I’ve said it a million times, but advertising is not art and art is not advertising! I’m a fan of them both – but their very different and knowing the difference is mega important my future millionaire friend!
Different how?
Art is designed to get people’s attention on the work of art. Art wants you to appreciate the creativity and skill behind it. Advertising is designed to get attention on your offer and persuading people to take action on it. Now it’s true that art sometimes carries a message that can be thought-provoking. Advertising on the other hand is more concerned with programming your thoughts than provoking them. Art appeals to eyes and ears, advertising appeals to pockets and bank accounts.
Advertising doesn’t HAVE TO look good, sound amazing or anything else, in fact, in some cases, it’s better if it doesn’t. Advertising just needs to get you to take action. The specific action may vary depending on the line or strategy, but typically it will get you to visit a webpage, click a link, make a call, visit the shop, or make a purchase.
Would you hire a plumber to paint your house? I mean they’re both handy men aren’t they? No, these are two very different professions. In the same way, think very carefully before you place your businesses influence in the market in the hands of an artist.
Of course you want your advert to look great, but does your designer know what it takes to get people doing more than simply admiring your ads and actually acting on them? Does he understand the emotional, social and strategic dynamics involved in positioning your business effectively?
Good art (or creativity) is NOT the strength of good advertising as many think.
Too many ‘Photoshop and Corel Draw artists’ starting advertising agencies in Zimbabwe. The problem is not that they’re doing it, the problem is that they have no idea what they’re doing.
Now before i get angry emails from designers (again), I’m not saying art has no place in advertising, it does – but that place is not the foundation. It’s not the main thing in advertising. It’s not what determines a ‘good’ advert. Understanding the difference between the mindset of an artist and an advertising man will make you much more effective in designing your adverts.
For more on the difference between art and good marketing and how to take advantage of how few understand it all, read these posts…
Max Soutter 
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