What visiting this year’s Archibald Prize taught us about standing out

Last week, the AW team visited the Art Gallery of NSW to get inspired (and humbled) by this year’s Archibald Prize finalists. It got us thinking - as art often does - in a room full of people responding to the same brief, how do you set yourself apart?

Before the Archibald Prize wrapped up for another year, we headed down to see what some of the best artists in the country had created for the 103rd iteration of this impressive display.

With over 1000 entries, the 57 finalists in the space were some of the most innovative in the prizes' history. But the brief was the same as always - create a portrait of a significant person, preferentially distinguished in art, letters, science or politics.

In a time when brands are struggling to stay afloat in a tide of memes, 1-second attention spans and skippable ad placements, there are more than a few lessons we can glean from this century-old exhibition.

A message will always land with someone if rooted in emotion.

One of the key takeaways from our visit was the power of the right message and the right audience. The first thing you’ll notice when you walk into the Archibald is the spectrum of ages in the space. Everyone from wriggling Kindergarten students to the elderly are there to be part of the same moment in time.

Not every piece will resonate with every person, but in a sea of creativity it’s important to understand who your audience is, and the lens with which they’ll see your work. For example, at the Archibald we saw how younger audiences were drawn to portraits that conveyed simple, relatable emotions. One piece resonated with kids simply because the person featured was smiling, showing that sometimes, a straightforward connection can be all it takes.

As we get older and take on more experiences, this bank of emotions art can tap into, also gets deeper. Our millennial creative director was drawn to Drew Bickford’s portrait ‘Direct-to-video’, inspired by old video store VHS covers.

This piece resonated with him as it tapped into the nostalgia felt by a whole generation who were the last to grow up in the era of video rentals. The portrait successfully harnessed a collective feeling, proving that it’s not just about understanding who your audience are today, but where they’ve come from.

The medium can be the message.

Another takeaway was the way artists used their medium to communicate their message rather than just the image itself. Bold color choices, or smooth brush strokes were not just aesthetic decisions but key to the outtake.

Our agency founder was drawn to Scott Marsh’s ‘Big Mood’, an unusually playful and reverent take for the oft irreverent and political Sydney-based graffiti artist.

Marsh might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of fine art, but by adapting his style to appeal to an Archibald attendee he’s able to widen the appeal of his work and connect with a whole new audience in the process.

When it comes to advertising, we can apply this same thinking. For example, why create a TV commercial to talk to Gen Z if that very audience sees TVCs as outdated? The medium you choose must align with the message and what the audience wants to see. Don’t let a big idea die in execution.

The well-trodden can be made brand new again.

Albert Einstein famously said ‘Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.” Over the years, some of Archibald’s best pieces have been portraits that bring this concept to life.

A standout piece was Caroline Zilinsky’s ‘A lucid heart – the golden age of Jacob Elordi’, which depicts the hugely successful actor in a way you’ve never seen him.

Elordi is Australian, and despite his global success, Zilinsky manages to strip him down – both literally and figuratively to a boy discussing philosophy between takes in the NSW suburb of Stanwell Tops.

Similarly, Camellia Morris’ ‘Wild Wild Wiggle’ reimagines the longest-standing Wiggles member as a gunslinging cowboy, reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s classic portrait Elvis.

“My initial idea was for Anthony to use his famous “Wiggle guns” (his fingers) in place of Elvis’s revolver. But unexpectedly, Anthony disappeared into the prop room and returned with a double holster complete with plastic bananas – perfect!”.

These refreshingly authentic takes prove that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to reiterate on it.

In today’s landscape, standing out is about blending originality with relevance. Whether it’s through your message, execution or perspective, finding a unique angle that hits home with your audience is key.

As we left the Art Gallery of NSW, we were reminded that in any creative field, from art to advertising, the ability to distinguish yourself often lies in taking the brief, then totally fucking shit up.