Forward-thinking business leaders recognize the value of a corporate art style, but one question reigns supreme: how, exactly, do you make it your own? If the purpose of corporate art is to create a distinct brand, it’s important to think practically about an approach that will effectively communicate your message while remaining true to your vision. Managing to strike the right balance is the key to establishing a great look while remaining authentic and relatable.
With marketplaces becoming increasingly crowded, great corporate art gives you an opportunity to differentiate your business and visually communicate your company’s mission. Are you a tech giant hoping to reveal a softer, more human side? Or are you the owner of a small boutique business that’s hoping to drum up a little extra business?
Let’s take a look at some of the most important points you should consider when branding your business and developing an art style for your company.
Remember why you’re investing in a new look
Naturally, many businesses invest in corporate art because they’re hoping to expand their reach and attract more customers. But allow yourself to think more deeply about what this actually looks like—and how it influences your base. At the end of the day, you’re building something even bigger.
Establishing an aesthetic style allows you to create a truly individualized and memorable experience, which feels refreshing and helps customers feel special. Remember: the people who keep coming back feel a personal connection with your brand, and they’re proud to be associated with it.
A corporate art style also possesses the power to connect on a subconscious level, encouraging customers to linger, return, and even share their enthusiasm with people in their own circles. Some of the buzziest brands in recent years defied previous precedents by investing so wisely in a unique aesthetic. Consider the “millennial pink”, minimalist walls and packaging at Glossier, or the ever-changing graphic merch at Soulcycle. Even if they aren’t for you, most anyone who’s crossed paths with these brands can likely picture them immediately.
Even from a million miles away, Glossier’s stores are immediately identifiable.
A corporate art style is an opportunity to reflect your values as a company
Do you take extra measures to ensure that your business is invested in ethical practices? Are you an edgy startup trying to make a name for yourself in the marketplace? Or are you a corporate entity that’s looking to rebrand, but needs a look that’s a bit more straightforward? We promise: no matter what your needs, there’s a corporate art approach that will work for you.
The first step? Take an honest look at what your business is aiming to communicate, and where it can do so most effectively. This means prioritizing where your company values actually lie and not speaking to the current trends: as overused a term as it is, “authenticity” really is the key to creating fantastic corporate art that will connect and build your business. In short, even if you care about something deeply as an individual, if your business doesn’t genuinely speak to that cause, it’s better to rethink your approach when selecting corporate art.
What trends should you explore when establishing a corporate art style?
Now that you’ve given some thought to what you’d like to communicate and how you hope to engage your base, it’s time to consider some guidelines. When you’re selecting corporate art with the hopes of making it “you”, it’s wise to think about:
- Safety first. Unless you’re one of the rare brands that thrives on the edge, your art selections should be generally inoffensive while possessing the broadest possible appeal. Even if you can’t appeal to everybody (and no one can), you want to be sure that the art representing you isn’t harmful or derogatory.
- Feel-good imagery. While some of us have a taste for darker imagery, you generally want to think about how you’re impacting the public. Focusing on unexpected shapes or movement, serene colors, or peaceful landscapes are generally a safer—and more palatable—bet.
- Who you hope to connect with. When you picture your audience, what do you see? Or perhaps more importantly, what do you think they’d be likely to respond to? You might also think about the audience you hope to gain. Is there a way you can court them visually without ostracizing your pre-existing customers?
- What’s different, yet relatable. This is a terrific opportunity to do a little market research. Take some time to scope out the competition. What do you like? What falls flat? And is there a hole in the market that you’re particularly poised to fill? Use this as a guide to creating your art style.
- What reflects your business. Think about your special role in the marketplace. Do you like to present a feeling of accessibility and inclusion? Or are you a niche business hoping to attract the attention of a very select crowd? Taking note of how you want to express yourself visually is a great starting point when establishing your new visual identity.
- Where you hope to go. Creating a style isn’t just a reflection of how far you’ve come: it’s also an important moment for you to think about your brand long-term. You want your new visual identity to resonate 5, 10, or even 20 years from now. What do you gravitate towards that also feels timeless?
A corporate art style requires a motif
It can feel a little tricky at first, but that’s why we’re here. And after you’ve thought about what feels authentic, current, and timeless, you might begin to feel some flutters of creativity emerging.
Perhaps you want a massive showstopper that really wows, greeting customers boldly for years to come. Or, perhaps a bespoke curation is more your style, with images being united by visual themes, colorways, feelings of movement, or energy. You might also be invested in a more “design-y” approach, where a specific logo and complementary colors are the basis for your style.
However you decide to make it your own, simply be sure that it doesn’t have a slapdash feel. You want your customers to have an unconscious understanding of and attraction to your business. Hitting the right balance ensures that they’ll keep returning for years to come—and feel good about it.
A corporate art style requires consistency
While it may seem obvious, consistency can be a tricky thing—an unfortunate reality that many of us have certainly experienced in one way or another. But as a business owner, the most important thing is that you’re able to build credibility with your customers, and finding different ways to express your corporate art style in a way that’s persistent and dependable is an important part of your brand’s foundation.
Whatever your corporate art style, make sure it’s something that you feel confident and comfortable replicating across the board. Are you the proud owner of a chain establishment with multiple locations? You don’t need to take a cookie cutter approach, but you’ll need to keep the same motifs intact. Do you have a website and social media presence? The same holds true: be sure that you’re able to maintain a consistent aesthetic across the board.
The goal is to be instantly recognizable to your loyal customers, regardless of whether they spot your brick and mortar down the street or catch a glimpse of your latest post on Instagram.
Unsure about where to begin? Ask your base
When you’re busy running a business, it can be hard to remember to strip things down and connect on a human level. But when you’re hoping to establish a corporate art style, there’s no better time than to reach out to the people that really keep everything afloat: your customers.
Do you operate a small store? Why not make a little extra effort to engage with your base and ask them their thoughts. Is there an aesthetic that they especially like? Or, is there something that you did in the past that they’d love to see again? Their guidance can be positively invaluable.
Similarly, if you’re a social media guru, connecting with your followers and inquiring about their opinions will not only help them feel like they’re a part of what you do, but it will also increase engagement and help your numbers go up organically. In short, taking the time to ask people what they want isn’t just a nice thing to do: it’s a smart strategy with multiple benefits that will help you establish a corporate art style that will yield dividends.
Are you ready to expand your audience and create a unique and creative atmosphere? Then taking the time to establish your corporate art style should be next on your to-do list. We can’t wait to see what you come up with (and how it impacts your business!).
How has art impacted your business? And if you’ve invested in it, do you think you’ve successfully established a corporate art style? How are you feeling inspired to change? Let us know in the comments.
