Mickys Art

We knew the art industry (the audience) were hesitant to change, so it was essential that the site be easy to use and visually appealing to a world wide audience. The aim was to create a process, and a culture, that even the most conservative art collector would want to try. Micky's Art came to us without any brand design or collateral so we developed a memorable logo and tagline for the brand- evolving the bold, approachable look and feel across the site. We used modern, bold fonts, colours and icons while seamlessly combining a conversational, easy to understand tone of voice with a straight forward experience to position the site as fresh, fun but also respectful to the existing art world.

The website was designed to be as intuitive and social as possible, steering clear of a formal gallery visit and instead creating a culture where you don't have to be an art expert to appreciate good art. We incorporated prompts and social buttons allowing users to share artwork and blog posts straight to their social media platforms. We then extended on this social experience further by using existing and understood social tools such as 'liking' to make saving or purchasing an artwork, an easy 1 click process. The site takes the user on a journey, giving visitors multiple ways to enjoy the experience from searching for a specific item to simply browsing the curated collection by scrolling down the homepage.

The main design challenge was to break down existing barriers to purchasing art without isolating existing collectors. We found traditional online shopping carts scared off galleries and individuals because purchasing art online was too daunting, due to the cost and the various unknowns. For this reason, when a user clicks 'request' an artwork, they are contacted by a specialised art advisor who works with them to secure the best price for their artwork, keeping the process efficient but personal. We also focused on creating balance between buying and enjoying art, allowing users to create and save their own curated collections of art - which they can then decide to purchase or keep for their viewing pleasure.

The fun, approachable design choices are teamed with a friendly, but concise tone of voice aimed at nurturing new users without irritating those well versed in art. Because buying art online is a relatively new concept, the site is designed to feel social, intuitive and refreshingly honest to make any user feel comfortable and able to read and browse content at their own pace - understanding how to use the site, while to the same time experiencing the freedom to utilise the features that resonate with them. The copy, design and development were completed by the Cord & Berg team.

The site is designed to reflect the team's honesty about prices and the guarantee that an advisor will add value to your purchase by negotiating the best deal for you. Since it's launch in May last year, Mickys art has received an overwhelming response from it's target audience. Galleries quickly realised that they needed to jump on board or be left behind, and artists started to contact the brand independently about being featured on the site. New art enthusiasts, experienced collectors as well as people not typically tech savvy, commented that the site was beautiful, clean and simple to use. The site already turns over more art then the 3 largest Australian galleries combined.