Advertising Art

Advertising Art Director Overview

Advertising art directors work in teams with copywriters and designers to develop and create advertising campaigns. Art directors are responsible for imagining the visuals of an ad – such as photographs, illustrations, animation or film – and working with the copywriters to develop the slogans and logos for products.

Art directors must be creative individuals who are able to work in several different forms of media to provide clients with coordinated advertising campaigns in print, television, and online. They must also be able to communicate their ideas clearly and provide direction to other members of the team.

Advertising Art Director Training & Education

Advertising art directors should have at least a bachelor’s degree. While some firms prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s concentrated on advertising or business, other companies merely require a bachelor’s degree in a liberal arts field such as English or history.

Like in many artistic fields, the most important part of the application for an advertising job is the portfolio. People who are interested in advertising but don’t have a bachelor’s in the field sometimes attend “portfolio schools.” These programs, which last one to two years, help aspiring advertising professionals develop the portfolio necessary to apply for jobs.

Advertising Art Director Career & Salary Outlook

The median earnings for an advertising art director was more than $70,000 in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry-level positions earn about $37,000 per year, while the most successful art directors can earn upwards of $135,000.

Competition in this field can be intense and the publishing and advertising industry often reflect the present economy. Hence, be prepared for tough scrambling for jobs. Your best chance at employment will be through networking, experience, and higher degrees.

Advertising Art Director Characteristics & Specializations

Communication is a key skill for an advertising art director. The advertising development process involves intense collaboration with other art directors, designers, and copywriters. Art directors must be able to convey their ideas to others in the group or explain various advertising designs and strategies to clients. Art directors must also have a keen eye for detail, a clear understanding of the targeted demographic, and knack for aesthetics.

The entry-level job for art direction at an advertising company is a junior or assistant art director. This position works with copywriters, designers, and senior art directors to develop and produce concepts and designs.

After a few years, assistants can work their way up to senior art directors. These art directors oversee multiple teams of copywriters, directors and designers.

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