Art as a top-of-the-funnel investment

Partnering with the Art Basel Hong Kong contemporary art fair has proved a positive move for brands as diverse as BMW, the Island Shangri-La hotel and the South China Morning Post newspaper. 

Why it matters

Marketing-Interactive reports how all three are aiming for a positive return on investment (ROI) from their links, designed to elevate brand image in the minds of those people attending the fair, which features artworks from premier galleries across Asia and beyond. 

In their own words 

“We aim for sustainable cultural engagement and art development, and thus we are looking into the long-term, future returns in brand image, status, and business revenue as well,” a spokesperson from BMW said. “Nowadays, customers do not choose a product only for its performance or price tag, but also for the idea and vision that the brand represents.” 

A spokesperson for Island Shangri-La Hong Kong explained: “We aim to inspire our audiences with more reasons to think of us, talk about us, and experience us, and to keep us top-of-mind as travel comes back to Hong Kong and the world.” 

The Post has had a more immediate response, according to COO Kevin Huang: “We have received positive feedback from our readers and advertising clients for our partnership with Art Basel, as they look to us for subject matter expertise and advisory through our art reporting and media solutions tailored to an artistically and culturally curious reader base.” 

Huang also outlined an approach to ROI measurement that includes branding, awareness, traffic, subscription and commercial metrics. 

Sources from Marketing-Interactive

[Image: Courtesy Art Basel]