http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2008/august/the-state-of-art-direction
“They(clients) know we can turn it around in an afternoon. There’s no more magic in art directors, and a lot of people think they can do it themselves, because they have some programme on their computer.” Perhaps this is understandable – if a client sees their children put together the basics of a website in an afternoon, surely it shouldn’t take much longer for an agency to create one?
“Great execution takes time,” says This Is Real Art’s current creative director Paul Belford, simply. “So we need to be able to explain to account people and clients why we need more time. Then they will be on our side, expecting something brilliant.”
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Understanding the visual integrity of an idea is vital, and that needs someone who understands and articulates a visual point of view….
The distinction between the copywriter and the art director is also less evident, with all creatives taking on more general roles. But this is not necessarily a positive develop ment. “I think it’s a really bad thing,” says Mark Reddy. “What you want is a group of people who are all experts in their fields. The worst thing is to have a group of generalists. You need the moments of conflict – it’s these that create invention.”
Modern advertising’s challenge is no longer to find new ways to interrupt its audience and hope that their work gets noticed, but to actively engage with viewers, and make them want to interact with brands. For this, art direction is crucial. “Our job is not to produce ads,” says Paul Belford. “People dislike ads.