Real Product → AI Creative

Two real product photos transformed through CrowdRift's 4 creative modes. Same prompt per model — Gemini 2.5 vs 3.1 Flash. Prompts include brand-preservation lock to keep all labels intact.

Method: Real product image + mode-specific CrowdRift prompt + brand-preservation clause → image-to-image generation
Products: Herbivore Dream Jelly Lip Balm · Reign Canvas/Suede Sneaker
Scoring: Scroll-Stop · Mode Fidelity · Product Preservation · Brand Fidelity · Commercial Viability (each /5, total /25)

✦

Wonder Mode

"I want that THING" — Impossible scenes that make the product magical.

🧴 Lip Balm

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.520/25

Gemini 3.124/25 ★

👟 Sneaker

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.522/25

Gemini 3.122/25

3.1 Lip Balm: Labels now fully preserved and legible. Lush jungle scene with bioluminescent lighting — the best Wonder image overall.

2.5 Lip Balm: Also preserved labels well. Slightly smaller product in frame, but beautiful composition.

Sneaker tie: Both models produced strong aurora/crystal floating scenes. 2.5 wider angle; 3.1 tighter with more atmosphere. Close call.

◆

Identity Mode

"I want to BE that person" — Aspirational lifestyle. Absence implies presence.

🧴 Lip Balm

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.517/25

Gemini 3.124/25 ★

👟 Sneaker

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.524/25 ★

Gemini 3.121/25

3.1 Lip Balm: Labels fully preserved this time. Mediterranean infinity pool, rosé, golden hour — strongest lifestyle scene.

2.5 Sneaker: Perfect photorealistic rooftop shot — champagne, golden hour, natural lighting. Most ad-ready image of the entire set.

2.5 Lip Balm: Garbled label text ("HESBIVORE") — brand-lock worked less reliably on 2.5 for this one.

▲

Proof Mode

"Does this actually work?" — Clinical authority, ingredient transparency, structured flat-lays.

🧴 Lip Balm

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.523/25 ★

Gemini 3.123/25

👟 Sneaker

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.520/25

Gemini 3.122/25 ★

Lip Balm tie: Both produced excellent clinical flat-lays. 2.5 cleaner label, 3.1 better symmetry. Near-identical quality.

3.1 Sneaker: More suede-forward deconstruction with better material separation and hardware detail.

Both strong: Proof mode is where both models perform consistently — structured compositions suit both architectures.

★

Craft Mode

"Is this worth the price?" — Extreme detail, macro photography, premium craftsmanship.

🧴 Lip Balm

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.520/25

Gemini 3.124/25 ★

👟 Sneaker

OriginalBaseline

Gemini 2.523/25

Gemini 3.124/25 ★

3.1 Lip Balm: Condensation macro with preserved branding — sensory, premium, label legible. Strongest craft image.

3.1 Sneaker: Herringbone weave detail, cobbler's bench, artisan tools — ASMR-level texture. Both models strong here.

2.5 Sneaker: Also excellent — full side profile on workbench with great lighting. Close to 3.1 quality in Craft mode.

📊 Full Scoreboard

Mode	Product	2.5	3.1	Winner	Key Differentiator
✦ Wonder	Lip Balm	20	24	3.1	Larger product, labels crisp, richer atmosphere
✦ Wonder	Sneaker	22	22	Tie	Both strong — different composition styles
◆ Identity	Lip Balm	17	24	3.1	Labels preserved; 2.5 garbled brand text
◆ Identity	Sneaker	24	21	2.5	Most photorealistic shot of entire set
▲ Proof	Lip Balm	23	23	Tie	Both excellent clinical flat-lays
▲ Proof	Sneaker	20	22	3.1	Better material separation + hardware detail
★ Craft	Lip Balm	20	24	3.1	Sensory macro, preserved labels, premium feel
★ Craft	Sneaker	23	24	3.1	Herringbone texture detail, artisan narrative

Totals: Gemini 2.5 = 169/200 · Gemini 3.1 = 184/200 · 3.1 wins 5, ties 2, loses 1

🔑 Findings

Brand preservation: Fixed ✅

Adding a "brand-lock" clause to prompts solved 3.1's label stripping. Both models now preserve product branding in 7/8 cases. The one miss was 2.5 on Identity lip balm (garbled "HESBIVORE"). Prompting matters more than model choice for brand fidelity.

3.1 is the default choice

Wins or ties 7 of 8 matchups. Better at atmospheric lighting, material textures, scene depth, and — with brand-lock prompting — label preservation. The only 2.5 win was a photorealistic sneaker lifestyle shot where 2.5's "less is more" approach worked perfectly.

2.5 still has a niche

2-3× faster (~8-10s vs ~18-28s). Strong at clean, photorealistic compositions. The Identity sneaker rooftop shot was the most ad-ready image of the entire set — from 2.5. For speed-sensitive previews or when photorealism beats imagination, 2.5 is the pick.

🔀 Pipeline recommendation

Default: Gemini 3.1 Flash with brand-lock prompt clause for all modes.
Fallback: Gemini 2.5 Flash for real-time preview UX or photorealistic Identity mode.
Both models are production-ready with the right prompting.