10 lessons youth brands can learn from street art

WHAT YOUTH BRANDS CAN LEARN FROM STREET ART

Street Art and Brands

• Just like underground music, street art appeals to the young by being irreverent and anti-establishment

• In particular, street art has often been decidedly anti-marketing…

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The joy of not being sold anything

It’s been an ongoing and very territorial war

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Ah! Graffiti!

But if you think of it … there is a lot in common between these two worlds

• Youth brands and street artists have strikingly similar dilemmas Both…– Want to be seen, but don't want to

seem like a sell-out– Want to be popular, but not

mainstream– Want to be cool, but can’t really

say it out loud– Like to display their logos

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And although marketing and selling are dirty words in street art, an inconvenient truth about street art is: the bigger the name, the more time they spend on marketing

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I'm praising his marketing sensibility and tactics as works of art unto themselves—they've helped Banksy operate as both icon and outsider, which might just be the ultimate subversion. Art and commerce have always been entwined.

David Gianantasia

His marketing acumen puts most PR firms to shame.Prof. Paul Gough, UWE Bristol

And over recent years street art has become increasingly commercialised

8Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

So we looked at the street art world and found 10 lessons that brands could learn

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Lesson 1. Claim your territory: don’t try to be everywhere and do everything

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Scott Wade made his name in the street art world by ‘painting’ on dirty cars.Are you spreading your brand too thin?

Lesson 2. Don’t copy – have your own unique style and people will follow

Are you true to yourself? Can you resist the temptation to borrow cool no matter whether it fits your brand?

Lesson 3. Collaborate! Street artists are amazing at creative collaboration

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One of many collaboration works by El Mac (figure) and Retna (typography). When was the last time your brand collaborated with another brand?

Lesson 4. Don’t try to please everyone – many are willing to be challenged

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Street art is often uncomfortable and pushes viewers out of their comfort zone. When was the last time your brand challenged something or someone?

Lesson 5. Take a stance and be confident about it

Banksy made his name on a strong set of beliefs

Lesson 6. Don’t try to change the streets / environment – add to them

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Lesson 6. Don’t try to change the streets – add to them

Good street artists have learned to play with any givenenvironment and make it more interesting

Lesson 7. Be prepared for a dialogue

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Brands can learn from street art how to talk rather than broadcast

Lesson 7. Be prepared for a dialogue

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When was the last time you made a big splash with a small budget?

Lesson 8. Simple and smart can stand out

Lesson 9. Have a gripping story

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JimmyC was homeless for several years, so his works often portray homeless people in urban environments

When there is a hint of controversy, brands are quick to pull the plug on celebrity partnerships. Do you choose your friends well so you can stick by them?

Lesson 10. Be loyal to your people!

Thank you! A few words about us

• Thinktank is an international qualitative research consultancy based in London

• We pride ourselves on marketing thinking inspired by real people and have extensive knowledge of youth markets

• If you would like to know more, please email konstantin@thinktank.uk.com or see our website, blog or follow us on Twitter:

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