Reading Assignment 6

The Corporate Identity and the Advertising Brief

Illustration and the evolution of advertising and corporate identity
Illustrating for the modern design agency

  • Above the line
    • television 
    • radio
    • newspapers
    • magazines
    • billboards
    • websites
    • corporate identity, literature, promotion
  • Below the line
    • direct mail
    • promotional materials - leaflets, fliers
    • point-of-sale
    • shop displays
    • promotional events

Creative roles within an advertising agency

Creative Director
Creative Team
Art Buyers
Account Handler
Traffic and production

Progression of a typical advertising commission

  1. client approaches agency with a view to commission a series of adverts
  2. an account handler/planner writes the brief with the client
  3. account handler delivers the brief to the creative director and to the creative team.
  4. the creative team is overseen by the creative director and they produce a selection of ideas to present to the client. Then the team of marketing strategists, company owners, and so on, makes the choice
  5. the creative team/art buyers search for an illustrator or photographer
  6. the suggested illustrator's portfolio is submitted to the client for approval with their commission quote
  7. the illustrator accepts the commision and secures the purchase order number and is briefed for the job by the creative director
  8. a reproduction meeting is held
  9. the illustrator presents roughs (aka 'pencils' or 'traces') and some minor adjustments may be required
  10. the agency presents the final artwork to the client for approval
  11. the illustration work is incorporated into the graphic layout and supplied to magazines, newspapers, and so on.
  12. the illustrator submits an invoice for payment, quoting their purchase order number and terms of payment
Example of an advertising commision
Illustrating for the graphic design brief
The creative roles within a graphic design company

Progression of a typical corporate identity commision

  1. client approaches the graphic design company with a view to changing their corporate identity of the company organization that they represent
  2. the creative director clarifies the brief with the client
  3. the creative director briefs the design team (which may or may not include and illustrator at this early stage)
  4. the creative director oversees the team as they produce a selection of ideas to present to the client, who makes a design choice to be developed
  5. the creative team searches for an illustrator
  6. the illustrator accepts the commision and secures the purchase order number and is briefed for the job by the creative director
  7. a reproduction meeting is held
  8. the illustrator submits the final quote to the graphic design company for the work to be carried out
  9. the illustrator presents roughs (aka 'pencils' or 'traces') and some minor adjustments may be required
  10. the agency presents the final artwork to the client for approval
  11. the new corporate identity is implemented across the graphic outputs of the company
  12. the illustrator submits an invoice for payment, quoting their purchase order number and terms of payment
Example of a graphic design commission

Corporate identity and advertising illustration: summary of procedure

  1. initial research
  2. prospecting for work
  3. securing the commission
  4. starting work
  5. securing payment