MonDive#20: Nano Banana vs ChatGPT-4o, Who Wins?

Welcome to the MonDive

Today in MonDive, we put two AI giants head-to-head: Google’s Nano Banana (new, lightweight creative model) vs ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI’s multimodal flagship).

Same prompt, two models. The goal? Find out who creates better images — and in what contexts.

Let’s dive in 👇

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🧠 Why This Matters

Not all AI models are equal. Some excel at:

• Accuracy (getting the details right).

• Aesthetics (style, polish, creativity).

• Control (following instructions precisely).

Two models are good at:

• Nano Banana: Lightweight, fast, hyper-visual.

• ChatGPT-4o: Flexible, multimodal, better at context + iteration.

Creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs need to know which AI to pick when the stakes are high — from LinkedIn banners to YouTube thumbnails.

We wanted to see who actually wins when real creators put them to the test.

So, we ran the same prompt across Nano Banana and ChatGPT-4o.

Select Google and ChatGPT Models

• Visit Google AI Studio

• Click on Gemini Model

• Select Nano Banana

• Visit ChatGPT

• Click on ChatGPT Model

• Select 4o

• Click on three dots and select “Create Image”

1. Data & Storyboard Visuals

Input Example:

Convert this client success story data into a clear visual infographic showcasing how The AI Team’s services helped a coaching business scale revenue by 300%. Use modern flat design style consistent with Marketing Mentors branding. The layout should prioritize the 300% growth metric with a prominent header featuring Roisin Bennett’s profile photo. Use our brand color system: teal for revenue growth, black for implementation phases, white for background contrast. Include percentage callouts and upward trend arrows while maintaining 'The AI Team' logo in bottom right corner. Optimize for LinkedIn carousel posts targeting business coaches, with high contrast ratios for mobile viewing. Include [linkedin.com/in/marketingmentors attribution].

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Clean, minimalist layout

• Focuses on one big number (300%)

• Easy to digest but lacks depth

Nano Banana Result:

• Multi-section, professional design

• Strong brand colors + flow diagrams

• Text-heavy, slightly cluttered

👉 Winner: Nano Banana (polish & detail)

2. Social Media Ad Creation

Input Example:

Prompt:

Create a social media ad for the bottle in my hand. Also, add a catchy headline and subtext and a call to action button in the ad

Nano Banana Result:

• Creative ad layout with tagline + icons

• Bold “REFRESH YOUR DAY” headline

• Minor typo (“Ice-cclod”) reduces polish

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Clean, straightforward composition

• Strong product focus (close-up bottle)

• Safer but less creative visually

👉 Winner: ChatGPT-4o (clarity & correctness)

ChatGPT can detect unpopular Brands as well and create outstanding Ads with ease.

Input Example:

Prompt:

Create a social media ad for the bottle in my hand. Also, add a catchy headline and subtext and a call to action button in the ad

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Simple, flat illustration style

• Clear product focus with readable text

• Feels practical and ad-ready, but a bit generic

Nano Banana Result:

• Artistic, highly detailed fantasy style

• Unique storytelling with flowing hair + fairies

• Looks premium and visually striking

👉 Winner: Nano Banana (creative impact)

Mini “Figurine” Version of Yourself

Input Prompt:

Turn this photo of me into a cute vinyl figurine, about 6 inches tall, standing on a wooden desk with soft lighting.

Nano Banana Result:

• Cute vinyl-toy style with outdoor vibe

• Bright colors, fun collectible feel

• More stylized and playful

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Consistent Pop-style figurine

• Clean details on clothing + camera

• Looks polished, but less dynamic

👉 Winner: Nano Banana (style & personality)

Sketch to YouTube Thumbnail

Input:

Prompt:

turn this skeoch into a hyper realistic youtube thumbnail 1920x1000 the ONLY text that should stay during the creation process 1000 MPH and the arrow right next to it the rest of the text are instructions about details for you to follow

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Strong layout alignment

• Text + arrow clear and bold

• Hyper-realistic, cinematic feel

Nano Banana Result:

• Punchy, comic-like energy

• Extra “Baseball” text adds clutter

• Less polished, more playful vibe

👉 Winner: ChatGPT-4o (realism & clarity)

Idea to Cheat Sheet

Input Prompt:

Write me a cheat sheet on 80/20 rule

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Clean infographic with pie chart + icons

• Easy to skim, visually attractive

• Great for social media sharing

Nano Banana Result:

• Detailed, board-style layout

• Packs in lots of examples + notes

• Useful for workshops, but text-heavy

👉 Winner: ChatGPT-4o (clarity & shareability)

6. Logo & Icon Concepts

Input Example:

Transform this [input type: sketch/concept/description] into a professional logo for [business type]. The design should be [style: minimalist/modern/classic] using [color scheme]. Create [logo type: wordmark/symbol/combination] that works at [size requirements]. The logo should convey [brand personality] and be suitable for [use cases]. Include variations for [different applications].

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Simple, minimalist logo variations

• Clean typography, versatile layouts

• Feels more like a concept starter

Nano Banana Result:

• Professional logo suite with multiple use cases

• Includes icons, brand colors, and mockups

• Looks polished and presentation-ready

👉 Winner: Nano Banana (professional execution)

Infographics

Input Prompt:

Make a Visual infographic describing the Water Cycle

Nano Banana Result:

• Bright, kid-friendly design

• Playful icons + colorful arrows

• Multiple typos (“EVARATION,” “COINDERATION”) reduce credibility

ChatGPT-4o Result:

• Clean, textbook-style diagram

• Accurate labeling, no spelling errors

• Less playful, but clear for learning

👉 Winner: ChatGPT-4o (accuracy & clarity)

Which AI wins for image creation?

🥊 Results

Nano Banana (Google)

✅ Strengths:

• Punchy, colorful visuals with strong brand polish.

• Great at packaging logos, ads, and infographics into presentation-ready suites.

• Adds flair (fairy detail, playful figurines, vibrant layouts) that feels “designed.”

❌ Weaknesses:

• Text rendering often fuzzy, with typos or extra words (“Ice-cclod,” “Baseball,” “EVARATION”).

• Sometimes, overdoing details can lead to clutter or distraction.

• Needs manual cleanup for accuracy.

👉 Verdict: Best when you want bold, polished visuals quickly — especially logos, ads, and stylized graphics.

ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI)

✅ Strengths:

• Excellent at following layout and text instructions.

• Produces clean, minimalist, accurate diagrams (great for education + cheat sheets).

• Strong in realism (thumbnails, photo-based ads) with cinematic vibes.

• Multimodal flexibility: can generate copy + image in one flow.

❌ Weaknesses:

• Visuals can feel stock-like or less creative.

• Lacks the extra design “punch” Nano brings.

• Doesn’t package variations as neatly as Nano.

👉 Verdict: Best when you want clarity, accuracy, and iteration — especially for infographics, learning visuals, and thumbnails.

⚖️ Side-by-Side Takeaway

Nano Banana → Stronger at visual design quality (logos, ads, thumbnails, creative polish).
ChatGPT-4o → Stronger at workflow versatility (generate text + design + refine in chat).

If you’re a designer/marketer → Start with Nano Banana.
If you’re a generalist/creator → Start with ChatGPT-4o.

👉 Pro tip: Stack them. Use ChatGPT-4o to create the prompt + layout structure, then feed it into Nano Banana for the final polish.

Know someone who may be interested?