Can a brand create art?

In a world of branded experiences and public activations, Henry Curchod, Creative Partner at the art and directing collective The Glue Society wonders whether brands have the right to create art.

Outlining the process of how teams can come together to allow experiential marketing moments to become public art, Curchod advocates for an evolutionary approach. In this excerpt from his talk How to make seemingly impossible ideas a reality held at D&AD Festival, he argues that brands who aim to create art on purpose can only lead to inauthentic, commercialised interactions — something audiences can sniff out a mile away.

For Curchod, art can, of course, be the result of a brand campaign, but it's vital that this feels like an organic process — and one that engages creators and artists who have "an authentic relationship to the ideas and concepts that the brand is trying to tackle".

Watch more highlights from D&AD Festival here.