As we continue our exploration of key trends in photography, advertising, and creativity, we turn our attention to the concept of contextual relevance. Contextual relevance is the alignment of creative work with the creator's personal experiences, contemporary issues, and the broader cultural, social, or historical context. This ensures that the work resonates deeply with the audience, offering authenticity and meaningful engagement by reflecting the time, place, and circumstances in which it is created.
In a world where visuals and narratives compete for attention, ensuring that your work is contextually relevant can make the difference between fleeting interest and lasting impact. This article delves into the importance of contextual relevance, exploring how aligning your creative projects with both contemporary issues and personal experiences can lead to more authentic and compelling work. By understanding and applying these principles, creatives and brands can produce art that resonates deeply with their audience and stands out in a crowded landscape.
Sounds easy, right? Eh, not so fast. It depends on the type of person you are because social media has trained a generation of people and "creatives" to do and feel the exact opposite. Rather than developing unique, personally relevant ideas, many are quick to jump on whatever trend is popular, regardless of how relevant it is to their own experiences and perspectives.
For example, think of how currently mass groups of people love trying to make their photographs look like Renaissance paintings, or paintings in general, even posing their subjects like they are from the 1500s. Or consider how in fashion photography, the same poses and ideas from the 1970s keep getting recycled in photoshoots. In the realm of graphic design, vintage aesthetics are repeatedly used without any modern context or innovation. This approach often leads to work that lacks any kind of depth beyond the initial visceral glance.
Picture This
To explore the concept of contextual relevance, let’s look through the lens of a writer. Picture this: You grew up in a certain time period in a specific part of the world and had a unique set of experiences you dealt with throughout your life. You decide to write a book with multiple characters, each reflecting different facets of your experiences and perspectives. Instead of drawing solely from current literary trends or mimicking popular genres, you infuse the narrative with your personal history, the cultural context of your upbringing, and the specific challenges and triumphs you've faced.
The Power of Personal Context
Authenticity in Storytelling
By grounding your characters and plot in your own lived experiences or interests, you create a narrative that is rich with authenticity. Readers can sense when a story is genuine, and this authenticity fosters a deeper connection between the writer and the audience. The nuances of your personal journey add layers of complexity and realism to the characters, making them more relatable and memorable. This authenticity ensures that your work is not just a copy of existing stories but a unique contribution to the literary world.
Learning from Others, But Making It Personal
Yes, you have learned from other stories, studied different genres, and admired various writing styles. However, what sets your work apart is how you weave these influences into your own context. You might take inspiration from the narrative techniques of classic authors, the character development strategies from contemporary writers, or the thematic explorations of literary movements. But the core of your story remains deeply personal and relevant to you. This blend of influence and personal relevance creates a work that is both informed by tradition and uniquely yours.
Relevance to Contemporary Issues
Incorporating contemporary issues into your story adds another layer of relevance. While your work can be inspired by timeless themes and historical contexts, it should still reflect your experiences and perspectives in the present. The great works of the past were rooted in the energy of their time and place, capturing moments that encompassed the present, future, and past. Similarly, today's creative work must resonate with the current moment, while also being open to energies from the past and future. By doing so, your narrative not only entertains but also engages readers in a dialogue about important issues. This approach ensures that your work resonates on a deeper level, prompting readers to reflect on their own experiences and the world around them. Blending timeless themes with contemporary relevance helps create art that is both enduring and meaningful for today's audience.
Connecting with Your Audience
When your creative work is contextually relevant, it speaks directly to the hearts and minds of your audience. Readers who have faced similar experiences or who are aware of the issues you tackle in your narrative will find a deeper connection with your work. This connection is not just emotional but intellectual, as your audience sees their own lives and concerns reflected in your story. This is the power of contextual relevance – it transforms your art from a solitary expression into a shared experience.
The Contrast: Trend-Chasing Without Personal Relevance
Now, let's contrast this with someone who creates art by hopping on popular trends without considering the relevance to their own life or experiences. Imagine a boardroom of executives planning a movie remake. The original film has a dedicated fanbase and is cherished for its unique story and characters. However, instead of focusing on the core elements that made the original great, the executives decide to change key characters and plot points to align with current trends.
Superficial Changes for Trend's Sake
In the boardroom, the discussion centers around capitalizing on what’s currently popular. One executive suggests, "We need a character of a specific ethnicity because it’s trendy and expected to generate views." Another chimes in, "This character’s background should be altered to fit a hot topic of the day, regardless of how these changes fit into the original narrative." These decisions are made not out of a desire to add depth or authenticity, but purely to ride the wave of current social trends.
Lack of Connection to the Original
Fans of the original work often see through these superficial changes. They sense that the modifications are not made with a genuine intent to enhance the story but are instead attempting to ride the wave of current trends. This disconnection from the original context and essence of the story leads to a lack of authenticity. The characters and plot points feel forced, and the narrative loses its coherence and emotional impact. For example, if a beloved character who was originally a complex, flawed individual is suddenly transformed into a one-dimensional representation of a current trend, the depth that fans cherished is lost.
Turning Off New Audiences
Not only does this disappoint the original fanbase, but it also turns off new audiences being introduced to the story for the first time. These new viewers often have some awareness of the original and can see through the contrived changes. The artificiality of these decisions can feel too forced and insincere, making the entire production seem disingenuous. This lack of genuine intent can alienate potential new fans who might have otherwise connected with a more thoughtfully updated story.
Short-Lived Attention
While these trend-chasing elements might attract initial attention and clicks, they rarely lead to lasting engagement. Once the novelty of the trendy elements wears off, the audience is left with a story that lacks depth and relevance. The film may quickly fade from public interest, failing to leave a lasting impression or to build a loyal following. Take the case of recent remakes that received initial buzz due to their trend-chasing casting choices, but ultimately disappointed at the box office and received lukewarm reviews from critics and audiences alike.
It's worth noting that large billion-dollar corporations can take these kinds of losses and bounce right back because their identity isn't tied to the brand in the same way individuals' are. For an individual, once you've established yourself as a clout-chaser, it can be very hard to break that perception. A relevant example is why you rarely see popular influencers break out of the social media bubble; the audience never takes them seriously outside of that light. This highlights the importance of building a brand and body of work that is authentic and contextually relevant, ensuring lasting impact and a loyal following.
Audience Disappointment
The most significant consequence is audience disappointment. Those who cherished the original story feel betrayed by the superficial changes, and new viewers are left with a movie that feels disjointed and insincere. Instead of engaging viewers in a meaningful way, the film alienates its audience by prioritizing trends over substance. A prime example of this is the backlash against certain high-profile remakes where the focus on ticking diversity boxes overshadowed the need to tell a compelling story that respects the source material. Pretty much offending everyone from all ethnic backgrounds.
Growth, Change, and Personal Relevance Over Time
People go through different phases throughout their lives and have different experiences at different periods. This is not to say that what is reflective of you in one moment in time wouldn't change in another moment. As people grow, change, experience more, and expand their horizons, their tastes and interests evolve as well. It's natural and even necessary for creatives and brands to explore new things and experiment with different styles and themes.
Exploration vs. Trend-Chasing
The key difference is that exploration and genuine experimentation come from a place of personal interest and personal relevance, while trend-chasing is often driven by external pressures and the desire for quick attention. Trying new things and adapting to new interests is a part of the creative journey, and it should be embraced.
However, the motivation behind these changes should be authentic and rooted in personal growth and curiosity, rather than a superficial attempt to follow the latest fad or as an angle for your "in" to whatever you are pursuing. If chasing trends is what you choose to do, that's entirely your prerogative. Here, though, we focus on genuine creative expression—values that help create meaningful and impactful creative work.
Maintaining Authenticity
Maintaining authenticity means continuously aligning your creative work with your evolving personal experiences and the current context of your life. It's about finding a balance between honoring your past influences, being present in the moment, and looking forward to future possibilities. By doing so, you ensure that your work remains true to who you are and resonates with your audience on a deeper level.
Bringing It All Together
Contextual relevance is crucial for creating art that is both impactful and meaningful. By aligning your creative work with personal experiences and contemporary issues, you can produce things that resonate deeply with your audience and stand out in the ever-evolving landscape of creativity. This isn’t about rigidly sticking to one style or theme but about ensuring that your work reflects who you are and the world you engage with at any given time.
While exploring new styles and themes is a natural part of the creative journey, it’s essential to do so from a place of genuine interest and personal relevance, rather than simply chasing trends for the sake of visibility. Authenticity fosters deeper connections with your audience, creating a shared experience that transcends the superficial appeal of trend-based art.
Remember, the goal is to create work that is authentically yours and relevant to the world around you. This approach not only sets your work apart but also ensures it leaves a lasting impression, establishing a legacy that resonates with both current and future audiences.
By embracing contextual relevance, you can navigate the delicate balance between innovation and authenticity, drawing on energies from the past, present, and future to produce art that is both timeless and timely.
Feeling good and ready to execute? Let's get started on your next photography project.
Click the link above to begin!
