A strategic brief implemented by an art director often ends in a more successful advertisement than if a broad and generic brief was presented, although having said this developed idea generation could entertain a diverse range of options to still answer the brief correctly (Johar et. al, 2001). Other than the brief the art director takes into consideration the target market, the intended message and how they will communicate this visually subsequently executing the concept (Johar et. al, 2001). Research from McLeod et. al (2009) shows that the creative director supervises a team of art directors and copywriters working together with media and research specialists to calculate the perfect model casting, photographic and film studio, and styling to suit the brief. Looking at a brand that incorporates a similar creative brief across all advertising channels is Stella McCartney, the Winter 2017 campaign film shot on a landfill in Scotland highlights the need for sustainability for Generation Z consumers, this is represented by the young model selection in the advertisement (Stella McCartney, 2017). The up-beat music tempo contrasting with the depressing nature of a landfill manifests hope for future generations in terms of looking after the planet. The female models are dressed in stereotypical masculine clothing, this could be interpreted that regardless of gender the collective challenge of waste needs to be overcome by everyone. Art direction has taken a turn since the rise of social media and the internet, with e-advertisers following a slightly different more constrained creative process due to the brief being more focused on the consumer’s experience rather than the brand values (Fourquet-Courbet et. al, 2008). The internet as a way of advertising is now seen as just as important as traditional advertising media like television or editorial due to its interactive nature, this explains Stella McCartney’s systemic method of using creative briefs to express the same brand message from social media channels, the e-commerce site to television and print (Fourquet-Courbet et. al, 2008).
Reference List
Fourquet-Courbet, M.-P., Courbet, D. and Vanhuele, M. (2008) ‘Creativity and E-Advertising: A Qualitative Study of Art Directors’ Creative Processes’, Empirical Studies of the Arts, 26(1), pp. 5–13. (Accessed: 30 May 2022).
Johar, G.V., Holbrook, M.B. and Stern, B.B., 2001. The role of myth in creative advertising design: Theory, process, and outcome. Journal of Advertising, 30(2), pp.1-25. (Accessed: 30 May 2022).
McLeod, C., O’Donohoe, S. and Townley, B., 2009. The elephant in the room? Class and creative careers in British advertising agencies. Human Relations, 62(7), pp.1011-1039. (Accessed: 30 May 2022).
Stella McCartney (2017) The Winter 2017 Stella McCartney Campaign Film / Full Edit. Available at: https://www.youtube.com (Accessed: 30 May 2022).