Sometimes, to get audiences to recognize the beauty and artistry of a product, advertisers might place it in an unexpected setting. Artistic Tile just refreshed this concept with the latest iteration of their “Bringing Art to Life” campaign.
Creating context
It’s a tried-and-true practice in marketing. Calling attention to a “hero” product by showing it against an unusual background or in an unexpected context… not where you would normally see it.
Think about automobile ads — most don’t show cars sitting in traffic. Instead, the vehicles are typically depicted navigating picturesque mountain roads or bounding through snow. And tackling off-road trails or parked in front of luxury homes.
Same thing with clothing… which is often shown on willowy models meandering through a luxurious cityscape. Or traipsing down the red carpet.
Yet, it’s not something you see very often in the home and building channel — where the typical approach is to feature installed products — to help audiences visualize the design possibility that a product offers.
Breaking with convention
Tile is a product category that gets more than its fair share of attention.
And rightfully so.
Homeowners and designers want to be certain they choose a backsplash, shower surround or bathroom floor that can be enjoyed for years to come. And create distinctive backdrops that tie together spaces.
But, with so many options in color, material, size and style… selecting the perfect tile can be overwhelming. Making it nearly impossible for tile brands to stand out in their audiences’ minds.
So, all too often, tile brands simply take the “safe” approach: displaying their offerings in aspirational, yet realistic settings.
We think this is a missed opportunity.
And something that Artistic Tile has clearly recognized since the inception of its very first “Bringing Art to Life” concept.
The latest version of the brand’s signature campaign defies traditional conventions. And, in doing so, accomplishes much more in the process.
And that’s precisely why we like the campaign so much. It dares to deviate from the norm. The inspired, eye-catching result sets the brand apart from the crowd.
Making a statement
Based upon the company’s motto, “Bringing Art to Life,” Artistic Tile launched its inaugural advertising campaign some time ago. In the campaign’s earliest iterations, models were adorned in garments featuring classic Artistic Tile patterns. And over the years, the brand has introduced variations on the original concept to reflect current trends.
In its most recent campaign, artists representing multiple performing arts disciplines — such as the lead clarinetist from the New York Philharmonic and principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre — are featured wearing garments made from the brand’s tile. Developed to “bridge the divide between the art of design and the performing arts” and to honor performers, Artistic Tile magnificently fuses the best of art, design, fashion, music and performance.
It could be argued… that this dramatic departure from the typical approach of showing tile in realistic kitchen and bath settings makes it difficult to visualize the tile in a home.
We disagree.
Instead, showing tile in an unconventional manner places the attention solely on the tile. And trusts that homeowners will make the connection to their homes. And that designers will envision the tile in their upcoming projects.
This approach not only resonates on an emotional level… tapping into audiences’ dreams and desires, but it also makes the campaign impossible to ignore. Even when the tile on a musician’s jacket is not exactly what someone might install in their shower, they will certainly remember the Artistic Tile name… and the associated design possibilities.
Authentic support of a cause
A particularly admirable aspect of the Artistic Tile campaign is the brand’s support of performing arts… a segment that has been hit especially hard by the pandemic and the ensuing shutdowns.
The campaign promises that a percentage of sales will be donated to the performing arts — helping to ensure artists are able to continue their expressive work — while the world gets more comfortable again with the idea of attending live performances.
“We have always been a company with a strong philanthropic drive,” said Nancy Epstein, founder and chairman of the board for Artistic Tile. “I am as proud of this as I am of any material or space we have created over the years.”
It might have been enough to simply make that a monetary donation… but instead, the campaign goes a step further by showcasing prominently the notable artists as an integral component of the communication.
The artist is part of the artistry of the advertising.
Reminding us all… how important the arts are to our sense of community and shared humanity.
An artful execution
Above all, Artistic Tile pulls off the campaign with aplomb.
Based on strategy, it’s clear that creating garments out of tile might seem a bit too outside-the-box to be effective. Would people understand what actually is being sold?
Appreciating the campaign’s success over the years, we’re confident that’s not likely the case.
To be clear, we don’t believe audiences will want to rush out to buy tile-laden cocktail dresses or mosaic jackets.
However, upon experiencing the latest version of the campaign, we anticipate that many homeowners and designers — especially those who appreciate design and artistry — will make a clear connection between their living spaces and the Artistic Tile brand.
Could you ask for any more than that?
And that’s precisely the reason why the K&A team has chosen the Bringing Art to Life campaign… as our Top Ad Campaign of 2021.
