ARTS & COLLECTIBLES

LOCALISING ART FOR GLOBAL BRANDS

Balancing Brand Identity & Local Culture Through Art

DAVID KNOWLES, FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF ARTELIER

When offices are spread across various global locations, how can a coherent brand identity be communicated while still recognising and embracing local cultures?

Art is an effective tool to communicate brand identity while enabling differentiation and authentic engagement with the local culture. For multinational companies with offices in various locations, maintaining a brand style while accommodating the unique needs and customs of local teams and clients can, however, be challenging.

To approach this challenge, Artelier’s global experience unifies artistic vision with localised support and knowledge from international associates and partners worldwide, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of diverse markets and cultures.

5 INDUSTRY INSIGHTS ON HOW TO LOCALISE ART

1. Wellness & Community:
Invite Local Artists

In the past 20 years, a significant shift has developed in recognising the influence of the office environment on employee health, well-being, engagement, and productivity.

A modern office shouldn’t be all about work. Adding a breakout area will allow employees to disconnect from work and mentally and physically recharge. These spaces could be used for yoga, exercise or mindfulness, but also creative activities like painting or crafting workshops.

Collaborate with local artists and creative organisations to organise fulfilling activities, such as hands-on creative sessions or discursive workshops.

2. Casual Spaces:
Use the Local Art Scene

The idea of ‘corporate spaces’ has dramatically shifted for the better since Covid-19. Previous workspaces encompassed a hierarchical structure, which were often dull and uninspiring in appearance. Now, global brands are re-envisioning an informal, casual and relaxed work setting in the hope to boost employee satisfaction and productivity.

An easy way to achieve this is with art. When curating artworks, celebrating and acknowledging local cultures positively reinforces ideas of global vision in the business ethos and brand imaging.

The street serves as a barometer for the latest developments and freshness in local culture. Find inspiration from grassroots and street-level activities, particularly within the art scene, and incorporate this into your art curation. This could range from local colours, textiles, architecture, artefacts or literature.

3. Biophilic Design:
Bring Nature Inside

Biophilic design integrates nature into architectural and interior design to foster a healthy connection between humans and the natural world, which is crucial in our ever urbanised and tech-driven lives.

For biophilic artworks, celebrate the local region’s environment; take inspiration from the flora, fauna, surfaces and natural materials in the local region’s vicinity. Stay true to the materials while elevating the distinct textures of wood, stone or foliage to create captivating and memorable pieces.

4. Sustainability:
Reduce the Carbon Footprint

Rather than investing in new workspaces in new locations, many brands are upcycling what they already have in creative and imaginative ways. To redesign their spaces, brands are using local materials specific to that region that are either recycled or have little carbon footprint.

This can be adopted with sourcing local artists too, preventing unnecessary energy usage in logistics and transport. Engage with artists that specialise in working with repurposed or disregarded materials such as timber, nails or metal.

5. Less is More:
Invest in Quality

Global brands are moving away from large-scale corporate buildings - like tower blocks - to smaller and bespoke environments. This investment in higher-quality real estate creates elevated settings to provide client and employees a holistic, almost homely experience, as opposed to a professional one.

Having a smaller office footprint and a limited quantity of artworks creates a focused narrative that engages the local community, as opposed to relying on unnecessary artwork ‘fillers’ in the halls, meeting rooms or office areas. Make a statement; invest in unique and exceptional key pieces that go beyond the ordinary and stand out.

Case Study:
Localising Art in London

Numis Investment Bank, St Pauls

Artelier was approached by Numis, a dynamic investment bank. Our curators provided a complete office art collection for their new bespoke client headquarters in the City of London, overseeing the curation and commissioning of 23 investment-grade artworks.

The Numis office in London’s financial district reflects their company profile. Surrounded by iconic architecture and near St. Paul’s Cathedral, the area carries a sense of heritage and legacy. To evoke this atmosphere, our curators chose traditional mediums like oil paints, silk, luxurious woods, bronze, silver leaf, and porcelain for the artworks, rather than synthetic modern materials.