Minutes + Hours isn’t your typical watch show—it’s a bold act of curation. For the Austin-based event, Disrupt Idea Co. reimagined what it means to tell time by transforming watches into stories and posters into portals. Set inside the largest contemporary gallery in Texas, the campaign blurred the line between horology and high art.

Led by innovation lead (and lifelong watch collector) Scott Baitinger, and crafted with the boundary-pushing team at Disrupt Idea Co., the “Time for Art” series did more than advertise an exhibition—it invited viewers to feel time. With visual pairings that explored rhythm, repetition, tension, and the emotional weight of each passing second, this Gold-winning campaign in the 2025 Graphis Advertising Awards reminds us: design isn’t just seen, it’s experienced.

By:  Scott Baitinger, Innovation Lead, Disrupt Idea Co.

The creative vision behind the “Minutes + Hours” posters was driven by a desire to explore the deep connection between two powerful forces: art and time. For the Austin show, we set out to create more than just a watch exhibition—we designed a poster campaign that matched the environment: the AO5 Gallery, the largest contemporary art gallery in Austin. “At Disrupt Idea, we approach creative a little differently,” says Bill Kresse, creative lead. “Our goal was to showcase the idea of innovative watches combined with original artwork, creating a dialogue between form, function, and feeling.”

This concept and industry as a whole are deeply personal to Scott Baitinger, innovation lead at Disrupt Idea, who has been an avid watch collector for over 30 years. His passion for horology, combined with a love of contemporary art and design, served as the foundation for a show that honored both creative disciplines in equal measure. As Europa Star recently noted in their coverage of the Austin show, Minutes + Hours “proved that American watchmaking is no longer just about movements—it’s about momentum.”

The idea was simple but striking: pair boundary-pushing timepieces from independent watch brands with original works from contemporary artists featured at the gallery. The result? A curated communication piece that told a story—not just of craftsmanship and precision, but of personal expression, perspective, and the fleeting nature of the moment.

From the start, our branding and exhibition design leaned into this duality. The posters are rooted in geometric precision—echoing the mechanical structure of a watch—while the layout, lighting, and visual storytelling borrowed heavily from the world of fine art. Each watch became part of a larger artistic narrative, placed into an original work of art and given space, context, and emotion.

As Europa Star highlighted, this thoughtful curation helped define what makes Minutes + Hours so resonant: “an ecosystem of creators—designers, engineers, founders, and artists—all aligned on the value of craft and time.” It wasn’t about simply displaying watches; it was about immersing guests in an experience where horology could be felt, not just seen.

In curating the pairings between timepieces and artworks, we focused on shared themes: repetition, tension, balance, and contrast. Some watches were paired with abstract works that reflected the complexity of their movements; others stood alongside bold, graphic pieces that matched their attitude and design language. This juxtaposition gave attendees a fresh perspective—not just on watches, but on how we experience time itself.

We also encouraged participating artists to reflect on their own relationship with time—as a constraint, a rhythm, or a source of inspiration. Their insights added another layer of meaning to the show, making each poster more than a marketing piece. It became a moment, captured.

We didn’t just put watches on display—we framed time as art, and art as a way to honor the minutes that make up our lives.

Disrupt Idea Co. is an uncommon group of marketing, advertising, communications, and digital experts who share a common spirit for creativity and pushing boundaries. We help businesses grow and strengthen brand loyalty by creating unforgettable customer experiences. Disrupt Idea Co. combines the beauty, human touch, and storytelling of traditional agencies with the tech and data from consulting groups to create strategies free from the limitations of specific disciplines and debilitating overhead. We believe it takes a blend of art, science, and story to disrupt with purpose.

Social: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X

Check out more of our Advertising 2025 winners on our website!