Art Will Be the Driving Force Behind Branding in the Coming Period, Not Marketing
- Gökhan Korkmaz
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Brands no longer just sell products. They create stories, aesthetics, and culture.
In recent years, many brands have become stuck in the mechanical formulas of marketing and forgotten how to connect with people.
Yet for brands to endure, they need something beyond numbers:
the transformative power of art.
In this article, I explain how art has shaped branding from history to the present day and why it will return to the center stage in the coming period.
Let's start with a simple exercise.
-Close your eyes and think of toothpaste.
You probably thought of Colgate, didn't you?
Or a similar packaging, those classic red-and-white colors.
This is no coincidence.
It’s the result of years of brand dominance.
Brands have not only captured market share but also our minds.
In the US, when you think of adhesive bandages, you think of Band-Aid; when you think of photocopying, you think of Xerox.
It’s no different in Turkey:
Paper towels? Selpak.
Margarine? Sana.
Cleaning products? Cif.
Detergent? Omo.
These examples show how a brand can become synonymous with an entire category.
In the 20th century, the rule was clear:
Consumption is no longer just a necessity, but a matter of identity.
The brand you choose reflects your lifestyle and sometimes even your worldview.
Today, consumers don't just buy functionality or price.
They buy into a story, an attitude, a stance.
However, most brands still rely on boring, artificial narratives.
They try to survive with soulless phrases generated by data-driven marketing machines.
Yet the answer can be found in a much more human place: art.
Consider this:
During the Renaissance, when the Medici family commissioned works from Botticelli and Michelangelo, their sole concern was not art.
They sought to gain power, create an impact, and leave a lasting legacy.
What we now call “branding” has evolved hand in hand with art since those days.
Toulouse-Lautrec’s cabaret posters in Paris were not just about marketing entertainment; they shaped a culture.
French champagne brands embraced art movements to create the language of luxury.
But then the Industrial Revolution arrived.
Production became mass-produced, and marketing turned into a numbers game.
Formulas replaced creativity:
A/B testing, psychological triggers, conversion rates, segmentation…
In Turkey too, advertising has been trapped in a numbers-driven system for years.
But let’s not forget:
No brand untouched by art can be long-lasting.
Absolut's collaborations with artists in the 1980s, The Coca-Cola Company's pop art aesthetic, and CHANEL's joint projects with Salvador Dalí are proof of this.
Vakko's language that brings together modern aesthetics and culture, Pasabahce's transformation of nostalgia into storytelling, and Salt Galata's approach that embraces cultural heritage also demonstrate the impact of art and storytelling on branding.
All of these demonstrate the power of art and storytelling.
Many new ventures postpone branding, thinking, “We'll deal with it once the product is ready.”
But today, your story is your product itself.
Brands that rely solely on price competition cannot leave a lasting impression.
On the other hand, brands that position themselves as artists, redesigning their visual narrative and symbolism from scratch, stand out.
Jacquemus is one of the best examples of this.
Its founder made the brand an extension of his personal world.
Provence nostalgia, surreal imagery, warm sincerity…
The result? An aesthetic that is recognizable even without seeing the logo.
When laying the foundation for your brand, think beyond a simple logo design.
Shape your story, visual language, and values from the ground up.
Because your first steps will build your brand's future world.
Influencer marketing is certainly important.
Targeted ads and campaigns drive sales.
But if you focus solely on the short term, you can't create a soul.
Collaborating with artists sets your brand apart from the ordinary.
Imagine a joint project with an illustrator, musician, or photographer.
Let your brand gain new meaning through their creative vision.
Young artists in Turkey need more space.
When a brand creates this opportunity, it contributes not only to itself but also to culture.
But remember: Don't just place an order, create together.
Give artists creative freedom.
Allow them to interpret your story through their own worlds.
That's when your narrative becomes real.
Many brands gather customers.
But very few create a real community.
The difference is simple:
Customers buy, communities own.
Glossier, Inc.'s inclusion of its customers in the brand's aesthetic and Aimé Leon Dore's presentation of its collections as part of New York culture are not without reason.
There are examples in Turkey as well:
Suwen’s approach to empowering women’s communities, BIGCHEFS’ story-based warm experience, MOC’s transformation of coffee into a cultural bonding space… Atelier Rebul’s historical texture, YARGICI’s simple world…
All of them demonstrate the power of building a community.
You can do this too.
Turn product launches into an experience.
Tell behind-the-scenes stories.
See your customers not just as consumers, but as creative partners.
Authenticity cannot be manufactured, but it can be nurtured around shared values.
The ultimate goal of branding is this:
To become the shorthand for a culture.
Nike is more than a sports shoe brand; it is an ideology.
Apple is not a technology manufacturer; it is a belief system.
Supreme is not just a streetwear brand; it is an economy unto itself.
Of course, none of this happened overnight.
But the fundamental truth remains:
Brands are born at the intersection of art and commerce.
Brands that embrace this approach today and in the future will not just sell more.
They will convey more meaning.
Because the brands of the future will be those that tell their story through art and bring people together.
And don’t be afraid to be part of this transformation.
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