"55% of all millennials post selfies compared to 24% Generation X & 9% Baby Boomers.”
Business of Fashion.
Google reported that last year alone, 24 BILLION selfies were uploaded to socials. Now that’s a lot of camera clicking… it is a well-known fact that us millennials are lovers of that ‘perfect’ image. The likes of Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook all provide us with platforms to share on. According to the Business of Fashion, we are in what is known as the ‘Instagram age’, because of that murals have taken on a new innovative meaning. Whilst wandering the streets of La Palma on holiday, it occurred to me just how pretty the backgrounds of photos have become. It’s no longer just about the foreground sometimes the background alone that is the main feature.
I am a lover of colour, whilst my dress sense doesn’t necessarily show that, my Instagram feed certainly does. For many influencers such as Lily Melrose, Alicia Roddy & Lydia Connell, colour is a vital aspect of their feed theme. Whilst for 71% of people I surveyed said their feed theme didn’t matter, a shocking 100% all said the background of a photo had to look pretty and massively influenced where they took it.
“So why has backgrounds been given the spotlight?”
Could it be that brands are waking up to the fact that they need to be more innovative about how they represent their marketing? Paul Smith, Adidas, Givenchy and Chanel have all jumped on the bandwagon, taking to murals to advertise their message. Gucci even did a year long “Wall Art” project. Colossal Media explained why mural marketing is so effective, “When a consumer sees our walls, they think art first, ad second and are drawn into the brand message”. The art is designed to inspire people to want to take photos, whilst hashtags marry the analogue experience with the digital world, resulting in a constant stream of influencers all with a combination of millions of followers outside businesses. You can’t get marketing better than that right?
Since 2009, social media influencers have become a huge phenomenon, taking the ‘right image’ can land you with a LOT of likes and massive following. Social influencers are seen as more likable & honest than traditional celebrities purely because they are famous due to their lovable personalities & valid opinions.
#PINKWALL
#ILOVECOCO
According to my research findings, if someone saw an interesting mural picture posted by an influencer whom they follow they would 57% be more likely to want to check it out. Perhaps a somewhat more surprising fact is that hashtags are rarely ever not used in a social post. The hashtags are the most useful part to tell the viewer where to go for more information and increase the reach of an audience. You no longer have to be following someone for their post to viewed.
Are murals the future of marketing? Are they seen as less ad, more art in the eyes of the consumer? Do they help people connect more with the brand?
For me and those around me, murals bring the fantasy of the brand to life, posing for a selfie with them feels almost as if you can buy into a brand without actually even making a purchase. It’s playful, fun and enables you to be part of its story. Yes it maybe a painting on a wall or a yet another selfie on your feed. But when you look closer, it’s more than that, it’s about opening up to brand messages round you, whether that’s political or just a statement. Marketing such as this is innovative, combining art , font and colour in a way we’ve never seen before… in our everyday lives.
Basic? Almost certainly not!
I hope you all enjoyed this post & that it gave you some 'food for thought' and different, more innovative marketing methods. Let me know in the comments below if you think it's basic or innovative because I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Lots of love.
X
Photo Credit: Google. Quotes: BOF
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