Monks Is Named Runner-Up for Adobe Firefly Partner Award

Our journey with Adobe has been one of collaboration and growth as an Adobe Platinum Solution Partner. Earlier this year, we further strengthened this partnership by launching the Brand Model Practice, utilizing Adobe Firefly—a pioneering generative AI-first solution. This integration allows marketing teams to swiftly plan, create, manage, activate and measure on-brand content, all streamlined through our AI-first managed service, Monks.Flow. By enabling brands to fast-track their AI transformation, we optimize their entire content supply chain with generative AI capabilities.

Central to our recognition at Adobe Max is our work using Adobe Firefly, an innovative generative AI tool that seamlessly transforms text inputs into stunning visual content. By integrating Firefly into our workflows, we've unlocked new efficiencies and creative possibilities, empowering brands to craft compelling digital narratives with unparalleled speed and innovation. In celebration of being named a runner-up for the Adobe Firefly Partner Award for Best Creative, let’s delve deeper into how Firefly continues to revolutionize the way we deliver value to brands.

Adobe Firefly powers our ability to generate high-impact visual content for any brand.

One of the standout features we leverage is Adobe Firefly's text-to-image generation, which enables us to create compelling visuals for brands whose business models defy traditional imagery. For instance, we've utilized this technology to develop visual content for a financial services brand, whose services don’t naturally lend themselves to conventional visuals. By transforming text prompts into vivid imagery, we effectively convey unique brand narratives in engaging and innovative ways.

Adobe Firefly’s generative fill feature is another vital tool in our creative toolkit. It enables us to separate and expand image layers, a critical function for adapting designs across diverse digital channels. This seamless transformation into various aspect ratios and the addition of animations ensure that ads grab attention on social media feeds and display placements. As Hannah Terjanian, our Group Director of Performance Creative, explains, this feature is particularly valuable for brands aiming to create impactful, motion-rich assets.

But it’s the integration of Firefly into the Adobe Creative Cloud suite where the magic truly happens. By working within this ecosystem, our team can efficiently refine photo details according to brand guidelines and performance targets. The seamless accessibility of Firefly within tools like Photoshop and Illustrator means that our creatives can incorporate its capabilities without disrupting their workflow, fostering innovation and enabling us to deliver exceptional results quickly.

Enhance cross-functional collaboration by bridging creative and strategic disciplines.

By leveraging Adobe’s innovative tools, we’ve been able to unlock significant benefits for brands, particularly high-growth ones that face resource constraints. Many of these brands can't afford the cost of live image and video asset production, and stock imagery often fails to differentiate them from competitors. By utilizing Adobe Firefly and Monks.Flow, we can help these brands produce unique, on-brand imagery both affordably and swiftly, getting in-market within days rather than weeks.

An additional advantage is the ease of gaining buy-in from cross-functional stakeholders. Ad approvers, who may not be designers themselves, often struggle to visualize concepts without fully produced assets. Firefly enables us to create working versions of ads early in the process, offering concrete examples for stakeholders to engage with, thus preventing wasted resources and aligning team visions more effectively.

As Victoria Milo, our SVP of Global Media, Solutions & Emerging Technologies, told Campaign recently, “What AI is doing is forcing the disciplines to actually come together,” she added. “That is where we are getting maximum output for any of our clients.” These features from Firefly allow us to strengthen these cross-disciplinary teams.

Accelerated production cycles with Adobe Firefly drive creative innovation and efficiency.

Our use of Adobe's tools also significantly reduces the time lost to the revisions process. With tangible drafts in hand, rather than mere concepts, feedback can be addressed almost instantaneously. For instance, when a client requested the removal of a component from a seasonal campaign, Firefly facilitated rapid updates across all images in minutes. Utilizing Adobe Creative Production Solutions, we can transition from concept to approved design in less than half the typical revision time.

This accelerated production of mockups and finished designs also allows us to offer clients a broader array of creative options, fostering productive brainstorming sessions, rapid testing and improved performance. We’ve been able to unlock 96% faster versioning of banners to be used across channels and devices with the help of Firefly, while the Substance 3D collection has enabled us to build 3D assets 70% faster than before.

Finally, the enhanced feedback cycle benefits both clients and our teams. As Terjanian points out, “The entire team is that much more motivated to keep designing new iterations when we can see how our last designs impacted the client’s KPIs. This also benefits our clients because the feedback loop is more effective, ultimately improving their ROI.”

Achieve unmatched personalization and performance with high-volume assets.

Finally, all these tools have helped us solve the crucial challenge of building the volume of assets needed—often totaling more than 300—to get the most accurate insights and results out of platform algorithms, the subject of a session that I participated on at Adobe MAX this year. With Adobe Firefly, we empower brands to meet these demands efficiently, transforming what was once a costly challenge into a streamlined process—a process that has delivered impressive results like a 66% in return on ad spend and an 80% boost in click-through rates.

This capability is especially transformative for SMB's, enabling them to compete at a larger scale. By automating asset creation and adapting content across formats, we help brands personalize their approach while reducing costs, providing them with the agility to respond to market demands swiftly.

As an Adobe Platinum Partner, we drive creativity and innovation for brands in the AI era.

As we reflect on our journey with Adobe, being recognized as a runner-up for the Adobe Firefly Partner Award for Best Creative underscores the transformative power of our partnership. Adobe Firefly has not only revolutionized our creative processes but has also empowered our clients to achieve extraordinary results with agility and innovation. Our collaboration with Adobe allows us to offer cutting-edge solutions that are accessible to brands of all sizes, ensuring they stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Looking forward, we are excited to continue harnessing the potential of Adobe’s tools, driving creative excellence and innovation. By doing so, we remain committed to supporting our clients in crafting compelling narratives that resonate with their audiences, ultimately enhancing their brand impact and return on investment.