A new study from King’s College London on behalf of the Art Fund and Psychiatry Research Trust has found a profound positive impact of viewing original artwork. Researchers have measured biometric responses like heart rate and temperature as well as cortisol levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines related to stress and chronic disease.
Remarkable impact of original artwork was recorded with 22% drop in cortisol (vs only 8% for those viewing reproductions) and up to 30% decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and a more dynamic heart rate, all indicating that original art not only engages the viewers emotionally, but also has a profound impact on stress levels.
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Art Basel Paris 2025
Brand partnerships between major brands and artists are not new with Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst x Supreme, Loewe x Spirited Away being some of the great examples, but as this new study suggests their power might go way beyond being aesthetically pleasing or even a great collectables. What science shows us is the value of brand collabs with artists?
Although this new research used existing masterpieces by Van Gogh, Gauguin and Manet, other scientists have shown that it is also commercial products with art influences that positively impact consumers. A study published in Journal of Consumer in 2022 proved that art as well as commercial products with artistic images increase well-being and that happens through inspiration. The medium of art is however not restricted to visuals as music has also been effective.
One might then argue that all creative work is art and will therefore have the same impact on consumers resulting in heightened wellbeing and reduced stress as delivered through inspiration and positive emotions. Interestingly, this is not entirely truth. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2019 compared artistic paintings with retail window displays (many are works of art in themselves as we know) measuring specific brain waves indicative of positive or negative emotions using EEG. All artwork resulted in positive emotions regardless of whether it was evaluated as beautiful or not, whereas for window displays only those perceived as beautiful evoked positive emotions and those not considered beautiful resulted in negative emotions. Since positive emotions have been linked with higher product valuations, willingness to pay more, increased shopping satisfaction and impulsive buying, ensuring that you only evoke positive emotions is crucial to achieving desired consumer behaviour. Art collabs can therefore practically guarantee that all window displays and retail experience will result in positive emotions, even if a customer doesn’t consider it beautiful.
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Art Basel Paris 2025
Since emotions are a pre-requisite of decision making and have a tremendous impact on human cognitive processes, evoking high arousal emotions can impact how consumers decide. In a study published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2020 researchers have used neuroscientific methods like EEG to show that using abstract art in product packaging can have a differential effect on further cognitive tasks depending on how emotional the artwork is. Using neoplasticism art of Mondrian (less emotional) versus expressionist art of Kandinsky (more emotional) they have proven that viewing more emotional artwork depletes cognitive resources resulting in a more heuristic-based and impulsive decision making. Since majority of luxury brands (those more frequently collaborating with artists) rely on hedonic and impulsive purchases, ensuring that they evoke intensive and positive emotions is crucial to their survival and success.
However, it is not only consumer emotions and purchase decisions that can be affected. Brand perception, brand equity and brand loyalty have also been shown to benefit from collabs with artists. A 2018 study in Journal of Business Research showed that the emotional value derived from brand x art collabs impact on brand loyalty through enhancing brand attachment. A research published in Journal of Product & Brand Management in 2018 showed that brands can recruit new customers that previously felt that the brand is not aligned with their identity, if they choose an artist that customers identify with. However, since consistency is the main rule of human subconscious brain, which makes up to 99% of our decisions, alignment between a personality of the artist and brand personality is crucial. As 2018 research published in Journal of Business Research proved if a brand chooses an artist with an inconsistent personality to its own brand personality, that actually dilutes brand perception and brand equity. However, if the difference is only subtle, this can be strategically used to extend brand personality, something especially valuable for brands that are losing relevance in the market and require a careful brand change process, making brand x art collabs a valuable tool.
As much as art collaborations present multitude of benefits for brands, as I have shown it is not a golden ticket. The type of art, its symbolic and emotional value, as well as the personal brand and personality of an artist need to be strategically aligned with brand personality and desired consumer behaviour.
Deep expertise on the psychological and neuroscientific mechanisms affecting the effectiveness of the chosen art collaborations and their design execution can not only enhance their benefits, but precisely target the exact brand perception and consumer behaviour that brand management wants to achieve. It’s not hoping that a certain idea will work or even treating it as an unmeasurable investment and even risk, it is carefully designing what happens in consumers’ brains. Bringing science into your brand x art collabs is the missing ingredient in making them your best tool in your strategic toolkit.
If you want to ensure that your next art collab works fully in your favour, message me here or email me at kate@humanising-brands.com.
