Made by hand, not mad men
People want to see street art made by people. That's what makes cities unique
With social media brands having a very public meltdown - sane marketing folk are looking for advertising alternatives to the increasingly expensive, crowded digital platforms run by egotistical children.
Outdoor is one of those media alternatives - one where refreshingly the owners do not normally publicly swear at their clients - that's increasingly in favour with brands looking for a space that still manages to excite people.
According to Jing Daily:
Handcrafted murals, for example, have recently experienced vitality. Their popularity shows that there’s still an appetite for the human touch, even among the younger generations.
Today, brands are looking for ways to combat waning interest, especially as they strive to capture the vacillating attention of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. But with consumer advertising burnout rife, can novel advancements like 3D billboards offer a solution?
“Yes and no,” marketing and brand strategist Leland Grossman says. “In some regards the gimmicky nature only reinforces the fatigue. On the flip side, the technology has the potential to truly wow folks, as I believe the MSG Sphere has done.”
So not only billboards, but hand painted billboards are making a strong comeback as cities once again fill with people.
Buying hand-crafted, city-specific hoardings is obviously not going to work for every brand or all types of commercial communication instances, but the reality is that the enshittification of once-useful social media channels is real.
The value that places like Facebook and Instagram once delivered is quickly evaporating and a new era of media creativity is upon us. Commodity promotional swill is floundering and creativity (at a price) is replacing it.
Bethanie Ryder
CampaignUK