We’ve been in business since the start of 2016; and while we loved our organic growth, there is nothing that compares to a major boost (both sales and ego) that comes with working with a big brand. Our personal big brand messiah was Samsung. Back in late 2017, Samsung was on the lookout for some local Toronto artists to develop a series of artwork catered to their phone covers. Studio 324 was still a nobody back then. No one had even heard of us. We submitted our work, not expecting much to come of it, and when we hadn’t heard back, it pretty much confirmed our preconceived notion - why would any big brand want to work with an artist still trying to get noticed in the local art scene? But boy were we wrong. Our art spoke volumes for them, and that is all that mattered, and before we knew it, we signed a contract before the end of 2017 and our artwork became exclusively available on Samsung phone covers in January 2018 - what a way to start the year eh?
But you know what the best part of the entire process was? Samsung’s attitude towards a small local artist like us. Not once did they make us feel that they were doing us a favour; not once did we feel like small fish in a big ocean; and not once were we made to feel like a small artist. There is nothing bigger for an artist, than someone who respects your work and treats you like an equal. Not only was the entire Samsung staff communicative and welcoming, but they made us feel special - as if our art work on their phone covers was an honour for them.
We were in good company with 7 to 8 other artists, and each of us was given a chance to be in the spotlight for an entire month. Throughout the month of May, our design were on display for all Samsung fans to see. What a glorious month it was for us.
Like any other small local business, we thought our part was over. We got our 15 minutes of fame, and now it was time to move on to other things. To our (very pleasant) surprise, Samsung wanted us to host an art workshop for them! In 2018, we hosted two arts workshops and showed off our artsy skills on the Samsung Tablet using the Samsung S-Pen. We got to interact with art and tech enthusiasts at both these workshops. And of course a certain set of stomach butterflies made a grand entrance as well.
But the icing on the cake of this year long collaboration with Samsung was when we were asked to create a commissioned art piece for a Samsung event. We illustrated the Samsung Experience Store at Toronto’s Eaton Centre as seen from the Yonge and Dundas intersection in a digital watercolour style. Samsung held a Blue Ribbon Event where the illustration was used as an illustrated wall for photo opps with customers.
2018 ended up being the Studio’s most exciting year thanks to Samsung’s faith in the local Toronto art scene.
You can still grab our designs on Samsung phone covers at the Samsung Experience Store at the Eaton Centre. You can get our Blue Prints collection exclusively as phone covers at the store in downtown Toronto.