Art direction as a presentation

 One way to understand the mechanics of art direction is to use another analogy; that of a personal presentation or pitch, whereby you the presenter are trying to sell an idea or concept to another person or a group of people. This needn’t be an advertising pitch. It could just as easily be an idea for a new invention, or a business venture that you’re trying to get someone to buy or invest in.

As a presenter, you have an opportunity to use the face-to-face encounter to show and demonstrate what you have to offer. In such cases, the success or failure of your pitch is often determined not just by the quality of your idea, but also by the way in which you present it; including aspects such as your pace of delivery, the order and sequence of information, body language, confidence, attitude and sometimes the quality of your dramatic performance.

Now let’s make the comparison with art direction. Having a great advertising idea for selling a product is essential, but first you have to grab your audience’s attention, and generate their interest or desire in your product. Art direction plays a major role, using drama, intrigue, suspense, tension, surprise or revelation to achieve the desired effect and help sell the idea. In essence, the manner in which you art direct your advert is the visual presentation of the advertising message.