Communications became increasingly complex in the eighties (the designer decade) that led to the final indignity of turning the word ‘designer’ from a noun into a commercial adjective: designer glasses, designer shoes, designer anything.
So, we shall attempt to reveal that the broad, lazy generalization of pop, punk, and post-modernism don’t adequately sum up the sixties, seventies and eighties.
That design and art direction are not abstract activities practiced by a talented minority , but part of the fabric of all our lives.
2. Introduction
Nothing happens in a vacuum, Art Direction for the last half a
century has developed in direct response to the social, political
and economic tenor of the times.
The world has undergone many seismic changes, revolution of
the internet, quantum leap in communications etc. From the dull
and formulaic British advertising techniques, to learning from
Madison avenue. Till the creative epicenter returned to Britain
again, and then left again.
While ‘advertising’ generally has always had a fairly consistent
meaning, design and art direction is a bit more problematic, the
words at different points mean very different things to different
people.
3. Communications became increasingly complex in the eighties
(the designer decade) that led to the final indignity of turning the
word ‘designer’ from a noun into a commercial adjective:
designer glasses, designer shoes, designer anything.
So, we shall attempt to reveal that the broad, lazy generalization
of pop, punk, and post-modernism don’t adequately sum up the
sixties, seventies and eighties.
That design and art direction are not abstract activities practiced
by a talented minority , but part of the fabric of all our lives.
We shall make recommendations for the future.
13. Final thoughts on the 60’s
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Colour TV
Helvetica
Pop Art
Letraset screens
Photosetting
3D Illustrations
The Mini
Independence
Art direction in the sixties was revolutionary due to a dramatic
social change, and an explosion of energy and vitality.
13
22. Saatchi & Saatchi Garland-Compton
Conservative Central Office
Personification
23. Final thoughts on the 70’s
Abba
Jackson five
The Godfather
Ridley Scott (CDP)
Photomontage
The seventies was a decade all over the place with a mix of styles
and influences without any rallying cry or obvious unifying
strand.
23
34. Final thoughts on the 80’s
Michael Jackson
Hollywoodization
Retail design
Long copy
International agency networks
Loose artistic imagery
Levis Launderette
Complexity and contradiction, the designer decade, where style
was placed over substance.
Everyone started doing stuff with chalks and gouaches and then
put some type on it. Designers seriously thought they could be
artist.
44. Final thoughts on the 90’s
dotcom
Anti advertising/design
Photography comeback
David Carson
Grunge
Globalization. Brand management. Digital technology.
The decade copy died. Globalization forced agencies to ditch
country specific dialogues and local references in favour of big
image-driven ‘international’ campaigns.
Branding blurred the borders between design and advertising,
and art directors had to rethink the core of their practice due to
digital technology.
49. Saatchi & Saatchi
Club 18 - 30
Mike Sutherland
Anthony Nelson
David Droga
Multiple Entendres
Cannes Lion Gold
50. DDB Berlin - VW Polo - CCO: Amir Kassaei - ECD: Stefan Schulte - CD: Ludwig Berndl, kristoffer
heilemann - AD: Mariam Grabmayer, Marcus Intek - I: Kirill Chudinskiy
Epica Awards silver
51. DDB Berlin - Bosch - CCO: Amir Kassaei - ECD: Stefan Schulte - CD: Bright Van Den Valentyn, Tim
Stuebane - AD: Rene Gebhardt, Bjorn Kernspeckt, Gen Sadakane, Wulf Rchtacek - P: Szymon Plewa
G: Sebastian Kamp, Anke Vera Zink - MB: Angelika Mende - AM: Gesa Birkmann - AB: Kerstin Kraus
Cannes lions silver
52. JWT Shanghai - Samsonite - ECD: Yang Yeo/Elvis Chau/Sheung Yan Lo - CD: Hattie Cheng/Rojana Chuasakul AD: Rojana Chuasakul/Hoaxi LV/Danny Li/Surachai Puthikulangkura- C: Marc Wang
ILL: Illusion. Grand Prix Cannes Lion 2011
53.
54.
55. Where are we?
The art director’s decade
Shortened production process
Measurement techniques
Specialization
60. Attitude Adjustment
Not every client is an asshole
Stop sulking
You’re not an artist, you’re paid to provide a service
Get used to being invisible
The biggest library is in your head, not Getty
Try automatic designing
If you borrow, give the originator a nod
Enter competitions
Teach a class
Love what you do
Dump your high school wardrobe
Hone your authorial skills
Less art school crap
Take notes
Read Briefs.