Illustration is not dead
November 3rd, 2009 by Chris Frame
Our campaign for Infor launched this past Monday and features the work of the illustrator Steve Brodner . How often do you see illustration in advertising? How often do you see it at all? Twenty some years ago, you didn’t need to be in the business to be vaguely aware of RO Blechman, John Collier, Robert Weaver, Seymour Chwast, Milton Glaser, David Levine, Paul Davis, James McMullan, etc (you just had to be perusing your Mom’s issue of Redbook). There was so much of it. But the balance that existed then between photography and original, commissioned illustration bears no resemblance to the modern magazine.
Luckily, today we have more channels than just magazines and TV.
In the book “The Education of an Illustrator,” which came out in 2000, James McMullan had this to say (keep in mind the prospects for illustration are even less today than they were when he said this):
“Why do all these smart, gifted people choose to paint and draw while opportunities in magazines dwindle, corporate and advertising art morphs into creepy assembly line surrealism, and magazines that willingly hand $20,000 to a third-level photographer to take a picture of a Hollywood star, can barely eke out $1,500 for a full-page illustration?
Whatever the reason, illustrators and their art remain one of the richest and under-utilized resources of American culture. A really smart art director could make a huge career by enlisting the enthusiasm of these unsung creators and by spearheading an illustration renaissance.”
Of course, with advertising, it’s not that simple. Art directors work for agencies and agencies work for clients. So on that last point, I’d make one edit; a really smart client could make a huge contribution to their brand by enlisting the enthusiasm of these unsung creators. We just need to help our clients do it.
Infor campaign at LAX. "Today's delays brought to you by BigERP"
November 4th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Nice reminder that artwork still is (or should be) an essential element of a well-integrated campaign, Chris.
Here’s a minor suggestion, in order to give a little more credit to the illustrator or focus to a profession that might have been thrown by the wayside in the digital revolution: on PJA’s Flickr account, why not use Steve’s name as part of the tagging system? It creates a little more of a backstory or context to the imagery.
Just my two cents. But what do I know? I was just an account guy.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
The key element of illustration not mentioned here is its inherent uniqueness and ability to apply that uniqueness to the establishment of brand identity and differentiation. While one photographer may be virtually indistinguishable from another, and often is in the advertising world, good illustrators almost invariably have their own distinctive styles. Applying the right style to the right brand automatically embues it with both identifying and differentiating characteristics. And all for substantially less than the cost of the generally me-too photographic alternative. Can you say, “suuuwwweeeett,” boys and girls. I think ya cahhhn.