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Conceptual Art Is a Branding Foundation

Author

Dave Alsobrooks

Conceptual Art Is a Branding Foundation

Introduction: Communicating Conceptually

Creativity drives the world of branding. It is the bridge to differentiation, engagement, inspiration, and memorable experiences. One powerful well of inspiration for fostering creative branding is conceptual art. This article explores how conceptual art can transform a branding practice to build identities upon substance and express concepts with deeper meaning and connection to the brands they represent.

Conceptual art was an art movement that prioritized ideas and concepts not necessarily traditional technique or medium. Unlike other art forms that focus primarily on aesthetics, conceptual art places emphasis on the concept or idea behind the artwork. It often involves intellectual engagement and encourages audience interpretation. The best branding taps into the ideals of conceptual art.

Image: https://www.commarts.com/project/25033/titletown

“The civic park Titletown District lies on about 34 acres directly adjacent to Lambeau Field, the legendary home of the Green Bay Packers. This symbol embeds an iconic field goal post within Titletown’s bold, double-T initials.”

Image: https://www.commarts.com/project/7797/mother-child-logo

Connecting Conceptual Art and Branding

To fully appreciate the role of conceptual art in branding, it is important to understand its defining characteristics. Conceptual art is characterized by an emphasis on the concept or idea behind the artwork, rather than the physical form. This means that the artistic value lies in the intellectual engagement and interpretation—the dialogue between designer, client, and audience. Conceptual artists often challenge traditional notions of art by using unconventional materials and techniques to convey their ideas. Form follows concept.

Image: https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_for_infiniti.php

If you want to know more about conceptual art, Tony Godfrey wrote an excellent book on it found online or on the shelf by my desk.

One of the essential characteristics of conceptual art is its focus on audience engagement. Unlike traditional art forms, which may be appreciated passively, conceptual art invites viewers to actively participate in the creation of meaning and interpretation of the artwork. This engagement can lead to a deeper understanding and connection with the artwork.

An example of conceptual art that exemplifies this characteristic is the work of Yoko Ono. Ono's interactive artwork, such as her "Wish Tree" series, encourages viewers to write their wishes on tags and tie them to a tree. This interactive element invites viewers to actively engage with the artwork and become part of the creative process. This level of audience engagement is a hallmark of conceptual art and can be leveraged in branding to create immersive and participatory brand experiences.

Image: https://littlelondonobservationist.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/yoko-onos-wish-tree-london/

If we consider branding examples, think selfies ca. 2019. In a very instagrammable place called Coachella, Instagram hosted their first-ever branded house and invited influencers to the “Desert Chill.” It was a surreal, stylized selfie-mecca. Engagement. Branding. Art. Concept. Vibe. Not necessarily in that order.

Image: https://thevendry.com/events/977/instagram-desert-chill-indio#f=9413, The Vendry and Manifold for Instagram

The parallels between conceptual art and branding are striking. Both aim to communicate ideas, provoke emotions, and create meaningful experiences. Conceptual art can serve as a rich source of inspiration to brands for communicating their unique value proposition to their target audience in new ways.

How Conceptual Art Feeds Branding Execution

Conceptual art encourages brands to think outside the box and challenge traditional branding norms. By embracing unconventional expressions of their essence, brands can differentiate themselves and stand out. Conceptual art serves as a basis for innovative brand systems that captivate audiences at once and over time.

One way in which conceptual art manifests in branding is through minimalist design. Minimalism, a key aspect of conceptual art, focuses on simplicity and the elimination of unnecessary elements. Icons like Apple and Nike have successfully incorporated minimalist design principles inspired by conceptual art into their branding. These brands created iconic and instantly recognizable branding that resonates with consumers. It took time, but it began the conceptual realm.

Launched in 1989, Infiniti is the luxury vehicle division Nissan. It dates back to 1985, though, when the “Horizon Task Force” was formed to create a new performance luxury brand. The design of the brand has always been minimalistic, highly conceptual, and evocative. This past year, a rebranding occurred and the slightest touch left a profound impact on the mark. And the original concept was reinforced.

Image (Before and After): https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_for_infiniti.php

A simple, strong conceptual idea also lends itself to brand experiences. Another example of experience beyond the aforementioned Desert Chill thing is the "Fearless Girl."

Image: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/28/new-york-fearless-girl-charging-bull-wall-street

Infamously sponsored by State Street Global Advisors and sculpted by Kristen Visbal, this bronze statue of a young girl was placed in front of the iconic Wall Street Charging Bull statue as a challenge to gender inequality in the financial industry. In its original intent, it created a powerful and thought-provoking brand experience that resonated with and beyond State Street’s target audience and garnered worldwide attention. The rest of the story is too complicated to illuminate here, but the conceptual idea mattered.

Conceptual Art in Branding: Best Practices

Incorporating conceptual art in branding requires careful consideration and alignment with a brand's core values, purpose, and messaging. Conceptual elements used in branding must first effectively communicate the desired brand identity and resonate with the target audience. We’ll worry about about anything else later.

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Evaluate industries through the lens of conceptual art. How would art be made by an industry? How would it be used in a category? What symbols already exist? If fashion houses like Alexander McQueen and Maison Margiela can incorporate conceptual art elements into their collections and brands challenging traditions and norms, why can’t a school, a foundation, a consultant, or a startup? While rhetorical, the question persists. The answer cannot be "they can’t."

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Balance creativity and consistency. While conceptual art encourages experimentation and unconventional approaches, it is important to ensure that the brand's identity remains coherent and recognizable. That’s in spirit and physical execution. To be successful, we designers and brand professionals must remember to honor core values, purpose, and messaging. If we can do that with strong concepts, we have elevated the conversation.

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Explore narrative over time. Many companies are doing something that’s been done for years. Perhaps they’re doing it in new ways or with new materials, on a different scale, or in a place it’s never been offered before. Every one of these attributes is a story. Or to me, they are fertile ground for branding concepts. Similarly, many stories cycle throughout history and cultures. Are there stories, and along with them symbols, that can become branding elements that work hard to tell a bigger story that has meaning and context? Keep appropriation in mind and avoid the blatant use of cultural and religious symbols without understanding their authentic meanings on every level.

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Tell your client, Walk with me…" You’ve created a crazy mash-up of vintage guitar amp logos, talk bubbles, and a compass rose. Now what? Don’t be afraid to include it in the mix. Invite your client to entertain the idea of conceptual context in addition to institutional iconography. Expanding the aperture increases the odds you’ll land somewhere compelling. This example happened to me once. We didn’t opt for the mash-up, but it sparked conversation and opened up the vibe of the entire presentation. Ultimately, we did land somewhere interesting and conceptual.

Conclusion: Embracing Conceptual Art for Creative and Differentiated Branding

In conclusion, conceptual art offers a wealth of inspiration and creative potential for branding that isn’t often considered or pursued. By incorporating more conceptual thinking, brands can wade into the unexpected, discover differentiation, and create more memorable brand experiences. From expressing strategic thought to leveraging the powerful marriage of art and ideas, conceptual art opens up new avenues for brands to connect with their audience on deeper levels. As the branding landscape continues to evolve, embracing conceptual art will remain an invaluable tactic for brands seeking to stand out and leave lasting impressions.

We have explored how conceptual art and branding are intertwined in their pursuit of communicating ideas, provoking emotions, and creating meaningful experiences.

Allowing conceptual art to feed your branding practice requires careful consideration and adherence to best practices. By evaluating industries through the lens of conceptual art, balancing creativity and consistency, exploring narrative over time, and imploring clients to "walk with you," brands can effectively incorporate conceptual art into their brand planning and executions.

Finally, by drawing inspiration from the principles of conceptual art, brands can meet and exceed creative potential, engage their audience, and stand out in authentic ways. As the future unfolds, conceptual art will continue to influence and shape the ever-changing branding landscape.

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