Why is surrealism in marketing (again) so tempting?
A shoe or a car? Or is it a sailboat after all? Purse or bus? Belt or train? Wait, are we seeing that right? Is it a croissant or a cat?! It's all right, we're not crazy; we're just listing some of the most interesting examples of the use of surrealism in marketing that we've seen on Instagram lately. To be more precise: the presentation of accessories in this manner is a move by fashion houses that has become extremely popular in the past, while the "case" of the croissant and the cat actually dates back to 2013, when the Life Buoy Hand Wash brand presented the "You Eat What You Touch" campaign, alluding to the importance of washing hands before preparing food, but in a very interesting and unusual way.
The Italian brand Tod's presented its latest collection of luxury shoes and leather goods in the form of means of transport that take us to our favorite summer destinations. Okay, maybe we'd prefer if we were actually at sea, but the message the brand wanted to convey and the feeling it wanted to evoke are clear.
The French fashion house Jacquemus left its mark on the streets of Paris by "driving" its distinctive handbag models, and judging by the comments on social networks, this is one of the best campaigns ever.
Fashion designer Isabel Marant also played with surreal elements and announced an equally unexpected limited edition gift to her customers in an unexpected way.
If we remember that surrealism as an artistic direction arose out of resistance to established conventions and aimed to shock, confuse, and most certainly attract attention with its absurdity, it should not surprise us that the marketing industry also decided to use this old-new approach. Given the hustle and bustle of social media, brands need more than ever "that something" that will stop scrolling. Using hyper-creativity, brands create unique, unexpected experiences for their customers, making them look at products from a completely different angle.
While the fashion industry may be the best area for experimentation of this type, others can also find ways to incorporate a bit of the surreal, magical, and fairytale into their campaigns. Surrealism in marketing is enabled and facilitated by the use of CGI (computer-generated imagery) and, of course, artificial intelligence. The application of computer graphics gives creative people the freedom to create both realistic and completely wacky, provocative works that can often be much more effective than classic photos or videos. CGI campaigns are simpler to further adapt to the requirements, and it is not unusual that this way it is easier to involve and arouse the desired emotions in the target audience.
We already know, emotions are key to taking action. IKEA almost always uses CGI (it did it for the first time in 2006 with the Bertil pinewood chair), LEGO also, and good examples are the virtual army of the luxury fashion house Balmain, as well as other virtual influencers who are no strangers to cooperation with world brands.
Using all these digital tools is nothing new in the world of marketing, but maybe it can be something new in your approach. Try it - you might be surprised by the results!
Text written for the Marketing mreža website by: Ivana Tomić, smartpoint adria Brand Specialist
Photo: Instagram (@tods, @livewithlynda, @jacquemus, @isabelmarant, @shudu.gram)