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A quick web search on branding and advertisements brought up this crazy statistic:
Digital marketing experts estimate that most Americans are exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day. At some point, we start a screening process for what we engage with and start ignoring brands and advertising messages, unless it’s something that we have a personal interest.
A personal interest.
That’s the key phrase. I’m always searching for, working towards, and fascinated by artists who share a bit of themselves in their process.
The brands I’m most attached to, the ones I go back to again and again, the ones I follow – those brands have shown me something to believe in, to be inspired by. They share a personal side to the making of their product. They keep me curious and coming back to see what’s next, how something works, or shots of the process.
Some of those “brands” are big corporations, some are small one-person entrepreneurs. They’ve all told me a story that has developed an emotional response in me.
(To view the painting lesson shown above, click here. Patreon members must be logged in to view.
TELL YOUR STORY
I’ve talked about his books before but I really love Austin Kleon and his trilogy:
Show your Work is especially applicable for today’s conversation….it’s all about sharing your story and therefore strengthening your branding through behind-the-scenes shots and information.
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I come from a theatre and film background and use a lot of my knowledge in those arts to apply to my marketing and branding.
For instance, in the film world, there is a technical term called “B-roll.”
B-roll is the extra footage captured to enrich the story you’re telling and to have greater flexibility when editing. Instead of featuring only talking heads on video, you place other images within the story to provide details and context…”cutting away” from the main shots.
Here is a simple and short video to explain it a bit more:
Let’s think of B-roll as the photos we need to fill in the blanks around our work.
Your artwork is the main story, the leading role. It’s the star of the show, the one that everyone clamors to see, the box office draw!
With a big lead, we need some extras, some supporting players, some depth. We want to tell an amazing story about our lead character and we need though background characters and supporting “chorus” to help us. Through behind-the-scenes shots and information, we begin to craft a story to share in an interesting and compelling way.
I take photos of everything in my studio. Well, at least everything that is a supporting character. Our pastels beg to be photographed because they’re so beautiful. They’re like Scarlet O’Hara in her red dress, who can even look away?
Other areas of my studio may not be pretty or interesting but my messy desk, my clean desk, my notes, scratchy sketches, my brushes and easel, my books, fill in the gaps and provide me an opportunity to show more than just the finished product.
Other artists, clientele, and curious on-lookers love to see tools of the trade. They’re fascinated by the “working artist” studio. It’s a peek into a secret world only a few can enter.
This is where you grow in your branding – by grabbing people with a personal interest and developing a story around how, where, when, and why you create.
For more tips on art marketing, social media for artists, blogging, exhibit submissions, writing artist statements, etc. check out my Patreon page!
xoxo,
Bethany
