Recently, Maybelline's mascara advertisements gained significant viral attention on social media, and you've likely come across them: a train with eyelashes meticulously brushed by a colossal mascara wand on a billboard. This form of surrealism marketing has caught the public's attention and sparked discussions. However, Maybelline was not the pioneer in this creative realm; a few months earlier in April, Jacquemus released surrealism advertisements featuring enormous handbags traversing roads like cars. This trend swiftly resonated with jewellery brands, with Pandora being one of the first to unlock its potential during Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Benefits of Surrealism Marketing
Surrealism marketing has proven to be a highly effective and innovative tool for capturing attention, eliciting emotional responses, and leaving a lasting impression of the brand. It excels in promoting word-of-mouth when social media users eagerly share and repost these imaginative videos. One of its main advantages is the heightened creativity it enables. Through CGI (Computer-generated Imagery), advertisers can create visuals that were previously impossible to achieve with traditional filming techniques.
Drawbacks of Surrealism Marketing
The primary concern with this innovative approach is its cost. CGI production can be quite expensive, making it potentially unattainable for small businesses or startups. Another drawback lies in the overuse of CGI, which may lead to a lack of authenticity. If audiences become too accustomed to seeing CGI in advertising, they may lose interest in ads utilizing traditional filming methods. Moreover, ethical concerns may arise, such as the potential for misrepresentation or false claims in CGI-driven advertisements.
How to Achieve Surrealism Marketing
To create advertisements in this style, proficiency in CGI is essential. CGI involves creating animated or static visual content using specialized imaging software. CGI has become ubiquitous because companies appreciate the value of showcasing their products in high quality, leading to greater customer engagement. The advent of artificial intelligence image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney has further fueled this emerging aesthetic.
Here are how some fashion brands did it:
Jacquemus
Isabel Marant
Victoria Beckham
Alexander Wang
Maybelline
Pandora
Zara
And even movie:
Barbie
In essence, surrealism marketing represents a daring and unconventional advertising strategy in today's landscape. CGI marketing empowers brands to stand out in social feeds, capturing users' attention and reinforcing their brand image. These offbeat videos can go viral with a smaller investment of time and money compared to traditional marketing campaigns. However, concerns about the blurring line between fiction and reality loom with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and CGI tools. The question arises: What is the value of creating original art if human eyes can no longer discern the difference? Alternatively, one might view this positively as a more "eco-friendly" approach, as no physical props are created for shooting these advertisements.
References:
Goren, I. (2023, May). The rise of super-real 'fake' ads. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/the-rise-of-super-real-fake-ads-5613068/
Naulikha, E. (2023, March 4). The use of CGI in advertising: Driving engagement and creativity | Essay. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/use-cgi-advertising-driving-engagement-creativity-essay-naulikha/
Tom. (2023, July 8). Why surrealist marketing is having a moment. Limely. https://www.limely.co.uk/blog/why-surrealist-marketing-is-having-a-moment
We Need to Talk About CGI Marketing Campaigns…. (2023, August 2). Formroom. https://formroom.com/we-need-to-talk-about-cgi-marketing-campaigns/
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