Generate from Brief uses AI to read your campaign brief, match each section to a component in your saved design system, and build a complete email template in Figma — automatically. The quality of the output depends on two things: how well your design system is set up and how clearly your brief is written.
This guide walks you through both. For the basics of how AI Studio works, see Generate Emails with AI Studio.
Setting Up Your Design System
Your design system is the library of components the AI draws from. A well-organized library leads to accurate, consistent results.
Create Focused Design Systems
- Build one design system per newsletter type or brand, not one massive library for everything. For example, keep your weekly product newsletter system separate from your transactional email system.
- A focused library means fewer choices for the AI, which means more predictable output.
- If you run multiple newsletter formats, create a dedicated design system for each one.
Save One Strong Component Per Category
- For each category you plan to use (Header, Hero, Single Column, Two Column, etc.), save one well-designed component.
- Avoid saving multiple variations of the same category. If the AI sees three different Hero components, it has to guess which one you want.
- If you need variations for different campaigns, swap components in and out of your design system between runs rather than loading them all at once.
Name Components Descriptively
- Give each component a clear, specific name that reflects its purpose (e.g., "Summer Sale Hero Banner" or "Product Feature Two Column").
- Avoid generic names like "Block 1" or "Layout A." Descriptive names help the AI make better matches and help you stay organized.
Supported Categories
The plugin organizes components into these categories:
- Pre-Header — Preview text bar above the header
- Header — Logo and navigation area
- Hero — Large banner or featured image section
- Single Column — Full-width text or content block
- Two Column — Side-by-side content layout
- Three Column — Three items in a row (e.g., product grid)
- Four Column — Four items in a row
- Buttons — Standalone call-to-action buttons
- Footer — Legal text, unsubscribe links, social icons
You only need to save components for the categories your email actually uses.
Writing an Effective Campaign Brief
The brief is what tells the AI what to build. The more specific and structured it is, the better the result.
Structure Your Brief with Clear Sections
- Organize your brief so each section maps directly to one of your saved component categories.
- Use headings or labels that match the category names: "Hero," "Single Column," "Two Column," etc.
- Present sections in the order you want them to appear in the final email, top to bottom.
Include Specific Content
For each section, provide:
- Headline or title text — The exact words you want displayed, or a clear direction for them.
- Body copy — The supporting text for that section. Even a rough draft is better than nothing.
- Call-to-action text — Button labels like "Shop Now," "Learn More," or "Get 20% Off."
- Image direction (if applicable) — What the image should convey, even if you plan to swap it later.
Set the Overall Context
At the top of your brief, include:
- Campaign goal — What is this email trying to achieve? (Drive sales, announce a launch, re-engage lapsed customers, etc.)
- Target audience — Who is receiving this email? (New subscribers, VIP customers, general list, etc.)
- Tone and voice — How should it feel? (Casual, premium, urgent, playful, etc.)
- Brand name — The brand or sender the email is from.
Reference the Section Types You Want
Be explicit about which sections your email needs. For example:
"This email should include: Pre-Header, Header, Hero, Single Column for the main message, Two Column for product highlights, Single Column for the closing CTA, and Footer."
This removes ambiguity and tells the AI exactly which components to pull from your library.
Matching Brief Sections to Components
The AI works by reading each section of your brief and assigning it to the best-matching component in your design system. Here is how to make that matching as accurate as possible.
- Match sections 1:1 to saved components. Each section in your brief should correspond to exactly one component category in your design system. If your brief has a "Hero" section, your design system should have a Hero component ready.
- Use the standard category names in your brief. When you label a section "Hero" or "Two Column," the AI can match it directly. Creative section names like "The Big Moment" are harder to match reliably.
- Keep it focused. Fewer components in your design system means fewer opportunities for mismatches. An email with 5–7 well-defined sections will generate more cleanly than one with 12 loosely defined blocks.
- Order matters. List your sections in the order they should appear in the final email. The AI respects the sequence of your brief.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
"Could not build jobs" Error
What it means: The AI could not find a way to match your brief sections to the components in your design system.
How to fix it:
- Check that every section mentioned in your brief has a corresponding component category saved in your design system.
- Make sure your brief uses standard category names (Header, Hero, Single Column, etc.).
- Verify that components have actually synced. Components now sync automatically when you upload them, but if you see this error, try re-uploading the component.
Wrong Components Being Selected
What it means: The AI matched a brief section to the wrong component.
How to fix it:
- Remove competing components. If you have multiple components in the same category, the AI may pick the wrong one.
- Rename components to be more specific so the AI has clearer signals.
- Simplify your design system to one component per category for that campaign.
Missing Sections in the Output
What it means: A section from your brief did not appear in the generated email.
How to fix it:
- Make sure the missing section is clearly labeled with a recognized category name.
- Confirm that a matching component exists in your design system for that category.
- Check your brief for ambiguous or merged sections. Each section should be distinct and self-contained.
Output Looks Disorganized or Inconsistent
How to fix it:
- Use a single, dedicated design system rather than pulling from a large mixed library.
- Keep your brief concise. Long, complex briefs with overlapping instructions can confuse the matching process.
- Review your component designs. If the source components have inconsistent spacing or sizing, the output will reflect that.
Quick Checklist Before You Generate
Related Articles
- Import Existing Designs with AI Import — Convert screenshots and existing designs into editable Email Love frames
- Generate Emails with AI Studio — How to use AI Studio to generate emails from file uploads and Asana
- Sample Campaign Brief — A complete example brief you can use as a starting point
- Creating and Managing Design Systems — How to set up and manage the design systems that power AI Studio
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