I've gone through most my life assuming graffiti and street art to be uninspiring products of teenage angst and spray paint. Yet, through attending street art tours in Los Angeles and Tel Aviv I have learned about the surprisingly interesting inner-workings of street art, and how people use it to tell stories.
First, it is important to mention that there is a very specific distinction between what people call "street art" and "graffiti art." Street artists receive compensation for their work, of which is sanctioned by the city it's created in and is paid for by organizations (sometimes by brands). It is naturally "Instagrammable." Hence it is often created specifically for the purpose of being photographed, and in turn, shared through social media. Because this kind of art is financially backed, it is criticized for its hidden agendas, and its lack of offensiveness, or "soul" as some call it. Many believe street art undermines the quality of graffiti art.
Note: Unlike street art, graffiti art is illegal, and can be created by anyone. However, it is often produced by underground groups or "crews," of whom abide by a universal code of respect. According to our tour guides, graffiti crews in the U.S. and Israel often operate within the bounds of gang culture. However, Israeli crews are seen as less violent, as other political activists in the region keep mainstream media preoccupied.
While graffiti and street artists are at odds with one another, both forms of art are used to tell a story. They introduce who the characters are, who the audience is, where the art is projected, and what the call to action is.
For example, in Israel, I took a street art tour on a Birthright trip, meaning our group consisted of a bunch of 22-26 year-old American Jews who were granted a free trip to Israel on the Israeli government's dime. As a generally ill-informed, liberal-minded group of youngsters, we were naturally drawn to things we could take pictures of, things that reflected our views, and things we could easily digest. Most of the art we viewed depicted: both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from an IDF soldier's point of view, promoted gay or women's rights, and was written in English. There were also designated areas to take pictures along the tour, which included the first and second picture from the left shown below. Hence, it was clear that the street art we saw was created for birthright attendees and other young tourists.
Jaffa- Tel Aviv
On our street art tour in Downtown Los Angeles, we saw a lot of artwork promoting personal and societal growth (including many anti-trump pieces). The narratives are unique to their location and the audience is present. For example, the artwork shown below is located in the fashion district in the back of a clothing outlet, sending messages of growth to incoming shoppers who may need extra motivation to buy that identity-changing sundress. While the concept of growth is applicable to various scenarios, the oppenness of interpretation makes the message more belieavable.
Downtown Los Angeles
In a world where we are bombarded with thousands of messages a day, it is incredibly hard to break through to consumers. I have learned that while graffiti art gives the oppressed an opportunity to create, street art serves as a non-invasive platform to tell brand stories that often prompts social sharing. Depending on your client, it would worth considering both in your media mix.