Art Republic Appoints Smarts for Wide-Ranging Brand Building Brief

Art Republic, the leading online art retailer, has appointed culture-focused PR and creative agency Smarts as its first retained consumer communications partner.

The Smarts team will handle all of Art Republic’s press and online coverage, as well as developing broader campaigns as part of a wide-ranging brand building brief that includes influencer, guerrilla marketing, and experiential work, as part of the retailer’s battle against bland interiors.

Founded in 1999, Art Republic showcases a diverse community of artists, from Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, together with more than three hundred talented newcomers. The appointment of Smarts follows a rebrand of the retailer in 2022, and reflects the firm’s drive to bring exciting, inspiring and affordable art to the widest audience.

The account will be led by recently appointed European CEO Greg Jones, who said: “We’re delighted to be working with Art Republic. To achieve long-term cultural endurance, brands need to have a point of view in their market, develop a genuine presence in culture, and remain restless enough to be relevant there. With over 20 years’ experience connecting art lovers with artists who have great stories to tell, the team at Art Republic combine all three – providing the perfect platform for us to work together to ensure that ‘every wall tells a story.”

Charlotte Bearn, Art Republic’s managing director said: “Our rebrand last year championed a more accessible approach for artists and buyers – aiming to help both fill every day with extraordinary art – reflecting our vision of being the leading online art retailer. 

“With their emphasis on connecting cultural moments, Smarts is the ideal agency to celebrate our community of artists, tell the stories behind our curated collections, and reach that wider audience of art lovers.”

The Art Republic win, which followed a competitive multi-agency pitch, is the latest in a string for Smarts’ London team, which recently added to its roster car rental firm Sixt and the Food Standards Agency.

The agency was also recently recognised as PR Moment’s Integrated Agency of the Year for the second consecutive year and is CIPR’s Large Agency of the Year.