Eyestorm Brings Art Home with $5.9 Million Campaign

Eyestorm, an online retailer of limited edition prints and other art, on Wednesday kicked off a $5.9 million campaign that shows work by well-known artists in unexpected places.

The idea is to convince consumers that art by names like Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, and Helmut Newton belongs in their homes — not just millionaires’ residences. The ads will debut in New York and London.

The first print ad shows a Damien Hirst limited edition print, which was produced specifically for eyestorm, hanging on the wall in an old lady’s living room with the caption: “A retrospective look at Damien Hirst in Beryl’s Front Room just above her Spider Plant.”

Another poster shows a Helmut Newton nude, taken from the “Cyberwoman” series, hanging in a dentist’s surgery partly obscured by the drill, with the caption: “Helmut Newton, A Private View, In Doctor Miller’s surgery next to his drill.”

“The advertising campaign, which is both eye-catching and fun, reinforces our strategy of making a direct connection between our artists and the public,” says Don Smith, chief executive officer of eyestorm.

“Modern and contemporary art is becoming increasingly popular and through these advertisements we are hoping to reach those consumers who could find buying in art galleries an intimidating experience, yet would like to own a limited edition print by a well-known artist.”

Bartle Bogle Hegarty created the print and poster advertisements, and Starcom Motive Partnership handled media buying.