3 Creative Ways To Market

In an effort to capture my young audience and engage them in my marketing campaign, I've chosen three platforms that all introduce a discovery element at their core. I desperately try to be inventive in whatever I seek out to do, so much that it can be exhausting, and I even question if the desired result is even worth it, but as an artist, it's what we hope to accomplish.

There was one movie this summer that I couldn't stop seeing. I, like a lot of people, were floored with total amazement at its' layered story. The script and the language are rich with interesting thoughts and eyebrow-raising ideas. The film is brilliant and it really made me think about the act of discovery. The movie proclaims discovery being genuine inspiration. That quote has carried a lot of weight in my mind for months. I thought, if I could get high school seniors to discover my photography on their own would it stick with them longer? On top of that, what if the way they discovered my work, provoked curiosity by being slightly mysterious in my marketing, which in turn would lengthen their act of discovery, as they would have to do a little of their own searching. When I hear a song on a commercial that I love, I am almost always compelled to look for it online, go to forums and search it out. When I discover the artist and song information I'm happy and satisfied. I wanted to convey the same experience to these seniors.

1. A sticker flood.

The local rock band Digital Summer's sticker-on-every-street-corner campaign inspired me to walk the same path, but attempt to leave my own personal mark. My stickers have different messages on them. They aren't all direct, they don't give the passerby an exact place to go, they just plant an idea. My hope is that this idea will initiate a personal exploration.

So one night a week, with my buddy Kelvin documenting our adventures (which is #3), we blanket the city with these white and green stickers. Here is a map of the damage so far. Where should we target next?

View The Liberation Sticker Flood in a larger map

In addition to my own participation in the sticker flood, I have been fortunate enough to have two Mountain Ridge students aid me in this purpose. So big thanks go to Claire & Torrin, for they have taken the responsibility to decorate the school campus with "N's" and the "Liberation" message.

2. A enigmatic journal.

I purchased a sharp, classic looking journal from Moleskine. I wrote on over 50 of its' pages with questions for the students to answer. When one student answers, he/she will then give the book to someone else, so they can partake. I loved the idea of this book where kids shared intimate secrets and insights to their lives anonymously, which would help them discover a little about who they are & who they're becoming. On the inside flap, is the book's purpose...

A few of the questions within the book:

What's your strongest passion?

Describe the most real threat to your self confidence.

Are you perceived how you want to be perceived?

If you've been in love, describe how you think it feels.

What makes you proud?

What's been your greatest challenge in high school?

I certainly hope this little black book makes its' way back to me after Valentines Day. The answers would be fascinating.

3. Teaser (less is more)

The most memorable movie trailer that comes to mind is the teaser for Cloverfield. I remember after it played before Transformers I had no desire to see the movie I was about to see, it had flushed away all my attention. I spent the next two hours distracted, recalling the first-person shots, and the frighteningly realistic feeling of panic and hysteria that was injected in me in just 80 seconds. And the catch: the movie had no title. No giant text at the end of the teaser to tell me what I had just seen. Just a day to look forward to, a release date. You bet the first thing I did when I got home was go online for an answer to what I had just seen. The height of my curiosity was at new levels. I was driven to the computer for understanding.

Kelvin and I are filming my guerilla advertising journey in hopes to raise even more awareness. In less than a week I will release a teaser on the liberation facebook page that will give viewers an inside look into our risky venture, and hopefully salivating for something more.

Much to look forward to in this next month! How do you guys market yourselves creatively?