we seem to forget what an issue artists had with photography. At first, photography was not seen as an art form. It was far too crude, insensitive, primitive to render the artist’s hallowed dreams. The discussion got more intense as the 35mm camera took photography to places unimagined.
The progression from metal plates, to grainy gel and film had an indelible impact on the way we now view parts of our history. We cannot think of the vietnam war without having a certain sickening tint and blur in mind as burnt children run down the street. History is written by the winners but remembered by the images.
Now we have photoshop and photographers are once again painters. Although the word “retouch” has a certain sensual appeal it doesn't quite deliver the raw intensity of dirty fingers and smeared brushes. In theory we have again allowed the visual artist to come as close as technically possible to rendering the inner eye.
Do you remember any black and white pictures of a strawberry though? There is something about the sensual intensity of red strawberries that just refuses to stay locked up in a monochrome world. This emotional dimension can only be experienced, it cannot be rendered or reduced. The colour and fullness of an experience seeks a fit with the visual reality that represents it.
In the 80’s the FCB grid aimed to guide media planners in choosing media in line with the natural state of engagement and attention of the audience. If you were selling a high involvement message, best use a high involvement medium. The talk was of synergy and fit. We were looking for resonance. In the 90’s the model was simplified to lean forward and lean back. Internet, lean forward, TV, lean back.
But now we realise that attention is guided by emotional engagement. The organism aims to reward relevant learning with those seductive doses of seratonin. The first filter on any message is engagement. This hasn’t really changed McLuhan. The medium multiplies the message. The funnel feed content jam just reduces experience to the lowest common denominator.
So what is the full colour rendition of our emotions. How do we shape the memories in techni-colour which will ultimately decode my defenses. I suppose it is all back to people, the ultimate cypher in the battle for emotional survival. What are the moments of sharing and engagement enabled by your brand? Enter the MILK economy.
