Art and marketing: Create experiences and takeaways

Art and marketing: Create experiences and takeaways
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This summer, Pen + Brush is teaming up with experts in both the visual and literary arts to bring our readers a guest blogger series focused on insights, advice and information that will help artists and writers take their work and their careers to the next level.

For our third and last topic for the summer, “How to Stand Out: Building Your Brand in the Arts,” 21st Century art world game-changer Susan Mumford provides the following advice on how thoughtful experiences and takeaways can help you stay true to your message.

Art and marketing: Create experiences and takeaways

by Susan Mumford © Be Smart About Art Ltd

What strikes you about the image associated with this post? Despite the vibrant green grass and palm trees blowing in the wind, the statement, ‘’LIFE IMITATES ADS” jumps out at the viewer. On the opposite side of the tote bag produced by Artsy is the statement, “ART IMITATES LIFE.”

The background story of the bag is a tale of marketing success. The bags were part of an installation at The Armory Show (NYC art fair) in March 2015, created by artist Hank Willis Thomas. The concept was for visitors to have photographs taken – or to take selfies, in front of a backdrop with the phrase “Art imitates life imitates ads”, after which they would post an image on social media and use the phrase #Artsytakeover. The canvas tote bags being given away in association with the experience became the hot commodity of the art week.

Lucky to get my hands on one of the bags, total strangers approached me every few minutes to ask how I had got hold of it. The bag fans ranged from giggling Korean university students to New York art hipsters.

As a result, Artsy, an online platform in the current day art world world, was the social media hot topic for the duration of one of New York’s primary art weeks. Their message was disseminated online with a #hashtag and offline with a physical item that was visibly transported across the city, state, country and beyond to other places in the world. Between the simple yet strong graphic and catchy wording that stops viewers in their tracks, Hank Willis Thomas had created a graphic that got people to take notice.

At a number of recent Miami art fairs recently, people commented upon how much they loved it and a number of art fair goers recalled it from over six months before. One artist even included on of the bags in an installation in Brooklyn, making a statement about the seeming importance of artist-designed bags this day in age.

What can we learn from Artsy’s huge art bag success? It’s not only that people love jumping on hot new trends, more importantly it’s when we have a positive experience, we want to make it last with documentation and physical goodies.

Consider the fact that many people buy art when on holiday. Why? Such pieces trigger happy memories and emotions, resulting in having good feelings.

What can you do that gives people an experience? How can you make them feel good? How then might you enable them to purchase something that enable them to revisit the experience – and better yet, even spread your message and brand? One example is British illustrative artist Shantell Martin. She encourages audiences to share her messages using the hashtags #WhoAreYou #YouAreYou and #AreYouYou.

Consider what you can create that is true to your own message, to help engage others to spread the word for you. This enables your audience to become a vital part of your promotional strategy.

This article originally appeared on Susan’s blog, Be Smart About Art.

About Susan Mumford

Originally hailing from Arkansas, Mumford now divides her time between London and New York as an entrepreneur, mentor, speaker and author. While running a gallery in Soho, London, she founded the Association of Women Art Dealers (AWAD), a non-profit trade network with London, New York and virtual chapters, with members dotted around the globe. AWAD’s mission is to facilitate business and collaborations between and for women art dealers. She is also founder of social enterprise Be Smart About Art, which helps art world professionals thrive in a changing industry. In late 2015, her first book was published: Art is your life. Make it your living. Her movements can be followed on Twitter and Periscope at @susanjmumford. Also see: www.besmartaboutart.com @besmartaboutart www.womenartdealers.org @womenartdealers.

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