Art and the Fearless Brand
That “Fearless Girl” sculpture is about more than a charging bull. It’s about brands becoming brave, taking a social stance and building loyalty among younger audiences.
Meet Kristen Visbal, the artist who sculpted the Wall Street statue of a girl bravely facing down the icon of high finance.
Secretly installed at 3am on International Women’s Day, the artwork went viral by breakfast and millions understood what “Fearless Girl” was saying. Above all the news, noise (and Trump) — art broke through. By noon, petitions were underway to make the installation permanent.
Unlike almost every other form of media, art resonates on a deeper level. It flies under the radar of jaded cynicism and straight into our cerebrum for processing.
Commissioned by State Street, “Fearless Girl” was a success for the respected financial services brand generating earned media worth $7 million — almost one-third of State Street’s entire annual advertising budget.
Smart move? Yes. Was it the boldest, most controversial perspective ever supported by a brand? No. It didn’t need to be.
When brands act more human and express empathy about issues their audience cares about, it makes an impact. In fact, it’s quantitatively proven to drive growth in marketshare and profitability according to a study by Omnicom agency C Space.
State Street saw an opportunity to align its values with its customer’s beliefs and spoke out, something that scares off most brands — but it shouldn’t.
If a brand knows their core customer well and authentically embraces their values , “taking a side” can actually strengthen relationships — driving growth.
When you experience a crisis with someone, you bond. You are closer as a result of that shared stressful experience. Politics in 2017 certainly feels like a crisis. With a polarized electorate and rising concerns over basic human issues like healthcare, the environment, immigration and LGBT rights — brands have a bounty of bonding opportunities before them.
Stacks of insight reports, customer personas, Gen Z journey maps and marketing funnels all say the same thing — brands need to be real or be gone. Integrity matters, as does amplifying inclusion and empowering creative expression. For brands to break through, they need that human perspective. This sounds easier than it is. Ad blockers get in the way, as do increasingly ephemeral attention spans and social media rabbit holes. Art as content has an advantage here – it sticks.
As a form of self expression, art goes beyond language and culture serving as a creative shorthand of sorts — a spot on strategy for social media.
Consumer brands looking to elevate their content marketing would be well-served to explore working with artists more. In the next few years, this will become commonplace.
Retailers for example have an opportunity to leverage their physical space for collaborative installations that drive foot traffic and social media engagement. From a cultural perspective, in-store experiences are immersed in the brand, building affinity and deepening loyalty.
CapitalOne for example teamed with Brooklyn Art Project in New York City to curate and install local street art photography, mixed media and illustrations in three Manhattan branches.
The installation transformed a standard retail bank visit into a warmer, more inviting experience for employees and customers alike. Exhibiting work from local artists brings a bit of culture to commerce, building community along the way.
Increasingly, bold brands like State Street are speaking out, and seeing success among their base and beyond. Artists like Kristen Visbal are standing up for what they believe in — and seeing a global response to their work.
It’s time for brands to embrace the power of creators. In a word, it’s time for brands to be fearless.
