Print Ad and Structure October 20th, 2010

Print Ad Design
(good examples for this note come from http://www.clioawards.com/)
How are most print ads designed?
-    1. many have a catchy slogan – what is a slogan? a saying that grabs your attention and conveys a feeling, not necessarily any important information
-    eg “I’m lovin’ it” “Just do it” “Das Auto” “Drivers Wanted” “Eat Fresh” “Always Fresh”
-    some do have meaning – some have very little, all are designed to convey a feeling
-    Eat Fresh – healthy, nutritious
-    I’m lovin’ it – enjoyment, tasty, love
-    Just Do It – freedom, determination
-    Slogan is in a prominent place, not always in top half, but often
 2. Central or Dominant Image –
- an image that fills most of the page up and conveys – the dominant message of the ad
- this may or may not be the product itself – some products are best sold by focusing on something else – often a sexual image, something beautiful or shocking, something visually arresting
- the idea behind an effective dominant image is one that really hits the eye and very easily conveys a message – the product is less important in a way that that feeling, concept or moment of eye-catching
3. Composition, Colour, Light, Balance and other artistic elements
- use of colour theory, layout and so on –
- ads needs to not just catch the eye but be visually appealing and well done
4. Information
- Somehow the viewer has to get enough info to understand the product and a point of view about it – ATTITUDE
- sometimes you have to THINK about the message and the information in the ad, because it isn’t obvious
in-Class Assignment
Examine the magazines for 4 good examples of ads that have a clear:
Use of a dominant image that conveys a message
Use of a slogan (describe what it suggests)
Conveys an overall attitude or point of view
Write down a bit on each.
5. The Product
- the key to the ad is not always showing the product – usually the key is creating some kind of response in the viewer – having an impact
- this seems weird, but it’s the way ads work
- when the product is shown, it is usually in what is called a “beauty shot” – this is a highly perfected photo of an often “hyper” or exaggeratedly perfect version of the product
- eg – food ads