Techniques in  Print & Billboard  Advertising Design and Layout  for Print and Outdoor Ads
Rates and Rate Cards Rates are determined by: Repetition Circulation (CPI) Ad Size
Basic Elements of a Print Ad Visual Focus (Photo) Headline Body Copy Logo
Introduction Effective ad design and layout starts with a clear understanding of a project’s  goals  and written  content . Headlines , body  copy  and assorted  visuals  must already be figured out before you begin
Basic Design Strategies Keep your layouts simple  E.g. Large picture at the top, headline underneath, body copy in 2 or 3 columns under the headline, logo or address in the bottom right-hand corner.
Headline Body Content or Photo Company Logo Asymmetrical
Basic Design Strategies Create Unity Have one central focus or  focal point  where the eye has the tendency to concentrate on which is usually the visual or even the headline. Create Symmetrical or Asymmetrical Balance Seesaw analogy
Symmetrical
 
Basic Design Strategies Create Contrast Using contrasting sizes, shapes, lines, typestyles and figures draw attention to key items you want to emphasize
Basic Design Strategies Create Emphasis through Proportion Important ideas or figures should be emphasized by making them larger, bolder, brighter or essentially different from the main components of the rest of the ads.
Advanced Design Strategies Make an easy  path  for the  eye  to follow Make effective use of  white space  in your ad Use  strong lines  to hold together graphics and body copy. Use  light and dark  relationships to create layout interest
Advanced Design Strategies Eye Path Strong Lines Light and Dark White Spaces
Advanced Design Strategies Use  variety  to spice up your ads Visual boredom occurs when predictability and mirror-like symmetry dominate a document Carefully select  backgrounds  to accentuate figures Use the  golden rectangle
Basic Design Strategies The  golden rectangle  is a visually balanced geometric shape with the primary ratio of 3 to 5 (or 1 to 1.61803398874989…). This number is also known as the Fibonacci Series or Phi.
Basic Design Strategies
Visual Flow according to the golden rectangle Focal Point
Grouping Design Strategies Group by using similar shapes, sizes, textures and colors Break up long lists Group ideas in ones, twos or threes By finding relationships between them and making those relationships obvious E.g. positive-negative, graphics-words-numbers Up to three only, 4 is visually too much
Grouping Design Strategies Group Similar Items Break Up Images Group by 1’s to 3’s
Color Design Strategies Black and white is boring. Color is  EXCITING . E x c e s s i v e  color detracts from copy Color works because of its contrast with non-colored areas; use it in one or two strong clustered areas rather than scattering it through out your ad.
Color Design Strategies
Color Design Strategies Use colors to help create desired emotions and symbolic associations. Harmonize colors Balance colors Contrast colors Hue, light-dark, cold-warm, complementary, saturation
 
Color Design Strategies
Photo Design Strategies Photo design and layout strategies center on two ideas: Make the mind  group  things to increase communicability Bring items in and out of  focus  to suggest and emphasize importance.
Photo Design Strategies
Photo Design Strategies Visual Flow Color Groups and Selective Focus
Photo Design Strategies Before taking a shot decide on: The best  shape  and  proportion  for your subject How much  detail  you want in the frame Your  central point  of interest How you want to  link  images together What your  point of view  will be
Photo Design Strategies Cling to  one idea Use the  rule of thirds  when taking a photograph Use  shadows  and  light  to create the illusion of depth Experiment with various kinds of  lighting
Photo Design Strategies
Photo Design Strategies Choose the right background color Gray is the best all-around background for color photography.  Black provides strongest contrast and brings out colors. Backgrounds should be absent of strong colors.
Photo Design Strategies This ad has a simple composition with a black background and high contrast photograph and logo
Photo Design Strategies Use visual stepping stones to draw attention to the inner details of the photograph Frame your photos with objects Shoot on location to get a greater sense of reality.
Photo Design Strategies
Photo Design Strategies Include people in photos of products Give people in photos looking space Look for special qualities in people when photographing them
Photo Design Strategies
Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies Readability comes first, Style or visual appeal second Use the right kind of typeface: For headlines, prices and phone numbers:  Sans Serif: Arial,  Century Gothic For body copy Serif:  Times,  Courier,  Bookman Old
Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies Typestyles Italics or slanted : project a feeling of action, speed or progressiveness UPPERCASE LETTERS: conservative, larger than life and give a feeling of formality. lowercase letters: friendly and down-to-earth
Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies Never use ALL CAPS in body copy or in cursive font ( MONOTYPE ) Drop shadow -give typeface a three-dimensional look Script -feminine, convey lots of personality Bold letters -masculine Thin or Lighter Letters -feminine
Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies Use the type size appropriate to the content of the copy Avoid too many typefaces. Limit typeface and type size to 3 or 4 only.
Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies Use clear readable typeface for body copy Body copy type size minimum of 12-14 pts. Set body copy underneath the headline and photograph Break long copy into shorter sections.
Use graphic accents to emphasize key phrases UNDERLINE CAPITAL , indented paragraphs,  bold ,  italic ,  colored , arrows  , yellow highlighting, etc Avoid irregularly shaped  blocks of body copy (i.e. silhouette of an object) Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies
Reminders Don’t make your ad look too much like everybody else’s ad Place your logo at the upper left hand or bottom right hand corner Always keep in mind the purpose of your ad and your target demographic
Designing for Outdoor Ads Product Identification  Is the product clearly visible? Short Copy  Is the basic idea expressed quickly and with impact? Short Words  Can the reader read the copy at a distance?
Designing for Outdoor Ads Product   Identification Short Copy   Short Words
Designing for Outdoor Ads Legible Type  Is the copy legible while moving? Large Illustrations  Do the illustrations demonstrate the product’s usage?  Are the illustrations visible from a distance?
Designing for Outdoor Ads Legible Type Large Illustrations
Designing for Outdoor Ads Bold Colors  Do the colors have impact and complement each other? Use colors with contrast. Try to avoid subtle color blends which belong in print. Simplicity  “Keep it simple” - does the background interfere with the basic idea? Intrigue  Is the consumer involved? Will it attract attention - does it have an IDEA?
Designing for Outdoor Ads Bold Colors   Simplicity  Intrigue
Guidelines for Legibility Color
Guidelines for Legibility Typestyle Upper and lower case type is easier to read than all capitals letters
Guidelines for Legibility Typestyle Too little spacing between letters makes them merge together
Guidelines for Legibility Typestyle At long distance, very heavy letters become blobs, and very thin letters become invisible
Guidelines for Legibility Typestyle Ornate script faces, and extensive contrast between thick and thin reduce legibility
Less is more 1 message, 41.1% awareness.
Less is more 2 messages, 36.7% Awareness, a 5% decrease in awareness.
Less is more 3 messages, 34.9% Awareness, a further 2% decrease.
Less is more 4 messages, 33.8% Awareness, another 1% drop in awareness levels.
Less is more 5 messages, 29.2% Awareness. A total decrease in awareness of 12% overall!
Obie Award Winners
Obie Award Winners
Obie Award Winners Thank You!

Print Ads

  • 1.
    Techniques in Print & Billboard Advertising Design and Layout for Print and Outdoor Ads
  • 2.
    Rates and RateCards Rates are determined by: Repetition Circulation (CPI) Ad Size
  • 3.
    Basic Elements ofa Print Ad Visual Focus (Photo) Headline Body Copy Logo
  • 4.
    Introduction Effective addesign and layout starts with a clear understanding of a project’s goals and written content . Headlines , body copy and assorted visuals must already be figured out before you begin
  • 5.
    Basic Design StrategiesKeep your layouts simple E.g. Large picture at the top, headline underneath, body copy in 2 or 3 columns under the headline, logo or address in the bottom right-hand corner.
  • 6.
    Headline Body Contentor Photo Company Logo Asymmetrical
  • 7.
    Basic Design StrategiesCreate Unity Have one central focus or focal point where the eye has the tendency to concentrate on which is usually the visual or even the headline. Create Symmetrical or Asymmetrical Balance Seesaw analogy
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Basic Design StrategiesCreate Contrast Using contrasting sizes, shapes, lines, typestyles and figures draw attention to key items you want to emphasize
  • 11.
    Basic Design StrategiesCreate Emphasis through Proportion Important ideas or figures should be emphasized by making them larger, bolder, brighter or essentially different from the main components of the rest of the ads.
  • 12.
    Advanced Design StrategiesMake an easy path for the eye to follow Make effective use of white space in your ad Use strong lines to hold together graphics and body copy. Use light and dark relationships to create layout interest
  • 13.
    Advanced Design StrategiesEye Path Strong Lines Light and Dark White Spaces
  • 14.
    Advanced Design StrategiesUse variety to spice up your ads Visual boredom occurs when predictability and mirror-like symmetry dominate a document Carefully select backgrounds to accentuate figures Use the golden rectangle
  • 15.
    Basic Design StrategiesThe golden rectangle is a visually balanced geometric shape with the primary ratio of 3 to 5 (or 1 to 1.61803398874989…). This number is also known as the Fibonacci Series or Phi.
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Visual Flow accordingto the golden rectangle Focal Point
  • 18.
    Grouping Design StrategiesGroup by using similar shapes, sizes, textures and colors Break up long lists Group ideas in ones, twos or threes By finding relationships between them and making those relationships obvious E.g. positive-negative, graphics-words-numbers Up to three only, 4 is visually too much
  • 19.
    Grouping Design StrategiesGroup Similar Items Break Up Images Group by 1’s to 3’s
  • 20.
    Color Design StrategiesBlack and white is boring. Color is EXCITING . E x c e s s i v e color detracts from copy Color works because of its contrast with non-colored areas; use it in one or two strong clustered areas rather than scattering it through out your ad.
  • 21.
  • 22.
    Color Design StrategiesUse colors to help create desired emotions and symbolic associations. Harmonize colors Balance colors Contrast colors Hue, light-dark, cold-warm, complementary, saturation
  • 23.
  • 24.
  • 25.
    Photo Design StrategiesPhoto design and layout strategies center on two ideas: Make the mind group things to increase communicability Bring items in and out of focus to suggest and emphasize importance.
  • 26.
  • 27.
    Photo Design StrategiesVisual Flow Color Groups and Selective Focus
  • 28.
    Photo Design StrategiesBefore taking a shot decide on: The best shape and proportion for your subject How much detail you want in the frame Your central point of interest How you want to link images together What your point of view will be
  • 29.
    Photo Design StrategiesCling to one idea Use the rule of thirds when taking a photograph Use shadows and light to create the illusion of depth Experiment with various kinds of lighting
  • 30.
  • 31.
    Photo Design StrategiesChoose the right background color Gray is the best all-around background for color photography. Black provides strongest contrast and brings out colors. Backgrounds should be absent of strong colors.
  • 32.
    Photo Design StrategiesThis ad has a simple composition with a black background and high contrast photograph and logo
  • 33.
    Photo Design StrategiesUse visual stepping stones to draw attention to the inner details of the photograph Frame your photos with objects Shoot on location to get a greater sense of reality.
  • 34.
  • 35.
    Photo Design StrategiesInclude people in photos of products Give people in photos looking space Look for special qualities in people when photographing them
  • 36.
  • 37.
    Headlines and BodyCopy Design Strategies Readability comes first, Style or visual appeal second Use the right kind of typeface: For headlines, prices and phone numbers: Sans Serif: Arial, Century Gothic For body copy Serif: Times, Courier, Bookman Old
  • 38.
    Headlines and BodyCopy Design Strategies Typestyles Italics or slanted : project a feeling of action, speed or progressiveness UPPERCASE LETTERS: conservative, larger than life and give a feeling of formality. lowercase letters: friendly and down-to-earth
  • 39.
    Headlines and BodyCopy Design Strategies Never use ALL CAPS in body copy or in cursive font ( MONOTYPE ) Drop shadow -give typeface a three-dimensional look Script -feminine, convey lots of personality Bold letters -masculine Thin or Lighter Letters -feminine
  • 40.
    Headlines and BodyCopy Design Strategies Use the type size appropriate to the content of the copy Avoid too many typefaces. Limit typeface and type size to 3 or 4 only.
  • 41.
    Headlines and BodyCopy Design Strategies Use clear readable typeface for body copy Body copy type size minimum of 12-14 pts. Set body copy underneath the headline and photograph Break long copy into shorter sections.
  • 42.
    Use graphic accentsto emphasize key phrases UNDERLINE CAPITAL , indented paragraphs, bold , italic , colored , arrows  , yellow highlighting, etc Avoid irregularly shaped blocks of body copy (i.e. silhouette of an object) Headlines and Body Copy Design Strategies
  • 43.
    Reminders Don’t makeyour ad look too much like everybody else’s ad Place your logo at the upper left hand or bottom right hand corner Always keep in mind the purpose of your ad and your target demographic
  • 44.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Product Identification Is the product clearly visible? Short Copy Is the basic idea expressed quickly and with impact? Short Words Can the reader read the copy at a distance?
  • 45.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Product Identification Short Copy Short Words
  • 46.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Legible Type Is the copy legible while moving? Large Illustrations Do the illustrations demonstrate the product’s usage? Are the illustrations visible from a distance?
  • 47.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Legible Type Large Illustrations
  • 48.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Bold Colors Do the colors have impact and complement each other? Use colors with contrast. Try to avoid subtle color blends which belong in print. Simplicity “Keep it simple” - does the background interfere with the basic idea? Intrigue Is the consumer involved? Will it attract attention - does it have an IDEA?
  • 49.
    Designing for OutdoorAds Bold Colors Simplicity Intrigue
  • 50.
  • 51.
    Guidelines for LegibilityTypestyle Upper and lower case type is easier to read than all capitals letters
  • 52.
    Guidelines for LegibilityTypestyle Too little spacing between letters makes them merge together
  • 53.
    Guidelines for LegibilityTypestyle At long distance, very heavy letters become blobs, and very thin letters become invisible
  • 54.
    Guidelines for LegibilityTypestyle Ornate script faces, and extensive contrast between thick and thin reduce legibility
  • 55.
    Less is more1 message, 41.1% awareness.
  • 56.
    Less is more2 messages, 36.7% Awareness, a 5% decrease in awareness.
  • 57.
    Less is more3 messages, 34.9% Awareness, a further 2% decrease.
  • 58.
    Less is more4 messages, 33.8% Awareness, another 1% drop in awareness levels.
  • 59.
    Less is more5 messages, 29.2% Awareness. A total decrease in awareness of 12% overall!
  • 60.
  • 61.
  • 62.