Bringing Together Business and the Arts: How Cultural Engagement Creates Brand Magic

Do you remember the last time your heart sank when you saw a beautiful painting? Or when you couldn’t speak after a breathtaking concert? Or when in your thoughts you kept coming back to particular movie scenes? Or couldn’t stop reading a captivating book? All those episodes are examples of powerful moments that we’re experiencing while encountering the arts.

When I was just starting my journey into researching creative partnerships, I kept thinking what would be the best way to show the impact that culture has on business, to calculate return on investment and to explain a clear link between art related projects and sales.

But over time I’ve realized that one of the proofs is people’s emotions as a result of experiencing high quality works of art. The impact is more intangible and the purpose of creative partnerships in terms of brand experience strategy is about facilitating magic moments for clients and putting the brand at the heart of cultural creation.

So, why is it important for the brand to engage with the arts?

#1 It’s an opportunity to create memorable and sometimes even transformative experiences. Exhibitions, concerts, movies have the power to touch us on the emotional level, and the brand which makes it possible, establishes stronger links with its audiences.

For example, Prada Mode is a nomadic social club from Prada which travels the world and takes place during significant art and fashion events in different cities. For 2-3 days it turns a historical location into a temporary cultural center with exhibitions, concerts, talks and gastronomic experiences. It doesn’t have any product placements and doesn’t feature pop-up shops. The only thing it does is that it engages guests through cultural content while reinforcing the brand’s values. So far, Prada Mode has traveled to Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Paris, and Shanghai.

#2 Cultural partnerships also present an opportunity to create content and tell stories. When the brand supports culture, it can present special videos about supported artists and the cities where art events take place. It can publish blogs and books, create podcasts, launch educational initiatives and talk about other topics of interest besides just the product.

For example, BMW publishes guidebooks and creates videos on visits to publicly accessible private art collections around the world. Chanel has a podcast and video series on female writers. Valentino presents short stories commissioned from contemporary authors as part of its campaign “The Narratives”.

#3 Art initiatives can bring the brand’s clients closer to creators and help them expand their horizons. Artist studio visits, concert rehearsals, backstage meetings are some of the options through which the brand can facilitate the magic moments of getting to know artists for its audiences. Seeing the process of creation can be as valuable as the presentation of the result. Artists can also become Friends of the brand and take part in its future initiatives. During the pandemic when organizing offline events was not possible, brands that had worked with artists previously were able to organize online studio visits, talks, and digital residencies.

For example, through its foundation Loewe runs a biannual prize for artists working with crafts. During Covid-19 it organized online visits to the studios of its finalists over the years. Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson also collaborates with them for the brand’s fashion collections.

#4 By supporting the arts, the brand can put itself at the heart of cultural creation and elevate its positioning. In this case it represents not just a high quality product, but it can become a symbol of particular values and serve a cultural producer.

For example, in 2022, Bottega Veneta organized a community arts festival “Square” in Dubai bringing together music, poetry, film screenings, storytelling, and cuisine.

Brand elevation is a strategy for many luxury Maisons, and one of the ways through which it can be realized is tapping into people’s emotions and creating meaningful engagement through art partnerships. Prada, Gucci, LVMH investor presentations feature cultural experiences as a way to connect with audiences and strengthen the brand image.

#5 It’s an opportunity to create a new business offer and improve people’s lives. One of my favorite examples in this regard is the Ambient Dutch Old Masters MRI experience realized by Philips in partnership with Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Through a specially created animation patients can feel less stressed while observing how paintings are born and listening to a special soundtrack.

However, it’s important that engagement with the arts feels authentic, reflects the DNA of the brand, and first and foremost, makes an impact on the cultural community. It should also target not only customers, but start with employees who at the end will be the ones transmitting the company’s passion for the arts.

In my future notes, I’ll explore the so-called GIVE framework which can be used to develop meaningful partnerships. There, G stands for GOALS, I is the IMPACT that the initiative will have, V – VALUES of both sides, and E is the ENGAGEMENT strategy (who do we engage? and how?). By answering these questions, you can get a better understanding of how your potential partnership could be shaped and what strategies can bring the most impact. Also, stay tuned for the analysis of the strategies of cultural partnerships implemented by brands during the recent Milan Design Week 2023.