Old is gold: Classical art in modern marketing campaigns

Classical art is universally recognised as an integral part of culture. Yet, though widely celebrated, it remains fundamentally inaccessible, its beauty admired but largely confined to the walls of a gallery and detached from contemporary public experience. Only in recent years have marketing campaigns identified and incorporated classical art as a powerful tool for storytelling, integrating these works into everyday modern narratives which transcend traditional forms of artistic expression and harness global engagement.

Vaseline’s association with the timelessness of classical art reinforces the sustained reliability of the product itself

Vaseline’s 2017 campaign, The Cracked Paintings, showcases a series of classical artworks, ranging from Christus’ ‘Portrait of a Young Girl’ to Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’, looking restored to their original appearance after using Vaseline. In drawing a parallel between cracked art and dry cracked skin, the campaign effectively promotes the ‘healing powers’ of Vaseline even in the harshest conditions, while simultaneously advocating the ritual of self-care in a somewhat comedic manner. Moreover, by featuring memorable artworks, the campaign subconsciously evokes a sense of familiarity with the product, which creates a greater sense of trust between the brand and the audience. Similarly, Vaseline’s association with the timelessness of classical art reinforces the sustained reliability of the product itself. This altogether establishes it as an enduring solution with lasting results, remaining a visually powerful testament to the quality of the product and garnering widespread recognition.

Its unique blend of historical art with modern technology and data analysis […] successfully captured attention and increased active brand engagement

Modern marketing campaigns have also used classical art to promote brand history and heritage, thereby aligning themselves with a sense of tradition and prestige. This is exemplified by Stella Artois’ The Artois Probability. The 2023 campaign overlays different classical paintings featuring beer with the determined probability that it is Stella Artois, using an algorithm that analyses factors such as year, shape of glass, colour, and location to do so. Moreover, by featuring paintings from renowned artists such as Van Gogh, the campaign successfully elevates the brand to one of luxury, status and credibility. This altogether played a significant role in showcasing the relevance of the brand throughout history and its lasting popularity since being founded in 1366. Its unique blend of historical art with modern technology and data analysis, which later enabled people to scan art themselves using an app, successfully captured attention and increased active brand engagement. This reaffirms the use of classical art as a simple yet highly effective marketing strategy in modern campaigns.

Coca-Cola’s Masterpiece campaign uses fine art to promote itself as a global brand and force for social unity

In a similar manner, Coca-Cola’s Masterpiece campaign uses fine art to promote itself as a global brand and force for social unity. It begins with a boy in a museum struggling to find a painting to sketch, his racing thoughts symbolised by a bottle of Coca-Cola which is being passed from painting to painting. The bottle changes art styles as it does so, ranging from the bold pop art style of Andy Warhol to the almost ethereal Ukiyo-e aesthetic of Utagawa Hiroshige. This testifies to the brand’s adaptability and mass appeal, depicting Coca-Cola as a global brand and unifying force which transcends cultural and geographical barriers and enjoys popularity among diverse audiences. Moreover, the merging of fine art with a mix of digital effects and AI offers a unique and innovative take on traditional forms of artistic expression and thus captures widespread attention. It concludes with the girl from Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ reaching out to open the bottle for the boy, who upon drinking feels immediately revitalised and inspired. This further reinforces Coca-Cola’s messaging that it sells a feeling rather than simply a drink, demonstrating how fine art in marketing campaigns is often utilised to establish an emotional connection with the consumer through cultural influence and associated feelings of trust.

The use of classical art in modern marketing campaigns has ultimately proved effective in transforming passive viewing into active brand engagement, shaping how we view not only the advertised product but the world around us. In this way, it no longer solely serves an aesthetic or historical purpose but is reinterpreted as a tool for modern storytelling and social connection, evoking a sense of unity among diverse audiences. Campaigns such as these have demonstrated that fine art should be embraced not only as an embodiment of global history but as a powerful force in contemporary society. Classical art should not be resigned to the past but rather embraced in the everyday, and perhaps in doing so, we may discover a renewed appreciation for its timeless nature and infinite potential.