At NINE dot ARTS, we see art as a tool for making connections and uniting communities far and wide. The businesses we work with, in particular, find that art can connect their locations that might see geography as a cultural barrier. For example, a company’s culture in a Miami office might be very different from one in Seattle – but luckily for many companies, art can function as a unifier.
No matter the size or scope of a project, NINE dot ARTS holds in-depth consultations with each new client to understand the company’s personality and desired creative space. Our goal at the end of a session is to create a “mission statement” and template for the company’s art and the criteria we can use to emulate this. This effort is more than just repeating the same pieces in different locations, however, typically beginning with a base template with flexibility to make slight variations depending on the office location.
Let’s take a look at some examples of how we have leveraged art to help companies establish a unified culture at a separate geographic.
SendGrid
Email marketing giant SendGrid powerfully uses art to unify their offices in Colorado and California. NINE dot ARTS worked with artists with styles similar to SendGrid’s visual style, making it easy to replicate the same cultural feel.
Speaking to the company’s growth and success (they were recently acquired by Twilio for $2 billion) and its emphasis on technology, SendGrid wanted art that wasn’t simply two-dimensional and traditional. They envisioned a more interactive, technology-friendly, forward-thinking atmosphere that could be expressed with neon lights and three-dimensional elements.
Artist Scott Young brought this vision to life while also incorporating the company’s core values in both California and (coming soon) Colorado. With the gigantic words “BE” lit up in the center of the piece, their values, “happy,” “humble,” “honest” and “hungry” take turns glowing.
Artist Jesse Van Horn designed site-specific pieces for Denver that included 20 acrylic cubes hanging from steel cable in a striking three-dimensional display. The display exudes the brand and personality of the company by resembling a grid, an ode to the name of the company, and using their brand color of blue.
Jesse Van Horn’s art piece in SendGrid’s Redwood City office
NINE dot ARTS has worked with several other companies to create a cohesive brand experience at its locations through art.
FirstBank, with branches in Colorado, Arizona and California, wanted to feature regional artists and scenery specific to the branches, while staying connected through a unified western, outdoorsy vibe. For example, one Colorado location embraced a “Colorado Outdoors” theme with art featuring skiiers and snowboarders, while another branch in California selected a “Modern West” theme with scenes of horseback riding. The art symbolizes a similar western, adventurous spirit, but each hold a unique element.
TD Ameritrade, a nationwide online stock trading company with offices across the country, also wanted to use local artists that emulated a similar feel in all offices. TD Ameritrade features photography in each office that highlights local or regional scenery. NINE dot ARTS provided them with options from photographers who have portfolios with the images to fit these needs.
A curated art program can be one of the ways a company can showcase its unique brand and company culture across offices, while also bringing forth local influence. Interested in learning more? Contact us today!