Freelance Strategy Tips Inspired by Van Gogh


Here are some freelance strategy tips inspired by Vincent Van Gogh.

My paintings are often inspired by the great Vincent Van Gogh. Coming to think of it, his work provides valuable lessons in storytelling that are particularly relevant to anyone involved in creative fields, including brand strategy.

Here are some insights we can draw from his approach:

1. Emotion is Key:

Van Gogh’s paintings are renowned for their vibrant colours and emotional depth. Each brushstroke carries an emotional weight, making his works profoundly impactful. For storytelling, this highlights the importance of connecting emotionally with your audience, conveying feelings that resonate and stick with them.

    2. Authenticity Matters:

    Van Gogh’s style was unique and highly personal. He did not conform to the prevailing trends of his time but instead painted in a way that expressed his own experiences and perceptions of the world. This authenticity made his work compelling and relatable. In brand storytelling, being authentic helps in forging a genuine connection with the audience, making the brand more relatable and trustworthy.

    3. Details Make a Difference:

    Van Gogh’s attention to detail and his ability to capture the essence of his subjects through intricate details, be it the swirling night sky in “Starry Night” or the textured petals in “Sunflowers”, enhanced the storytelling of his paintings. Similarly, in brand strategy, details in storytelling can enrich the narrative, making it more engaging and memorable.

    4. Persistence is Powerful:

    Despite his struggles with mental health and relative lack of commercial success during his lifetime, Van Gogh’s dedication to his art was unwavering. He was prolific, creating over 2,000 artworks in just over a decade. His persistence is a testament to the power of sticking to one’s vision and continuously crafting and refining the narrative. Brands that consistently tell their story in a true and engaging way build stronger identities over time.

    5. Evoking Curiosity:

    Van Gogh often chose subjects that were ordinary—fields, cafés, starry nights—and transformed them into something extraordinary. This ability to see and present the mundane in a new light is a crucial storytelling skill. It teaches brands the importance of capturing the audience’s interest by presenting familiar things in unexpected ways.

    By studying Van Gogh’s work, we can learn a great deal about how to effectively communicate through art and storytelling, making our messages more powerful and emotionally engaging.

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    Author: ROMA SINGHAL

    Roma has spent over 15 years as Brand, Design and Digital Strategist carving disruptive and impactful strategies for blue-chips brands at marketing advertising organisations such as American Express, Ogilvy, Publicis Groupe, McCann, BBDO and more in Sydney, Singapore and Mumbai covering Global, AUNZ, ASEAN and India markets. She has planned and launched insightful and effective campaigns for a diverse clientele, spanning across various industries and brands. Her works have been awarded, one of them being The EFFIE Gold for Cadbury. She was also chosen as the first round judge for EFFIE Australia 2019. Last few years, she has been experimenting with her entrepreneurial spirit, having launched three planning initiatives, 1. THE SMILING STRATEGIST (www.thesmilingstrategist.com), a freelance strategy initiative working across a variety of brands and industries in a highly collaborative set-up; 2. SELFCONCEPT (www.facebook.com/selfconcept123), a self-awareness platform gathering true human insights, where training from Mind Master Tony Buzan on Mind Mapping techniques helped her think divergently; 3. ROYALE ARTISAN (www.royaleartisan.com), an online artisan gift store, which she has founded to give back to the talented rural artists. In her free time she drives her humanitarian initiatives, tries her mind at poetry, plays the guitarlele and experiments with acrylic painting on square shaped canvasses. A lover of philosophy, she is working everyday to become a better human being. To start a conversation please e-mail her at romasinghal@brandself.net. Also join her page on Linked-in @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/romasinghal-thesmilingstrategist/ for strategy tips.

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