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Basics Advertising: Art Direction

Nik Mahon

Basics Advertising: Art Direction is a comprehensive look at the role of the art director. It examines the key techniques, approaches and ‘secrets’ involved in the development of creative advertising concepts.

The book provides tips on how to use surprise, simplicity, provocation and visual drama to communicate the advertising message. It examines the process of visualising and exploring different ideas, and discusses the use of moving image, photography, illustration and typography to realise these ideas. It also explores the use of different advertising media, from traditional formats to new and alternative channels of communication.

Basics Advertising: Art Direction is rich with insight from leading practitioners, discussing the process of idea generation and the sources of creative inspiration. The text is supported by images of award winning campaigns from around the world and practical exercises providing readers with an opportunity to sharpen their own art direction skills.

The book also includes a section on finding employment as an art director. This covers the process of putting a book together and approaching agencies, and concludes with a useful overview of the support and resources available for students and junior creatives starting their career in advertising.

Key features

An essential introduction to the role of the art director.
Includes practical student exercises and case studies taken from the best of contemporary advertising.
Includes a guide to starting a career as an art director.

Readership: Intermediate

Our Basics books provide readers with an in-depth exploration of each of the topics introduced in the Fundamentals titles. These books offer both a theoretical and practical approach, supported by examples and exercises.
Individual titles can form the basis of specific advertising modules, while the series as a whole functions as a comprehensive reference tool, and can be called upon at any stage of a student’s education.

Nik Mahon is a senior lecturer in Advertising at Southampton Solent University. Since entering higher education he has been involved in the design, delivery and development of a variety of advertising, media and communication courses for colleges and universities in the UK and overseas. At the same time, he has also been actively engaged in the design and delivery of creative thinking and problem solving programmes and short courses for several major advertising agencies and blue chip organisations. His clients have included British Gas, Ordnance Survey, The Inland Revenue and United Biscuits.

978 2 940411 21 4

$29.95 srp

184 pages
200 colour images
230mm x 160mm
Paperback with flaps

Spring 2010