The Youth Lab

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Surrealism, an art movement that started as a response to the chaos and devastation caused by World War I. At its core was the willingness to challenge imposed values and norms, the exploration of the unconscious mind and a search for freedom. Amongst the most iconic works of this time were The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí (1931) and The Treachery of Images by René Magritte (1929).

In our current climate, finding the surreal and the unconventional amidst a world on fire can be identified as one of Gen Z’s unique coping mechanisms. By bonding over collective anxieties, Gen Z shares the burden of living in a time where disappointments are more prevalent than ever. Despite this, much like its counterculture predecessors, Gen Z's embrace of surrealism aims to leave a lasting impression.

Surrealism x AI

In the dynamic intersection of art and technology, the fusion of AI and surrealism has ignited a new wave of creativity and exploration. Gen Z embraces surrealism as a coping mechanism and a form of counterculture, enabling them to express their true selves and create the world they want to live in. Finding themselves drawn to where the lines of dreams and reality blur and the subconscious merges with the digital world. Artists such as Blac, XenoCat_June, #1 Crush and Jake Sherk have been moving in the space of surrealist exploration with the help of AI. Among these showcases is the AI Surrealism Moment, billed as the largest gathering of AI art ever.

“Surrealism, known for its experimentation and adaptation during times of significant social change, serves as the perfect foundation for exploring the integration of AI and blockchain technology.” - Anna Dart, Curator & Founder AI Surrealism

Much like Surrealism, AI art is automatic and disembodied, comfortably residing in the space between language and imagery. Its creations can often be described as surrealist dreams, with DALL-E, being one of its most prominent image generation programs, named after Salvador Dalí (and the Pixar movie WALL-E).The concept of an unseen electronic device that transforms binary code into bizarre images sounds like something a Surrealist would cook up. But what if the entity creating the surreal image isn’t in fact human? What if the creator itself is surreal?

“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” - Salvador Dali

Just as the Surrealists shattered the confines of reality, AI art mirrors this capability. As we observe the evolution of Gen Z's philosophical learnings, it becomes evident that surrealism and AI are not just transformative but also reflective of our ever-changing cultural landscape.

Surrealism as a Marketing Tactic

This resurgence of surrealism is increasingly evident in global marketing tactics. With the aid of AI, seemingly outrageous and, at one time, unachievable marketing stunts are no longer beyond the realm of possibility. Highly shareable content with strong viral potential has become the norm, making PR and marketing stunts that would have once broken records and left viewers in awe now regularly accepted. Recent examples of these kinds of activations include a stunt executed by Maybelline in the UK, where they placed giant sets of eyelashes on the top of tube carriages and buses and had them drive under a mascara wand.

What makes this emerging concept of surrealist marketing so successful is that it lacks a precise definition; it provides an opportunity for brands to think big, and then achieve something even bigger. Although these impressive displays garner a lot of traction online, the market seems to be so saturated with these fake, CGI activations that are attempting to appear real. Consumers are calling for brands to venture even further into the absurd. An Indian soap brand called Lifebuoy recently ran a campaign that used surrealism as a tool to prove a point. The campaign was to remind viewers about the importance of washing their hands by showing things considered ‘dirty’ shaped as items of food.

Alongside stunts, we also see visceral, dreamlike imagery appear in massive brand marketing campaigns. Woolworths' recent “brand reset” campaign, "The Details Make the Difference," takes us on a striking visual journey, one you wouldn't normally associate with a department store. Woolworths has embraced this chaos and embedded it into its new identity.

BRAND TAKEOUTS

The allure of surrealism provides a sense of escapism and intrigue, resonating particularly well with younger demographics, like Gen Z, who are craving novelty and creativity in a world where everything seems chaotic anyway. As a result, brands that employ surrealist strategies, and really lean into the absurdity aspect of it in their marketing are seeing increased engagement and a stronger emotional connection with their audiences. The modern surrealist movement is transforming once-outrageous concepts into powerful tools for brand storytelling and consumer engagement.

Following the example of Woolworths above, brands need to be braver. They should embrace the subconscious and the unknown, attempting to tap into something extraordinary when considering how to stand out in a saturated, sometimes pedestrian marketing landscape.