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iPad, Paper and Scissors. Mix Media Emerges as a Creative Alternative

August 14, 2025
Blog summary by AI
Collage and mixed media are experiencing a revival on social media, driven by Gen Z, as a way to break through saturated feeds with unique visual storytelling. This style blends illustration, archival material, real-life objects, and animation into static or animated works. In an era of increasing AI uniformity, collage stands out as a human-centric alternative, valued for its imperfect, artisanal, and non-replicable nature. The trend is growing in Latin America, with notable creators like Cortaypega (Colombia), Vero Calderon and Kamiru (Peru), Valcollage (Venezuela), Mara Ocejo (Mexico), and Magu Villar (Argentina) leading the way, collaborating with major brands and media. For brands, this technique offers a way to create distinctive campaign content, from product launches to social media hooks, by incorporating handmade, analog processes that digital tools cannot replicate. It represents a strategic shift towards human-made content that can forge a deeper connection with audiences.

It’s becoming increasingly hard to surprise anyone with what we see on social media. Fortunately, there are still techniques that break the mold — like collage.

Whether static, animated, or mixed with physical objects, collage and mix media are experiencing a revival on social platforms driven by Gen Z.

We’re talking about a visual storytelling style that blends illustration, archival material, real-life objects, and animation — transforming into small films known as video collages, analog interventions in a digitized world, or a combination of various elements that grab attention and stand out in a saturated feed.

Let’s take a closer look at the impact of a technique that once seemed reserved for editorials or contemporary art — and is now ready to be used in brand content.

Is Mix Media a Response to AI?

We’re seeing more and more campaigns that feel like they came from the same prompt — which might be a normal curve in the creative industry’s process of adapting to AI. (Remember when there was a time all brands were basically posting the same things on social media?).

In the midst of that debate, collage emerges as an alternative. With its imperfect nature, it brings back the human touch, artisanal detail, and the beauty of chaos.

Each piece is unique, non-replicable. And in these times of digital saturation, that feels like a breath of fresh air.

Latin America is no exception to the growing interest in alternative techniques. More and more creators are taking cutting, pasting and digitizing very seriously — not just as a hobby, but as a new visual language.

Here are some of the names worth following:

Latam Creators Who Are Seriously Killing It

  • Cortaypega: Colombian artist who creates editorial collages and collaborates with brands. Her style is poetic, rich in symbols and soft narratives.
  • Vero Calderon (@elvlogdetrin): Peruvian writer and artist. She has collaborated with Buscalibros, showing that more intimate content can also be part of a campaignKamiru: This Peruvian artist has a music video-style aesthetic that grabs attention. She created a video collage for Reebok with a very compelling editing rhythm.
  • amiru: This Peruvian artist has a music video-style aesthetic that grabs attention. She created a video collage for Reebok with a very compelling editing rhythm.
  • Valcollage: Venezuelan artist who teaches how to create collages, shares resources, and has over 40,000 followers on her platforms.
  • Mara Ocejo: Mexican collagist who has illustrated for major outlets like The New York Times — a clear example of how this technique can reach global media.
  • Magu Villar: Argentine collagist who blends illustration, collage, and storytelling for social media.
@maguvillar Tutorial DIY para hacer tu propia animación mix-media 🚀 El amor es total así que les armé el tutorial en tiempo récord: ¡ya quiero ver sus animaciones mix-media con creaciones analógicas! ❤️‍🔥 Cuéntenme qué les pareció, compártanlo y expandan ganas de crear con este proyecto y las leo en comentarios 🫀 Siempre #CreáMásArte ♬ Cherry - Jordan Susanto

Would This Technique “Stick” with My Brand?

Can you imagine a campaign where the product doesn’t float on a white background, but instead becomes part of a handcrafted scene — built with paper, threads, and cutouts that move in and out of frame? Or a reel where, instead of generic motion graphics, there’s a small, handmade story?

This type of content can:

  • Be the hero content of a product launch.
  • Work as content hooks for social media.
  • Stand out during seasonal campaigns (Christmas, Father’s Day, etc.).


Connect with audiences tired of “more of the same.”

One thing we love about this technique is that it forces a previous step that makes all the difference: the analog one. And that’s key. Before anything is rendered, creators play with paper, fabric, magazines, modeling clay, and scissors. That physical process gives the piece a kind of soul that digital simply can’t replicate.

So, How Do We Build This Together?


At Positive, we can help you:

  • Find and connect with these types of creators.
  • Develop editorial, product, or campaign ideas using mix media.
  • Integrate collage into your content strategy.
  • Explore other techniques that can enhance your brand’s visual identity.


According to this LinkedIn article, in the coming years there will be a growing trend to value human-made content over artificial output.

This isn’t about cutting and pasting for the sake of it. It’s about telling stories differently.
 Because in a world where everything starts to look the same, daring to stick things together in a new way might be exactly what your brand needs.