What are the technical terms for the artifacts routinely used in advertising art?
Asked by
ETpro (
34605)
December 6th, 2011
Some of them I think I know. There’s the banner, the star-burst, the emblem, the flag. But those things that look like a dynamite blast with text in it, star-fields exploding from a central point, all the hokey stuff advertising graphics uses to grab our attention. Within the industry, each must have a name that it’s routinely called. What are they properly called? Help me learn ad-speak.
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6 Answers
My man, here is a whole dictionary of ad-speak.
Call to Action: The part of the advertisement that encourages the audience to buy or learn more about the products.
Death by Focus Group: when a group of 8 middle aged women from the suburbs shake their collective heads and speak for the nation by announcing, “Ooooh no, I don’t think so… it’s a bit strange…” while advertising creatives throw things at the 2 way mirror.
Eccedentesiast: one who fakes a smile
Flighting: the number of weeks/days exposures an ad has on TV or in press before it is given a rest, then the number weeks/days it reappears ad nauseam for the run of campaign.
Mood Board: A board full of scrap imagery the art director has gathered to start working out what the look and feel of the creative is going to be.
Nagvertising: repetitive ad, sometimes shown more than once in a single ad break.
Pester Power: The indicator of effectiveness of campaigns targeting children; how much they will pester parents to buy the product?
Reconnect: Important to use this word when talking to a client who has a very tired/old brand which needs to be updated.
Trafficker: The person who launches and manages online campaigns.
Wallpaper: an emotional, often overwrought backdrop to an ad designed to use a sentimental response to sell the product. The children’s Panadol ad on at the moment is a good example – ‘their pain is your pain.’
@wundayatta Thank you, thank you, thank you! I did a Google search but came up with nothing but spammy sites—presumably ones that share a cut with GOogle. Google searches are going downhill fast. I appreciate your finding this reference.
Were you asking so that you could find them for your use?
If so, look for Clipart.
There are a few fonts that have these shapes: Dingbats, Wingdings, Webdings, etc.
I create my own, as many graphic designers do.
@Jewel I’m already quite familiar with all that. I am more concerned with the marketing lingo of how to craft Web sites so the calls to action are powerful, and the colors suggest the desired action. I need to be able to explain to clients that are clearly marketing dodos why certain things should be done, and others should not. And for those that follow up on my suggestions I want the lingo to be current.
It is too complex a field to give you any realistic short set of words or current lingo that relate to it. The original list of things you posted have no real names beyond the ones you just used. If you use words that don’t make sense to a customer, you will just look pretentious to them. If you know that colors appear to be more vivid against a black background, just say that. No need to know a secret language for dealing with clients.
The unusual words you do need are the ones used in actual production: CMYK, RGB, Pantone, Blue line, proof, negs, layout, fontography, opaquing, screens, spot color vs 4-color, etc. I don’t know about website or videography, but I am sure they have words specific to that industry.
Create good designs. That and your enthusiasm will do your talking for you. Knowing a language that your clients don’t already know won’t help you sell them on your ideas.
If you already know basic design, being able to create a unique design beyond that is what makes you a good designer.
And beyond that, you are looking for magic!
@Jewel Excellent point. I know what all those trade words and phrases mean. but you are quite right, I wouldn;t use them when communicating with a client. Thanks.
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