“Man will begin to recover the moment he takes art as seriously as physics, chemistry or money.”

This idea came to me when I recalled participating in a recycle bin design competition three years ago. The competition triggered public interest due to the creativity of the participants, which led to the implementation of more recycling bins across Singapore. I came to the conclusion that Art, plays a huge part in successful marketing.

The amazing use of recycled materials, the natural colour schemes and the simplistic forms all integrate to connect with the world on the things we can do with the things we deem as worthless.

I feel that Art connects with people, and it should also be considered as a marketing tool in educating the public on issues regarding sustainability. The above exhibit originates from Re-Gallery, an art gallery specializing in making art from re-claimed materials which are re-visioned and re-purposed, with the environment in mind. Art such as this brings out the importance of caring for the environment at a more subtle and personal level, which could be effective as compared to mass marketing and advertising.

Here is a clear example of a business utilizing marketing through art to bring out their company’s sustainability philosophy to a more practical level. Home furnishings inspired through materials such as cardboard, these designs are engineered to withstand the rigours of heavy use.

Designed by Paper Tiger Products, the company’s success is attributed  to their innovative and sustainable products. They are also published both nationally and internationally, and won the 2007 Launch Pad award for Sustainability.

In the coming future, with increasingly more environmentally conscious consumers, corporations would be forced to take up such practices in order to maintain their competitiveness in the various industries.

What better way to communicate the importance of sustainability than Art?