A person is exposed to at least 5000 advertisements in a day. If we take this into account, of course, we want our ads to stand out, be a bit memorable or, simply just convey the message properly. In a marketing perspective, all the advertisements made projects an image to consumers on how a company presents themselves. A professional-looking poster means the company means business, right?
Entrepreneurs and marketers can resort to DIY advertisement since there are a lot of resources online, you can create an ad in a few minutes using creative platforms. Or, probably you are in the middle of creating an ad with your trusty graphic designer and would like to understand the work behind the design. Even if you do not have a background in graphic design, we can show you some tips on how to build ads like a pro by infusing graphic arts and marketing point of view, simplified just for you!
Below is a sample of an ad I have created. In the eyes of our creative lead, this ad still has room for improvement but, it follows the basic rule of graphic design and marketing which makes it look a bit sharp. Read on to find out the tips and hacks that you need.
      
1. Do not forget your logo
A logo is literally the company or an organization’s ID. For marketing, it is vital for customers and your target audience to recognize your brand. That’s the reason why logos are everywhere. If you want to be instantly recognizable and memorable, then do not forget your logo. If for some reasons that you are not able to, then check out number 2.
2. Follow a color scheme
An easy rule to live by is to have 2 – 3 colors maximum in an ad so it does not look heavy in the eyes. For starters, it is better to choose a color that matches the company logo or a color scheme similar to your logo. In our case, for branding purposes, we stick to our yellow, black and white color scheme. It is easy to get carried away with colors so go ahead and be bold but always have your readers or potential customers in mind in implementing colors. If you are not convinced then, think of some popular marketing ads like a certain fast food chain, or a make-up brand. How many colors do they usually put in their ads?
3. Watch space, proportion, and alignment
We truly understand that the ad needs to be as informative as possible. But, cramming pictures and texts in an already limited space is not a good idea. You do not need a graphic artist’s eye to figure out when it looks crowded. To solve this, you can play with the proportion of the texts, picture, and logo. Consider which one will take the limelight, is it the text or the picture? Do all the elements need to be in the center? Also, remember to always scale (those broken lines that appear when you adjust the photo) from the corners and maintain shift scale when adjusting. Do not scale from top or bottom as it throws the proportion of the material away and makes it look uneven and flat. If you want to see a designer cry, then you can do that.
4. Limit your font but do not be scared to play it boldly
There are so many fonts to choose from that it is easy to get carried away! However, if you place multiple fonts, it makes the ad difficult to read. Our suggestion is to choose a font that is easy on the eyes and stick to 1 or 2 fonts. For emphasis, you can change the size or highlights (bold or italicized) instead. Do consider the texture of the fonts as well, especially in print if it is still legible. Cursive fonts are prone to illegibility especially if printed in small sizes.
5. Use pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words. Select a photo which can help to convey your message in a more effective way. Like in my example, I have selected a photo that highlights an advantage of working for day shift accounts. To fix color issues, you can easily do it by increasing or decreasing the saturation so the photo pops out. For photo editing starters, check out our post about Adobe lightroom.
Oh and another reminder (if you are not using your own photos), make sure to check royalty free photos. Check out Pixabay or Pexels for these type of photos. Or ask permission to use photos when you see it online.
6. Do not under-estimate the power of transparency or white background
We already have a few colors in mind to describe a particular mood or personality, Black for sleekness or sophistication, Pink for femininity, Orange for Halloween and so on. With the photo, logos, and fonts, a solid background color can be too much. Sometimes, a light, semi-transparent background can make your text pop out without disrupting the overall slide, advert or billboard. White, on the other hand, makes reading more relaxing for it is easy on the eyes. Just do not forget to put your logo in the ad, of course!
7. Keep on learning
There are a lot of websites these days in which you can design advertising materials with a little help here and there. My favorite is Canva for they also offer tutorials and blog posts for continuous improvement. There is a monthly subscription if I am not mistaken. Once you get comfortable, you can start learning Adobe Illustrator (not Photoshop) for more flexible design options.
Of course, if you want to leave it to the professionals, you can check out our other services or contact us directly and rest assured that it will be handled by our creative team. We will be glad to work with you for that eye-popping ad that you are looking for!
For more design, marketing, and advertising tips, check out our previous posts.
Feature image credit: creativecommons.org
