What a freelance AD can do

By Carsten Bjerregaard, Marketingcapacity.dk (Link to the article. Copying/publishing without agreement is not allowed)

An AD or art director is a person who develops and executes a company or organization's marketing at the conceptual level. This means that the AD is responsible for creating marketing elements that convey messages to the company's target audiences in the best possible way. The AD often works with copywriters, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers and other specialists. And usually, the AD has overall creative responsibility for the look and feel of the advertising.

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What is art direction?

It's up to the AD to set the creative direction. What look and feel should the company have? Which ideas to go with? Which concepts? The AD has to juggle a lot of different disciplines and issues - and make choices:

Style and colors?

Often, it will be described in a design manual - or incorporated through habit - what a company's basic look and feel looks like. In other words:

• Typography
• Color palette
• Logos
• Image style
• Movie unsubscriptions
• Etc.

It's often a graphic designer who actually lays out the lines. But in most cases, it will be based on directives from an AD. And it's usually an AD who has the final say on the creative. A job that isn't just about whether something looks good. The AD must also have the flair and experience to see: "Will it work in practice in daily use?"

Photos and illustrations

Photo style is a chapter in itself. Images have a huge impact on the look and feel of a company's marketing - or identity in general. Just think of companies like Apple or Nivea and you can probably imagine the world these brands live in - that feeling is largely created by a consistent image style.

Photos are the AD's sovereign responsibility. That's why you'll often see ADs participating in photo shoots and commercial shoots. Because the images have multiple functions:

• They need to communicate a message
• They need to convey an emotion beyond the message

The same is true if you work with illustrations. That is, drawings or cartoons. The creative director must be involved in this. There are a million different ways to draw something. Let's just mention Tintin, Picasso, Holck and Bjørn Wiinblad. To name a few older illustration icons that everyone can relate to - and that have nothing to do with marketing.

A good AD has the ability to distinguish between what different types of illustrations can do. What signal do they send, what can you express with them, etc.

Ideas

In popular terms, it's often said that the difference between a graphic designer and an AD is in the work of developing ideas. As mentioned above, the AD has more tasks compared to the graphic designer. And for many ADs, ideation is the discipline of kings. The discipline they are most passionate about and most proud of.

But that's where the similarities end. Because there's a difference between how ADs get ideas. And what ideas they get. There is no one standard recipe. But some of the ingredients that most people use are:

• Deep dive into the products and their history - because the best ideas are rooted in reality and history
• Brainstorming with different functions and roles
• Insight into trends and tendencies as background
• Idea development exercises - coming up with ideas is a craft that can be learned
• Knowledge and routine in using different familiar storytelling techniques

What else is an AD called?

ADs are also known by their full name; Art Directors. But some people simply use the word 'creative' to refer to ADs (to the chagrin of some copywriters, who rightly believe they are creative too).

How does an AD create value?

Basically, an AD creates value by making sure that:

• Messages get seen
• Messages are understood
• Communication creates a mood
• The target audience is convinced to do what the communication intends
• Communication triggers the desired action

To put it bluntly, the rest is a matter of skill, craftsmanship and tools. And it also depends on the medium you're publishing in:

• Movie
• Radio
• Advertise
• Banner ads
• Websites
• Landing pages
• Packaging
• Flyers
• Knives
• Exhibitions
• Out of home

The AD doesn't necessarily need to know every detail about every media - but he/she should know enough to have a feel for examples:

• What can each medium do for users?
• How do they use the medium?
• What can be done in the medium?
• What does it take to make it work?
• What will the overall look be?
• What are production options and time?

What types of ADs are there?

With SO many factors being part of an AD's overall responsibilities, there are huge differences between ADs. Not least in terms of their interests:

• Some are more idea-driven rather than making visually stunning things (some go for the big idea, others for something that looks amazing)
• Some are movie-driven, while others are more web or print-driven (some are both, but often they have a preferred media type)
• Some can spend days on typography, while others think in images and big picture

To take just a few examples of how ADs can differ in their interests and passions. Often they also differ in terms of how good they are at what they do.

Perhaps it has something to do with the training they go through in their career. For example, some work in agencies where they develop ideas and only make sketches or what's called a rough, which they pass on. Then a graphic designer or rendering artist finishes the work while the AD moves on to the next project. While other ADs are used to - and perhaps more comfortable with - seeing things through to the end and getting down to the nitty-gritty of the final look and feel.

Of course, great ADs can do it all at a certain level. But you can learn a lot about an individual AD by looking at what they've done for others.

What does an AD need to know?

While no one can do everything, there are a wide range of personal and professional skills that are worth their weight in gold for an AD:

Creativity

• The ability to think and create something that hasn't been there before. Perhaps by using an old idea in a new way. Or thinking the product into a new framework. Making the different familiar and the familiar different.

Media literacy

• A good AD instinctively understands the instrumentality of a medium. That is, "how" and "why" the medium works. He knows how customers use the medium. And thus the context and the occations in which the advertising should take place.

Empathy

• In many contexts, empathy is also desirable. The AD needs to understand the target audience. Who are they? How do they think? How do they feel? One of the greatest advertising minds in history once said that a great creative would take the train over the car - to never lose touch with their target audience.

Instruction

• The AD needs to be able to instruct others. It could be a photographer or an illustrator. It could be someone who is creating an exhibition stand. Since the AD is responsible for creating something new - and can't do it all themselves - they need the ability to articulate what they want to say.

Visualization

• An AD must be able to visualize their ideas. This means that he should at least be able to see them in his mind's eye. But it's a huge advantage if he can also sketch them - or layout them, as they're still called. A sketch, rough or layout is the AD's thoughts on the final result, done with a loose enough hand that there is still some room for error.

Material feel

• Depending on what elements the AD is working with, material feel and understanding is important. How thick should the paper be? What can you print on a piece of coated cardboard? Especially when it comes to trade shows, out-of-home posters and packaging.

Psychology

• An often overlooked skill of ADs and other creatives is their psychological understanding or intuition. Which is strange, because psychology is everything when it comes to how people understand a message. To give a simple example: A handshake will be read by many as 'an agreement'. But if the handshake is between two people of different races, most people will read something else into the image. It doesn't take much. An example of superb psychological insight was demonstrated in an outdoor poster for Tuborg Julebryg a few years ago. After 25 years of running a cartoon with the sound of 'jingle bells' in the run-up to Christmas, one day Tuborg showed a still image from the cartoon with a text that looked like this:

Ding, ding, ding
Ding, ding, ding
Ding, ding, ding
Ding ding ding

The person who developed the ad has instinctively known:

A) People can recognize the drawing from the movie
B) People can remember the soundtrack
C) People love to 'solve little puzzles' - so they have to hum the tune to see if it fits

Storytelling

• Of course, how to tell a story is also a core competency. Or what a story even is. From the core story of a company or brand to the dramaturgy of a commercial. For example, the AD knows how to create emotions like:

- Happiness

- Sadness/sadness

- Latter

- Peace

- Guilt

- Fear

          He knows how to weave roles and conflicts into a narrative that will keep people interested.

Colors

• Color sense is important depending on the area. Of course, every AD needs to understand how colors work. Not just the basic colors like red and blue, yellow but also different shades and moods. Is it pastel? Are they warm or cool colors? And how do the colors go together?

Shapes and surfaces

• For some products, a sense of shapes and surfaces matters a lot. Let's say the AD is going to help sell jewelry. Then it's a big advantage if the AD can see the sculptural nature of the jewelry and maybe even manage to bring out the beauty of the material in the marketing.

Design

• In some product areas, it's crucial that the AD has an understanding or at least a flair for design. Of course, if the product is a design product - like Bang & Olufsen used to be. But it could also be that the AD needs to develop a cover for an LP or a book cover. After all, it needs to be designed so that it invites people to use it and creates a special atmosphere.

Commercial mindset

• It may be called ART director. But the art is in commercial service. Fortunately, this is not a problem for skilled ADs. On the contrary, it often provides extra direction and motivation that it's not art for art's sake. It provides a direction, and at the same time it is a double challenge: to create something that is cool in itself - and to serve a commercial purpose. Which, among other things, places great demands on category understanding. There is a big difference between creating effective art direction for a retailer and a beer brand. That's why we're seeing increasing specialization in art direction. For example, some work on creating awareness for big brands, while others work more on generating immediate sales through tactical promotion. Plus all sorts of other variations. Incidentally, it's interesting to see - and sometimes an added bonus - how some ADs have a highly developed strategic flair that people from, say, the management industry might envy. They can simply feel or sense which way a company needs to go. And when you analyze the case with classic consulting tools, it turns out they're right.

Collaboration and sales

• Finally, like everyone else, the AD must be able to collaborate. This means compromising when necessary and standing firm when necessary. Imagine how many times an AD working with Apple has been asked to add a splash or another element to a layout. For tactical reasons. Everyone has an opinion on, for example, the layout of an advertisement or packaging. It takes both courage and impact for an AD to create something that stands out and is bold.

An AD's toolbox

In addition to their own skills, knowledge and experience, which are the most important tools, most ADs also need to master some technical tools. Some of the most common ones at the time of writing are:

• InDesign
• Photoshop
• Illustrator

But in this particular area, there is a minor technical revolution going on. So we're seeing an increasing diversity in what different ADs feel comfortable with.

Examples of good art direction

Fortunately, lots of great art direction has been developed over the years. We've already mentioned Apple. IKEA has also managed to create a visual identity that is friendly, unique and recognizable. Bang & Olufsen in the heyday of the brand created a unique position for the Struer company. Just as the history books are full of AD Peter Wibroe's legendary Tuborg posters with the concept "What makes life a little greener?". To take just a few of the famous and iconic ones.

Why a freelance AD?

In the past, most people thought of freelancers for one-off projects. However, many companies have now realized the benefits of working with freelancers on a long-term basis:

• You can cover needs that don't justify a permanent position
• In periods when you don't need it, you don't pay for the skill
• In a long-term relationship, the freelancer gets to know the company almost as well as a permanent employee
• Compared to buying the desired skill set from an agency - such as an advertising agency - working with freelancers is usually much cheaper
• You have the flexibility to rethink the overall competency profile of the person responsible for an area
• More and more really talented people prefer to work freelance
• A freelancer can still look at your business 'from the outside' - which is a valuable thing when thinking about creative
• Freelancers can bring fresh, outside inspiration to your business

How do you find a good freelance AD?

Finding the right freelancer can be difficult. And above all, it can take a long time. Because there are many freelancers within the same field, and even if they boast the same skills, there can be a big difference when it comes to the way they work and the work they deliver. When you ask Marketingcapacity.dk to help you find a freelancer to work with, the process is simple:

1. You describe your needs to us (either in writing or verbally - we'll confirm in an email)
2. We screen the thousands of profiles on Marketingcapacity.dk and, if necessary, the market through our channels
3. We nominate a list of candidates and talk to them according to your needs
4. You will be presented with 3 candidates that seem to meet your needs
5. During the 3 meetings (at your location or digitally) you can ask questions and see examples of their work
6. You choose the freelancer you would like to start working with
7. We set it up in our systems with time tracking etc. so you have an overview and full control

In other words: After describing your needs, simply set aside 2 hours to meet with 3 hand-picked and screened candidates. That's your guarantee of a good result with reasonable effort.

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