Aujourd’hui, la tendance est clairement à une connexion de plus en plus forte entre l’art et les marques.
Today, the trend is clearly towards an increasingly strong connection between art and brands. We can almost speak of symbiosis for certain brands that redefine their identity through that of an artist. If art has become a powerful marketing lever to develop its brand and clearly translate its values to its customers, it is therefore not surprising that large groups as well as young entrepreneurs are trying to understand the keys to the success of an artistic collaboration.
Want to understand how to build your brand through art? Collab Factory shares with you the 5 golden rules of a successful artistic collaboration:
1. Clearly define the objectives
Bringing the universe of a brand into contact with that of an artist is a real asset, it allows brands to differentiate themselves with a unique project, to surprise by creating buzz, to acquire more notoriety by working with a renowned artist, to re-enchant the brand’s universe, to create an Instagrammable experience, or to highlight CSR values (ecology, Women Empowerment, support for the LGBTQIA + community, etc.) in an authentic and attractive way. This strategy must be seen beyond the simple marketing or advertising process. To do this, you have to create a new common story between the brand and the artist, to give a soul to your collaboration.
2. Choose the right artist
Collaboration must be based on a sharing of common values between the artist and the brand, but also on the choice of an appropriate technique that is best able to tell the message, to enrich the image of the brand. It is also necessary to take into account the artist’s capacity for influence as well as his topicality, that is to say his upcoming exhibitions and the possible collaborations for which he is already committed. The example of JonOne, who has participated in numerous collaborations for brands with various universes such as Hennessy, Air France, Guerlain or even Leclerc, is often raised. Although collaborations with world street art stars are always striking, their number and frequency can cause them to lose some of their authenticity and uniqueness. To avoid these inconveniences and create an effective collaboration with the right artist, there is nothing like working with specialists in the trade to guide you in this choice.
3. Choose the right formula
The artistic collaboration is not unique, it can be declined in different formats depending on the objectives of the brand. Whether through product co-development, limited editions, murals, exhibition sponsorship, artist residencies, the creation of customer experiences or the re-enchantment of shops as we have had the opportunity to organize it with Adidas and the street artist Mondé. All of these forms of collaboration are possible, provided you receive good advice on the best format.
4. Leave carte blanche to the artist
To be successful in an artistic collaboration, the brand must not consider the artist’s work as a “product” that one buys, but as a project thought out and carried out in discussion. The collaboration can take the final form of a communication tool, a standard bearer of the brand’s CSR values or a representation of the brand’s image. However, the will of the brand must not take precedence over the identity of the artist, at the risk of disturbing both the quality of the work and the final message. The brand may not interfere in the choice of a color for certain details or ask to change the shape of a particular element. In addition, the graffiti artist BEBAR told us about the importance for him of working with an intermediary between the brand and him, who really helps both parties in the realization of the project. To guarantee this balance between the artist’s freedom and consistency with the brand’s objectives, it is therefore crucial to define a framework and a precise brief.
5. Think about the audience
It is essential to take account of your audience to develop a striking artistic collaboration. One of the keys to creating a relevant collaboration is storytelling and creating an authentic voice. The message must also be conveyed consistently through an appropriate style. To attract millennials and democratize a “distant” brand, there’s nothing like street art. Born in the streets, this form of art can still be considered today as an act of protest. The image embodied by graffiti and post-graffiti is a vector of popularity which then takes the brand out of its traditional framework: as if street-art brings the brand into the street.
In addition, to develop the “high end” quality of a brand, contemporary art can be a sensory and exceptional creative response to the needs of a brand.
Contemporary artists create real experiences at the crossroads of worlds from the real to the imaginary, from traditional materials to digital. At Collab Factory, we seek out the artists who are best able to express or defend the brand’s message, values or identity. After this selection, we support you until the completion of the project to ensure a clear dialogue throughout the collaboration and make the most of the artist’s creativity and your brand’s message.
Do you think you have understood the golden rules for a successful collaboration? Do you want to try the adventure?
