To straddle art, commerce, and experience successfully for marketing, companies need a creative strategy. Some brands can manage to walk the line between art, commerce, and experience more successfully than others. Such brands have a clear vision of what they want to be for their customers. They do things their own way irrespective of how their competitors operate. They do not want to build hype; they want to enhance themselves. Below are some notable brands that have successfully straddled art, commerce, and experience.
Supreme
Supreme is a lifestyle skateboarding brand which was established in NYC in 1994. At its outset, its founder, James Jebbia, did not have a concrete business plan. He just wanted to build an authentic skate brand that its target customers, the hardcore skaters, would appreciate. Jebbia wasn’t a skater himself and so he hired Gio Estevez, who is an artist and skateboarder. Gio’s team was made of his fellow skaters which made the brand seem genuine and authentic. The layout of the brand’s store had an open central space which made it convenient for skaters to enter the store on their boards. Although the initial sales were slow, the skater community gradually began to embrace the vibe of the brand and became loyal customers. The brand witnessed organic growth and now there are ten Supreme locations worldwide.
Off-white
Off-white is a fashion brand that started a new narrative based on free thinking. The brand was founded in 2013 by Virgil Abloh and continues to be popular after his death in 2021. Abloh was a visionary and his brand revolutionized streetwear and luxury wear. Deconstruction is an essential characteristic of the brand, and it was community-based. The brand is known for its offbeat collabs and hoodies that are priced at $1,000. The brand curated looks that exhibited bold artistic direction. An important design element of the garments is chunky quotation marks. The clothes are known for their plain labels and high-end fabrics.
Burning Man
Burning Man began as a desert retreat and is now a full-scale community and movement. It is like a city that is organized around certain key principles such as experiences, sharing, imagination, and community. For instance, a participant at a Burning Man event may not only touch an exhibited painting but can also add to it. There is infrastructure, but community is an important element. Anyone can offer an artistic contribution or a service as a gift. The focus is on the diversity of experiences. In 2019, the brand hosted 80,000 artists and influencers at Black Rock City. The brand is about expression, innovation, and the need to question regressive values. Visual displays are an important part of their content, and their architecture resonates strongly with contemporary culture.
