Keith Foggan, founder of creative social agency System, shares his thoughts on the rise of surrealist marketing. What drives these campaigns? Is it simply fitting for this era of escapism, or does it speak to a larger issue that brands are struggling to get consumers to stop scrolling and pay attention?
The original early 20th century art movement explored the realm of the unconscious mind, dreams, and the irrationality of the human experience. With Dali and Picasso set out to do away with reason, convention, and logic.
Fast forward to today and our need for escapism alongside the rapid adoptions of emerging technologies (not least AI) see marketers lean into the surreal movement - creating campaigns that blur the lines between the real and the absurd.
Unleashing the power of the unconscious mind and challenging conventional thinking is leading to the creativity needed for brands to cut-through.
Esteemed fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands such as Jaquemus, Isabel Marant and Maybelline have integrated surrealist marketing into their social strategies, where this type of visual spectacle thrives. These are fun, tongue-in-cheek campaigns which make people stop scrolling and pay attention and ultimately ask themselves “How??”.
Surrealist marketing aims - not only to create intriguing and modern visuals - but to ignite hype. To create the conversations that breed brand awareness.
But, grabbing a consumer's attention is no easy task. Especially in 2023, with audiences bombarded with hours and hours of content every day. Surrealist marketing helps brands and businesses create out-of-the-box and scroll-stopping ways to show off their products, which are also humorous and interesting to look at.
Linda Baritski aka SEASONOFVICTORY
There are other drivers for these more abstract, out-there campaigns. Firstly, we need light relief. Content that helps us escape a pretty tough climate cuts-through particularly well when times are hard. Whereas ASMR was pleasing on the ear, surrealism is pleasing on the eye.
Secondly, the tech has arrived. For a few seconds at least, it's possible to believe that those handbags are actually racing through those streets. This ‘is it or isn’t it?’ debate sparks conversation, which not only drives traffic to these campaigns but also gets people talking about the brand, creating valuable social reshares and news articles.
I think it's also a response to marketers that have been over-indulging in the word authenticity in recent years. Being true and aligning messages with values was a good starting point, but it leads a lot of brands towards uninspired comms. The surrealism movement is a reminder that marketing can simply be fun.
Surrealist marketing is a great way for marketers to fully utilise new technologies and play around with its capabilities. Already we’ve seen how AI can save businesses valuable time, accurately collate data and help with everyday tasks, especially in marketing. And in an industry that relies on coming up with new, fresh and innovative ideas, it’s no surprise that savvy marketers are turning to these tools to spark inspiration and create visuals that you can’t recreate in a traditional photoshoot.
CGI and now AI presents a seemingly endless range of possibilities. Do you want your bags to grow on trees? Great. Wouldn’t it be scary if civilians were attacked by a giant toothpaste? Yes. These technologies let your imagination run wild, and allow brands to be playful and humorous in their campaigns, which can be very appealing to wary customers.
Zeeshan Raza
These campaigns work especially well on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Not only is social media an easy way to get eyes on your new campaign, it also doesn’t need to have the story-telling element that traditional ads need. These digital campaigns only aim for people to stop scrolling and engage in some way, whether through a comment or a like. This fits in well with surrealist marketing, which thrives on pure visual effect.
Overall, AI is going to have a huge impact on marketing in 2024. Not only will it help with campaigns, it will also help marketers streamline their efforts and target their demographics effectively, using easily accessible data and engagement tools. We will also see AI used heavily in eCommerce efforts, whether that be through try-on tools or personalised shopping experiences.
There will be a concerted movement towards reactive and viral marketing, using social media. By posting on Instagram, TikTok, X or LinkedIn, brands can quickly and effectively react to viral media stories and moments. This is an easy way to drive traffic and get eyes on your social media.
Marketers will tend towards more playful campaigns that will often have a comic edge. The success of The Barbie Movie and subsequent brand moments have shown that there is a need for escapism and fantasy. At this point, audiences may feel like they’ve seen it all and marketing campaigns that challenge our ideas of reality and take us out of the everyday are a way to create fun campaigns.
Many of us are looking for escapism in the present climate and trying to discover the remarkable in the mundane. Surrealist marketing surprises and entertains audiences at the same time.
Diane Shearer
If organisations want to stand out on crowded social media platforms, they must be bold, dramatic and unorthodox. Surrealist marketing can help brands stand out from the competition - by producing memorable experiences and forging meaningful connections with their audience.
