who-are-you-designing-forBack in 2009, at that place was an sick-fated TV testify named "Trust Me." Following the lives of the employees of fictional Chicago advertising agency, Rothman, Greene & Moore, you got to meet several generic characters of the advertising bureau. You got to meet the smooth-talking account rep, the witty pitchman, the brilliant copywriter and of course the "y'all don't get it" art director. To be honest, the bear witness wasn't that great, and I can't even recall nearly of the plot. But I bring it up because of a single line the art managing director grapheme screamed that I never forgot. The line was, "I am an award winning fine art-manager! They are clients … CLIENTS ARE IDIOTS!"

Unfortunately, this has become the persona of the art director. An ultra-sensitive "artist" who is out for personal accolades and career development. While in that location is nil wrong with winning awards (who doesn't similar a nice trophy?), when working for a client, this scene got me thinking nearly how creative should remember about their work. The first priority should exist communicating the customer'due south bulletin. When yous put the message first, and then put it in an award-winning packet, that's when the art director is at his or her peak.

The way to achieve this can be tricky. The temptation to be avant-garde get-go and and so see if y'all tin somehow work in the messaging tin be overwhelming, especially for a immature designer. Beneath are 3 principals for keeping your work creative yet customer driven. Following these principals tin requite you a better understanding of your work, the creative process and how it relates to and represents both yous and your client.

Principal #1: Exist a Communicator First, a Designer Second

Then many of u.s. begin our artistic ad careers every bit art majors, and making the switch to advertising tin be pretty seamless. Only because what we exercise has so many creative elements, information technology'south very easy to see ourselves as artists rather than communicators. And while sometimes you lot may have that client that just wants some "buzz," most of the fourth dimension you volition be asked to convey a message to an audition. Think about how to communicate this bulletin in the most basic manner possible first, then add an artistic vision on top of the bulletin. You lot may be surprised how much your piece of work can improve by just starting with the message first.

Principal #2: The Nature of Concern Is Compromise

Clients are commonly never right … and neither are fine art directors. What is "right" usually lies in the heart of the spectrum (give or take.) Never take a client'southward knowledge of their product or their audience for granted — however much more you know about design, they also know more nearly their product and audience. Always heed to what they want, and rather than beingness combative, think virtually how to blend ideas into something you both can exist proud of. Clients are a very underrated source for editing, and if y'all feel passionate virtually an thought, defend information technology by telling them what the benefits are. Clients are hardly ever out to play fine art director, then have a discussion about creative freely with an open up mind, and, every bit a result, you both will unremarkably discover mutual footing.

Principal #3: Responsibleness of Service

I know it has the aforementioned tone as "morality clause" but responsibleness of service ways that, as an fine art managing director, your responsibility is to give your client and their production the best service possible. This means your primary goal is to get the message heard, as opposed to making the coolest creative you can. Remember, they have contracted y'all to perform a service for them. Don't utilize them as a means for a not bad portfolio piece.

Think well-nigh hiring a contractor to redo your kitchen, and when you do this, you really want to highlight the new oven you just bought. The contractor then re-models the kitchen his own way, and he blocks the oven out of view because he wants to evidence off his skills with cabinetry. While the cabinets may be beautiful to await at, he didn't keep his responsibility of highlighting the oven. All the same, if the contracted had sat downward with you lot to hash out a couple of ideas he had about how to make your kitchen better, you could have listened to him and also voiced how of import it was to highlight the new oven.

When you create a piece for a customer, make certain your putting them beginning because they are paying you to put them outset. It'due south wonderful to make suggestions to them, and, more than often than not, they will agree with your suggestions. Merely they have a goal in mind for the piece your working on, and yous have to make sure that your piece of work achieves that goal get-go and foremost.

Originally published Feb xiv, 2013 12:00:00 AM, updated July 28 2017