#CannesLions: Niche creators @Pinot and @KhoaPhan discuss what makes a strong brand partnership

Mesmerizing is the word that comes to mind when watching Vines by Khoa Phan (@KhoaPhan) and Wahyu Ichwandardi, who goes by @Pinot. It’s therefore no surprise that marketers eager to capture consumers’ attention want to partner with these two artists, who are both part of the Niche network. @Pinot has created work on behalf of @Disney, the @BBC and @Samsung, among others. Phan’s clients include @Snapple, @Livestrong and @HBO.

We invited both @Pinot and @KhoaPhan to #CannesLions to share their creative work. Earlier this week, we sat down with them to discuss what inspires them about Twitter’s six-second looping tool, and to get their insights on what makes a strong partnership between a Vine artist and brand.

@TwitterAds: Why did you choose Vine as your medium?

@khoaphan: It’s easy, quick, six seconds. You just get captivated. It’s hypnotizing. I picked up Vine, and I thought, why not? I made stop motion, and people liked it, and I just continued doing it.

@Pinot: Vine is a challenge for me to make something irregular, unusual, out of the ordinary. I wish to make something that makes people not believe what they see. At the end, I just want people to ask themselves, “how is it possible?” It’s a door to another dimension.

@TwitterAds: Why do brands work with Vine artists? What goals can they achieve?

@khoaphan: Until recently, Vine was a new platform for everyone. We didn’t know what to do with it, and brands didn’t know if they could use it — it was so different. Brands came to us to help them try to push their brands into a different network for people.

I try to do it very subtly but very creatively so that people are hypnotized, and watch the products continue to loop in their mind. That’s my goal — as it is for anyone who wants to make a good commercial.

@TwitterAds: Do you have an example?

@khoaphan: One of my favorite projects was helping @UNICEF spread the message about the importance of vaccinations for World Immunization Week. 

@TwitterAds: How do you work best with brands?

@Pinot: When brands started to approach me years back, I had this condition: what I’m doing on Vine, it’s a special playground. I’m playing with my mood, my tone, my own soul, like a musician. Other people cannot force us to do something that is not us. When brands come to us, they already know this is the Viner playground. The brand message is delivered, but in the Vine artist’s style.

Here’s a Vine I created for @foxsearchlight to promote”Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” 

I made this Vine recently for @Chrysler to highlight its new auto features. 

@TwitterAds: How does Vine embody the #PowerOfNow?

@Pinot: Vine is the #PowerOfNow because it’s six seconds. Just snap, and directly upload it. You don’t have time to do it later, you don’t have time to do it tomorrow, you have to do it #now.

We’re just doing what we’re good at. The secret is, trust yourself. Push yourself, and you’ll know your real ability.

@khoaphan: We just release what’s in our minds, to make it reality for people. We try to captivate them.