Ever since I was a kid, I’ve gravitated to create. To translate ideas into this realm we live in.

My hands will look for something to craft and build. I remember, back in grade school, after classes were done, I’d spend my afternoon on our balcony, piecing together accessories and creating beaded dangling earrings and bracelets. A craft I learned from my mother’s colleague, after one delightful dinner visit. Then back in sixth grade, I remember the prettiest and smartest girl in the class who created a storybook with her drawings that everyone in class admired. They gathered around her, amazed by her storytelling and drawing skills. After that moment, I wanted to learn how to draw, so I learned how to use oil pastel crayons and drew my favorite orange octopus plushie. 

Then, as a young adult in university, I ended up taking literature as a major. Words were my medium. Stories were my solace. Creativity called, and after, I took up fashion design, where I reconnected with my inner child’s fascination with colors, sketches, and crafts.

Ever since, I thought fashion was my calling. Little did I know that marketing would be my art form.

Marketing as an Art

Marketing is where creativity meets strategy. I see marketing as both an art and a science.

It requires you to consider the two sides of the spectrum. It’s not simply being strategic or creative. It needs you to be both.

I always believe that beauty and harmony can be found in the balance of polarities. And marketing is the art form that allows me to practice this concept. To find meaning and beauty in between being logical and artistic.

But the question is: why is marketing an art?

We need to define what art is. But that’s the majesty of it; art cannot be defined by one meaning. If you look at how the great thinkers throughout our history define art, it varies and transcends beyond how we perceive art. For Aristotle, art is a mimesis of inward significance. It’s an imitation of beauty or nature. Art is a form of expression for Leonardo da Vinci, who stated, “Art is the Queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all generations of the world.” And for some, it shapes how humanity and the world work.

All of that is art.

Art has the power to create connections, relating the world and being to another. That’s the same impact of marketing. It shapes perception. It imitates beauty. It tells stories. It connects one idea to our being. Marketing and change go hand in hand, as much as art can change and reflect our souls.

Emotion in marketing

One thing I love about doing marketing is the play of emotions. No marketing effort doesn’t involve emotions. Whatever the marketing objective might be, it requires you to express or trigger an emotion.

Emotions in marketing are a powerful way to connect with people. When you feel an emotion, it triggers a physical response in your body that makes you more likely to remember and act on something. For example, if we see an advertisement that makes us feel happy, we are more likely to remember the product or service being advertised.

Art also has the power to connect with people. It can evoke strong emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger, and fear. This is why art is often used in marketing to create a connection with consumers.

The power of storytelling

One way that marketing uses emotions is through storytelling. Stories are a powerful way to connect with people on a profound emotional level. They can make us feel empathy, anger, sadness, and joy. When we connect with a story, we are more likely to remember it and act on it. Our brains recognize stories that push us to change our human behavior. It alters our chemistry and makes us feel emotions.

Another way that marketing uses emotions is through visuals, telling stories through subtle cues. With the use of symbols and words, visuals can be very effective in triggering emotions. For example, a picture of a happy family used on marketing collateral can make us feel happy and can mirror nostalgic memories, reminding us of our family. The moment we see the visual, we create stories in our heads that will evoke emotions. The same goes for a picture of a war zone, which can make us feel sad, angry, or even political. It would be a catalyst for different social and cultural ideologies embedded in our subconscious.

Overall, emotions and storytelling are effective marketing tools that can be used to connect with consumers and create a lasting impression. When consumers feel an emotion, they are more likely to remember the message being conveyed. Storytelling can be used to create a connection between the consumer and the product or service being marketed. Ultimately, the goal of marketing, like any art form, is to connect with consumers on a personal level–for you to feel seen and heard.

Strategic and Creative Marketing  

To create something effective and breathtaking, one needs to be strategic. Whether you’re creating an oil painting, every detail and color used has meaning to it, carefully chosen to express a feeling or a thought, to evoke emotions, or to imitate beauty. As much as it is a creative act to do marketing, it is strategic. It requires careful planning and execution. It involves empathizing with your target audience, developing a message that resonates with them, and choosing the right channels to reach them. To do all of these requires creativity and innovation. To think outside of the box. To challenge your own ideas. To feel and express.

Marketers need to come up with new and interesting ways to express empathy with their target audience and stand out from the competition, like a masterpiece in a gallery of other masterpieces.

Conclusion: Why Marketing is My Art Form

Marketing is both an art and a science.

As someone who enjoys creative pursuits and likes being logical, marketing is the perfect form for me to express myself, say my truth, empathize with others, and see brands as characters with stories to tell.

After all the trials and tribulations of finding my form, marketing has found me. To tell more stories and to merge creativity with data.

Have you found your art form?