Savvy Consumers
Today’s consumer is savvier than ever. We live in a technological promised land – a place where any and every bit of information is a click away and buying something is as easy as following a link on an Instagram post.
With all of that surrounding us, it has become harder for traditional forms of advertising to retain their effectiveness. Brands have been trying method after method to keep up with the times, using every tool in the box to try and reach their audience effectively. Often times those efforts fall on deaf ears.
People build up a tolerance to certain types of advertising. Tired old strategies are starting to lose steam. And in a time when the market is saturated with competition, it is important to reach the consumer in a more meaningful way that also sets them apart from the rest.
In comes Creative Allies
What started as a way for artists to engage with one another and create art for each other, went on to accomplish that and so much more.
We sat down with our founder, Greg Lucas, to talk brand power, marketing in a millennial world and how Creative Allies is poised to change the game for good.
Mapping out the Millennial Marketplace
I see the trends in marketing headed in an increasingly digital direction. As we’ve all seen, newspapers, radio, magazines, and television advertising aren’t what they used to be. They don’t have that massive share of attention they once did because of the Internet, and because our devices that are all connected. Those factors really have changed the landscape on how advertisers can engage with their consumers.
Whether it’s creating concepts, pulling off events, doing different sorts of contests for materials for brands to use, or just engaging with consumers through content, I think that Creative Allies really is positioned to become this digital agency of the future and help brands connect with their audiences.
The Fan-to-Brand Connection
I now work with a band called The Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans. What I’ve realized working with that band, is that the fan connection to the band is the most valuable relationship.
Again, industry representatives, managers, agents, they come after a band has a dedicated audience. It doesn’t matter if that is a hundred people, or a thousand people. If you have a dedicated community that cares about what you’re doing, you have a potential business. You don’t have to be a technical expert in drawing to create a concept that connects with the audience that is interested in that brand.
Really, Creative Allies brings together the brand equity of these famous musicians, these, what I would call audience aggregators. No matter what they do, whether they’re a YouTube star, a television show, or a band, they aggregate an audience.
The designer is then able to leverage the equity in that audience and create something that is then monetizable. I see that more and more. I think the value is in the brand. It isn’t in the label. It isn’t in the management company. It’s in the brand’s authentic connection with their fans. That equity is what’s monetized through the design submitted to Creative Allies.
That’s what’s really exciting about where we fit in in that process of finding your audience and communicating with them. In this visual era of social media, it’s easier than ever to do so. Then to have them champion your brand by purchasing an item, whether it’s a poster, a book or a t-shirt. What makes us different is that the content comes straight from the fans, allowing them to support brands they love in a genuine way.
As we grow, the community grows, too
I’ve seen a tremendous number of success stories over the years from Creative Allies. What it’s really taught me, more than anything, is that there is hidden talent everywhere.
The task at hand becomes a matter of identifying that talent and drawing it out. Then supporting the gifted, creative people out there with platforms and tools to gain exposure and monetize their creativity.
I think that the tools Creative Allies provides will only increase in terms of their use for designers and for creative professionals that have an aesthetic and a look that is truly their own.
There is an opportunity out there and it doesn’t matter where you are, doesn’t matter what is on your resume or who you know. If you have the talent and you’re passionate about what you do, you can find a creative outlet for it.
Everything about our digital world–– advertisement especially––is constantly changing and evolving. It’s more important now than ever to create spaces that are for the people, by the people. Advertising platforms that encourage consumer creativity and involvement are a solid means to that end.
