By Marcos Travaglia

Philosopher – Speaker

In the twentieth century there were several milestones in the history of art that changed the patterns of artistic production and its relationship with the market. On one hand, the figure of the patrons, whom previously financed the work of artists they considered valuable, begins to disappear. The artists are professionalized in a market that gathers them around galleries and commercial circuits in which their works are acquired by various buyers and collectors. On the other hand, the artists begin themselves to think about the place of art in this new dynamic. Innovatives market strategists, discovered how to put an eye on and diversify these bonds. It is then that marketing took art as the best ally to achieve high market differentiation.  and value.

“Art Democratization”

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) produced an artistic and theoretical revolution with Pop Art. Much of his work, even before his name has been a brand in itself, was linked to illustration for advertising agencies and different industries. From the beginning it was linked to everyday products, such as the famous “Campbell Soups” (1962). In addition to questioning again what things can be considered art, Warhol transcended his fascination with mass production as a theme of his job to work along with the brands he admired, involving BMW cars and making covers for albums of The Velvet Underground , The Rolling Stones and even Miguel Bosé, among others.

Warhol was not an improvised nor came by chance to success. He developed a whole thought about the relationship between art and marketing. The great reasons that mobilized him were the objects of people’s daily life, ranging from the trivial cans of soup (which, he said, were most of his lunches) to famous figures such as Marilyn Monroe and Mao Tsé Tung. Generally, his works were not unique but in his workshop (The Factory) he produced several copies with technified processes.

Behind this, the paradoxical idea is that each copy is an original one. For Pop Art, the traditional unique and sacred work remains in the museum.

Artketing: Art, Design & Marketing

The knot of Warhol’s obsession with the mass production of objects was in the surprising quality of the products of being able to be accessible to the great majority of the society as well as the president or the movie stars of the moment. These objects inspire art and at the same time they can possess artistic dyes. From the ’80s to the current times we can think of numerous meetings of brands with artists to develop aesthetically complex campaigns. Perhaps an emblematic example is a recent Louis Vuitton collection that featured prints by Leonardo da Vinci or William Turner and previously with contemporaries Stephen Sprouse and Yayoi Kusama. In any case, it is not always necessary to join recognized artists: many brands hold contests or convocate emerging artists, virtually unknown, and the differential effects of Artketing are seen equally.

It is not a simply marketing strategy, Artketing goes beyond a totally disruptive idea. It is a deeper strategy to give the product an appeal of originality and uniqueness that are immediately appreciated. It is a key strategy for many brands to redesign / innovate their image and achieve a best market positioning. The products and services designed and offered with these kind of policies are not distinguished only by their quality and their specific features, but also by the emotive and stimulating effects of their artistic level. They have the added value of generating experiences and communicating with their audience in a deeper way.

The fusion of art with advertising campaigns and even with the products themselves is an association that, when it is firm and precise, is remembered forever and generates associations in the public and perceptions of value that are present throughout their hole lives. The companies, on the other hand, modernize their image and obtain their benefits, but first of all they develop a high differentiation and repercussion in the market.