed through stories that inspire action and highlight impact.

  • Execution:

    • Share narratives of how Sensei enhances creativity and well-being in real-world scenarios.

    • Use customer success stories to demonstrate measurable outcomes, such as increased efficiency, creativity, and satisfaction.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

Adobe Cares. Your well-being matters.

As a leader in enhancing human experience with creativity, technology and innovation, we’re living our mission to change the world through digital experiences.

We have the solutions to make it happen for you and your company, too. We’re in this together.

Transform with Sensei Across All Dimensions — and Transcend at Scale.

BRAND ESSENCE

ADOBE SENSEI

LEVERAGING BRAND STYLE GUIDES & PREVIOUSLY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS

The essence of Adobe Sensei is rooted in its dual role as a teacher and enabler, combining creativity, technology, and human well-being. By leveraging Adobe’s established brand identity and integrating elements from previous successful campaigns, the Transform with Sensei campaign was designed to deepen Adobe’s connection with its audiences while elevating its AI and ML capabilities.

Key Foundations from Adobe’s Brand Style Guides

Visual Identity:

  1. Adobe’s design ethos prioritizes simplicity, boldness, and innovation. For the Sensei campaign:

    1. Molecular Design Concept: The Adobe logo was reimagined with molecular elements (e.g., hexagonal shapes), symbolizing the intersection of data, creativity, and human transformation.

    2. Color Palette: A vibrant spectrum was chosen to reflect the creativity and personalization enabled by Sensei across its platforms.

    3. Typography: Clean, modern fonts were employed to emphasize clarity and accessibility, ensuring technical concepts like AI and ML remained approachable.

Tone of Voice:

  1. Adobe’s tone of voice is confident yet empathetic, inspiring creativity while addressing real-world challenges. For Sensei, the tone was refined to:

    1. Empower: Speak directly to creators, marketers, and executives about the freedom Sensei provides by automating repetitive tasks.

    2. Educate: Demystify AI and ML in simple, relatable language.

    3. Inspire: Highlight Sensei’s ability to unlock boundless creative potential and drive meaningful innovation.

Messaging Alignment:

  1. The campaign drew from Adobe’s legacy messaging, such as #creativityforall, while extending it to emphasize the role of Sensei in fostering well-being and transformation.

Learnings from Previous Successful Campaigns

#CreativityForAll Campaign:

  • This campaign highlighted Adobe’s commitment to democratizing creativity, making tools and resources accessible to all.

  • Integration into Sensei:

    • Sensei was positioned as the enabler behind creativity, showing how AI simplifies workflows and amplifies creative capacity.

    • Personalized messaging was tailored to creators, demonstrating how Sensei saves time on mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on their passion.

Adobe Experience Cloud Campaigns:

  • Previous campaigns for Adobe Experience Cloud successfully targeted enterprise decision-makers by emphasizing ROI and personalization.

  • Integration into Sensei:

    • The Sensei campaign drew parallels between Experience Cloud’s marketing power and Sensei’s capabilities, demonstrating how AI-driven insights enable smarter, more impactful decisions.

Adobe Stock Campaign:

  • This campaign showcased Adobe’s ability to combine creativity with practical tools like Adobe Stock, simplifying content creation for users.

  • Integration into Sensei:

    • Sensei’s AI-powered tools, such as automatic tagging and content recommendations, were highlighted as extensions of this functionality, further enhancing creative efficiency.

 

Elevating Sensei Through Strategic Elements

Creative Flexibility:

  • Sensei’s AI-driven features were framed as tools that adapt to the unique needs of each user, whether a marketer seeking insights or a creator exploring new visual directions.

  • Example: Demonstrations showed how Sensei could provide intelligent design suggestions or optimize ad spend in real time.

Well-Being Focus:

  • Sensei was linked to Adobe’s Global Well-being Initiative, using elements like yoga, mindfulness, and work-life balance to underscore the broader benefits of automation and transformation.

Integrated Visual Campaigns:

  • Iconography and graphics were adapted from successful campaigns to ensure continuity while introducing Sensei-specific visuals that symbolized connection, learning, and transformation.

Interactive Storytelling:

  • Drawing inspiration from Adobe’s interactive product demonstrations, Sensei was brought to life through immersive digital experiences and "Dojo Galleries," where users could explore its capabilities hands-on.

Cultural Alignment:

  • Previous campaigns positioned Adobe as a forward-thinking leader in workplace culture. The Sensei campaign leveraged this foundation to reinforce trust and authenticity, highlighting Adobe’s role as a partner in transformation.

 

Key Takeaways from the Brand Essence Strategy

By leveraging established brand elements, the Transform With Sensei campaign maintained consistency with Adobe’s broader identity while introducing new layers of storytelling and audience engagement.

Adobe Sensei was positioned as the next evolution of Adobe’s legacy—a tool that empowers users and transforms how they work, think, and create.

The campaign successfully balanced creativity, innovation, and human connection, ensuring that Sensei’s technical advancements were accessible and inspiring to all.

 

INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Transform with Sensei – A Unified Approach Across Channels

The integrated marketing campaign for Adobe Sensei was designed to deliver cohesive messaging and experiences across multiple touchpoints, ensuring alignment with the target audience's needs and preferences. By blending educational, experiential, and digital elements, the campaign successfully showcased Sensei’s transformative capabilities while fostering meaningful connections with its audience.

Campaign Objectives


Drive Awareness: Increase recognition and understanding of Adobe Sensei among key audience segments.

Demystify AI and ML: Simplify technical concepts to build trust and accessibility.

Showcase ROI: Highlight tangible benefits of Sensei-driven transformation for businesses and individuals.

Inspire Creativity: Position Sensei as an enabler of creativity, well-being, and innovation.

Key Campaign Components

Experiential Marketing

  • Dojo Workshops:

    • Interactive, in-person and virtual workshops designed to educate enterprise leaders and creators on Sensei’s capabilities.

    • Included hands-on demonstrations of AI tools, paired with mindfulness sessions like yoga and meditation to align with Adobe’s well-being focus.

    • Targeted both C-suite executives and creators to address their unique challenges, from digital transformation ROI to streamlining creative workflows.

  • Sensei Galleries:

    • Pop-up installations and virtual galleries showcasing real-world applications of Sensei’s AI features.

    • Creators could interact with tools like automatic background removal or personalized content recommendations, while marketers explored predictive analytics and audience segmentation.

Digital Content Strategy

  • Video Series:

    • A series of short, engaging videos featuring relatable scenarios where Sensei simplifies repetitive tasks and enhances productivity.

    • Split into tailored themes for each audience segment:

      • For marketers: Personalization at scale and data insights.

      • For creators: AI-powered design suggestions and workflow automation.

      • For C-suite executives: Business transformation and measurable ROI.

  • Interactive Microsite:

    • A dedicated campaign microsite that served as the central hub for content, resources, and interactive tools.

    • Included:

      • ROI calculators for executives to estimate potential benefits of adopting Sensei.

      • Tutorials for marketers and creators demonstrating key AI features.

      • Case studies from enterprises that successfully implemented Sensei into their workflows.

Influencer and Partner Collaboration

  • Partnered with industry thought leaders and Adobe evangelists to amplify campaign messaging through blogs, webinars, and social media content.

  • Influencers highlighted how Sensei’s AI and ML capabilities elevated their creative or marketing processes, building authenticity and credibility.

Cross-Platform Advertising

  • Social Media Campaigns:

    • Leveraged Adobe’s social media channels to reach target audiences through targeted ads, creative showcases, and interactive polls.

    • Focused on demonstrating how Sensei enables #creativityforall through AI-powered efficiencies.

  • Programmatic Display Ads:

    • Data-driven display advertising campaigns on platforms frequented by decision-makers and creatives.

    • Ads highlighted personalized use cases for Sensei, with CTAs driving traffic to the microsite.

Events and Conferences

  • Adobe Sensei was showcased at flagship Adobe events like Adobe MAX, where the campaign included live demos, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions.

  • Industry-specific events were targeted to engage C-suite executives, marketers, and creators, aligning Sensei with real-world enterprise challenges.

Key Messaging Themes

Transform Across All Dimensions:

Showcased Sensei’s ability to improve workflows, foster well-being, and enable creativity through targeted tools and features.

Creativity Meets Intelligence:

Highlighted how AI and ML don’t replace creativity but enhance it by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent insights.

ROI for Enterprises:

Positioned Sensei as an investment in efficiency and innovation, with measurable results for enterprise decision-makers.

Campaign Metrics and Evaluation

The campaign included measurable KPIs to track its success across multiple touchpoints:

  • Engagement Metrics: Social media interactions, video views, and website traffic.

  • Adoption Rates: Increased use of Sensei-powered features within Adobe Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud.

  • Lead Generation: ROI calculator downloads and microsite lead conversions from enterprise decision-makers.

  • Customer Sentiment: Positive feedback and testimonials from C-suite executives, marketers, and creators who engaged with the campaign.

KPI’s for the Integrated Campaign

Increased Awareness:

The campaign successfully elevated awareness of Adobe Sensei, particularly among C-suite executives and marketers.

Enhanced Understanding:

Simplified messaging and interactive content demystified AI and ML, building trust and enthusiasm across all audience segments.

Adoption Growth:

Higher usage of Sensei-powered features, with marketers and creators adopting tools for personalization, workflow automation, and predictive analytics.

Strengthened Brand Position:

Positioned Adobe as a leader in both creativity and digital transformation, reinforcing its mission of #creativityforall.

 

RESULTS & IMPACT

The aim of the campaign


Campaign Objective Results:

  1. Increased Awareness:
    The campaign significantly improved recognition of Adobe Sensei among enterprise decision-makers and creators.

  2. Revenue Growth:
    Following the campaign’s delivery, Adobe’s stock price rose over 200% (2019–2021), reflecting its success in driving enterprise adoption.

  3. Cultural Transformation:
    Adobe’s emphasis on well-being and creativity positioned it as a leader in both technology and workplace culture, earning accolades as a top employer.

KPI’s to Achieve:

  • Increased adoption of Sensei-powered features across Adobe’s cloud platforms.

  • Enhanced social media engagement and positive sentiment among target audiences.