Author: Mertcan Atik

by Mertcan Atik

CREATIVE PRODUCTION

Creative production plays an important role in marketing, helping brands communicate their stories effectively. Copywriting involves the art of using words skillfully in the brand’s process of expressing itself and connecting with consumers. Strong and attractive texts convey brand messages clearly, allowing the target audience to establish an emotional connection and identify with the brand identity. Graphic design, photography, animation, and 3D increase the aesthetic appeal of the brand by using visual elements effectively. Visual content strengthens customer interaction by highlighting the unique features of the brand.

Digital marketing is a type of marketing that includes plenty of textual expressions. In addition to copywriting, which is one of the important departments of traditional advertising, content writing has also become an important profession in digital marketing. Content writing does not have a specific sales target like copywriting. It is mostly done to inform customers about certain issues. It is the content writer’s job to prepare blog texts, e-books, video transcripts, or podcast scripts. Copywriting refers to texts written to increase the sales of a product or service. Email texts, advertisements, or product descriptions are texts written by the copywriter.

Copywriting is possible by understanding very well who the target audience is. No copywriter can do his job well if he doesn’t have a clear idea of the customers. A copywriter who knows his target audience well defines customers’ needs better. The copywriter who knows his target audience well can speak the customers’ language. She knows which phrases can attract customers’ attention. People can genuinely connect with brands that speak to them as if they were in real life. This is one of the most critical points of copywriting. Writing the texts sincerely, as the general tone of the brand allows, will increase conversions. Simplicity is a point that must be achieved in copywriting. Complex expressions will also create a complex image in the perception of customers.

Customers turn to brands to solve their existing problems. Perceiving this problem correctly will make it possible to express the solution correctly. The brand that finds a solution to a problem is preferred. There is a lot of content and advertising text in today’s digital media. It takes a long time for customers to find what they want within this content. Also, nowadays a person’s attention span is quite short. A customer needs to be persuaded within their attention span. Otherwise, customers will shift to different websites or content. Using impressive language in short periods of time is achieved by appealing to emotions. A clear and concise language that appeals to emotions will provide the desired transformations.

AIDA: It consists of the first letters of the words attention, interest, desire, and action. When creating text, customers’ attention must first be captured. Customers are fed with information that will keep their interests alive. Desires are then aroused that compel the customer to take action.

BAB: An attempt is made to convey what happens before and after customers purchase the product or service. First of all, the customer is shown having problems. Afterward, it is explained how the problems of the customer who bought the product were solved. Finally, it is explained rationally how the product or service solves this problem.

FAQ: It is the narration of the benefits of the brand by a real or fictional hero. The hero is shown with his problem, talks about his story and problem, and his problem is solved with the product.

4C: Texts should be concise. Short texts are always easy to understand. Texts should be clear. Fancy words no longer attract customers’ attention. Texts must be credible. Brands that are truly knowledgeable on the subject are preferred. Texts should be impressive. Memorability is possible by being impressive.

Graphic design is a very important point for branding and digital marketing. Visuals have been the most effective solution to convey a message since the early years of marketing. Graphic design plays a very important role in both creating brand awareness and creating advertising works that will affect sales. Complex messages can be explained more simply with graphic design. For this, it is necessary to adhere to the basic rules of graphic design. Knowledge of typography, page layout, color use, visual hierarchy, and image use constitute the basics of graphic design.

Branding: One of the basic elements that form the character of a brand is the identity of the brand. Creating a brand identity is possible with graphic design. The logo chosen for the brand, color options, fonts, and photo usage are important points that create the brand identity. The distinctiveness of all these visual elements will be enough to distinguish the brand from its competitors.

Advertising and marketing: Companies that have successfully carried out their branding work start advertising activities to communicate with their target audience. Visual studies constitute a wide area of marketing activities. Visuals for flyers, e-books, emails, and websites are created with graphic design.

Web design and user interface: Web design is the most critical point of digital marketing. Web pages created by web design developers contain many graphic design elements. Websites with high user experience are also very good in terms of graphic design. Theme selections, page interfaces, landing page images, and photographs for blogs are evaluated in terms of graphic design.

Motion graphics: Graphic design should not be thought of as just a static work. Most videos created for marketing efforts contain graphic elements. Graphic elements are animated and turned into video works. Logo animations, animated presentations, 2D promotional videos, and GIF works are created with graphic design studies.

Line: Lines form the basis of a design. Lines appear in different forms in the design. The use of lines is very critical to create the composition. The design can be enlivened by using lines in different styles. Connecting lines with each other creates shapes.

Shape: Geometric, abstract, or organic shapes are found in every composition. Shapes in different textures and formats are used when designing a logo, preparing informational content, or creating motion graphics.

Color: If the design wants to evoke an emotion in the masses, colors are very effective. Colors have an effect on human psychology. Different visuals can be created by using the three main properties of colors, tone, value, and saturation, at different values.

Typography: Typography is the arrangement of texts in different styles to become graphic design elements. Typefaces are a frequently used element in graphic design. Texts of different sizes, colors, fonts, and densities are used in graphic design works produced to convey a message.

Texture: Every element used in the design can be given a texture. Rough, soft, shiny, etc. Textures are textures that can be used in accordance with the design composition. Design composition can also be created with textures.

Size: Composition is the most critical issue of a design. The size and smallness of the elements to be included in the design create the depth of the design. In addition, the importance of the elements in the design is determined according to their size.

Balance: The use of symmetry and asymmetry determines the balance of the design. Any proportional dimension between graphic design elements creates the balance of the composition. Balance is the building block of design.

Alignment: Seeing the design regularly is possible with alignment. With various grids, graphic design elements are aligned and the design appears balanced. There are grid or guideline types specific to each design type.

Proximity: The visual hierarchy between graphic design elements is related to the degree of proximity to each other. Proximity affects the perception formed in the mind of the viewer.

Contrast: Emphasizing certain aspects of the composition is possible with contrast. Some graphic design elements in the design are highlighted with contrast.

The importance of photography in marketing efforts has become even more important with digital marketing. Nowadays, increasing internet and social media usage has increased the daily photo consumption more than ever. Product photos, entertaining content, or lifestyle frames are visual content that internet users frequently encounter. Brands that want to attract the attention of their customers fill their social media and websites with interesting photos to show their products in a different way. Today, articles with images attract more attention than articles without images. Text-only ads receive fewer conversions than photo ads. The majority of internet users perform visual searches through search engines. The majority of purchasing decisions on e-commerce sites are made by looking at product images.

Animations enable many subjects that are difficult to understand and portray in an understandable way. Animations attract more attention than static images. It is also very affordable considering the costs spent on filming. Considering the filming organization, animations that require less effort take more time than static images. This is because, compared to static images, animations include audio elements, transitions, animated text, and logos. Additionally, animations have a certain duration, speed, and dynamics. It is necessary to bring all these elements together in an appropriate way. In addition, the dynamism of the video should be supported with transitions between scenes.

There are certain stages in preparing content with motion graphics. First of all, the copywriter must write the scenario of the animation and the texts that will be included in the animation. Next, the graphic designer must design the elements that will be animated. Illustrators must draw the drawings that will be included in the animation in advance. The sound designer in the team must prepare the music and sound effects of the animation. Finally, the animation designer brings all these elements together to make the animation final.

There are many reasons why animations are frequently used in marketing communications. Emails created with animation are more interesting and provide higher conversions. In a search made on Google, video content is ranked higher. Video landing pages provide higher page time. Video ads made through Meta get more conversions than static ads. This makes it possible to generate income at lower costs. Even though the Twitter platform is a text-heavy channel, the interactions of video content are increasing day by day.

Brand awareness: Effective animations make brands more noticeable to potential customers. Brand logos are animated and displayed on the screen. Thus, its memorability is further increased.

Simplification: Some brands’ products or services may be abstract or complex in a way that cannot be directly displayed on the screen. This situation can be prevented with animations. Information-rich animations can explain each point of the brand service in detail to potential customers.

Impressiveness: Animations attract more attention than static images and texts. Audio elements, transition effects, color transitions, and moving elements attract the attention of the masses.

Establishing an emotional connection: Animations are the most effective storytelling technique. Stories are effective in connecting potential customers with brands. Customers’ emotional bond with brands directly affects their purchasing behavior.

Promotional Animations: Brands have products and services. Every brand owner wants to explain their products and services to their customers in the most understandable way. Promotional animations are the most effective and understandable way to do this.

Advertising Animations: Advertising campaigns are one of the most intensive communications of brands. Animated advertisements are one of the most frequently encountered advertisement types on social media.

Training Animations: Brands try to portray an expert image in the eyes of customers. That’s why they offer educational videos to their customers about their products and services. Most of these educational videos are designed as animations.

Brand Promotional Animations: Every brand has a story. Brands try certain ways to tell their stories, values, and missions to their customers. Animations are one of the most frequently used methods of explaining how brands emerged.

Social Media Animations: Brands carry out intensive communication activities through social media. Special days, celebrations, trending topics, or competitions are shared with animated videos.

CGI is the computer-based generation of things that do not actually exist to produce realistic virtual worlds and objects. Objects designed as 3D models frequently appear in video games, architectural presentations, or commercials. The entire Metaverse universe, which has become a popular discourse lately, is designed as 3D modeling. Things that do not exist in reality or that are difficult or expensive to photograph and record on video are modeled in 3D. The created 3D models are edited in certain programs and turned into video animations. CGI technology, which is not limited to marketing only, also finds a place in the cinema and entertainment industry. In almost all blockbuster movies, many scenes and effects that are difficult and costly to shoot in reality are produced with CGI technology.

Not only digital media but also product photographs on brochures used in advertising were produced with 3D modeling. In this way, the product can be photographed in any environment and in any format desired. In addition, when AR technology is considered, the virtual effects that appear in front of the frames that are translated into the real world with the camera are 3D models produced by CGI technology. In this form, CGI has opened the doors of limitless creativity to the world. Considering the resulting product, it is quite costly compared to the real thing. In addition, considering the difficulties of shooting, CGI technology provides working efficiency without the difficulties that production companies must overcome. All physical difficulties disappear. The color, type, and style of everything can be changed in minutes. In addition, CGI technology makes it possible for many independent artists to work on the same project simultaneously. A different scene can be substituted for a desired scene in the project. This is almost impossible to do in standard video production. Because almost everything is planned before production.

Product promotion and advertising: Showing the details of the products, showing the main benefits of the product, and creating a mascot for the brand.

Digital marketing and social media: Preparing attention-grabbing content, creating interactive content, and designing virtual reality experiences.

Website and mobile applications: Designing 3D graphics and animations, creating rich user experience.

Product packaging and design: Creating attractive product visuals with 3D modeling.

Virtual events: Creating virtual experience events in 3D modeled scenes, designing interactive experiences, and designing virtual stores.

Training videos: Demonstrating product usage and making complex services easier to perceive.

Customer experience: Designing the experience the customer will have while using the product with virtual reality and augmented reality technologies.

Online sales platforms: Enabling products to be personalized by designing 3D models of the products.

Videos are among the types of content that consumers frequently prefer. At this point, video editing is among the indispensable parts of the digital marketing age. As the quality of the videos increases, the interest of the audience in that content increases. From this perspective, the interaction of campaigns created with good video editing is quite high. Nowadays, there is almost no campaign without video. Sometimes the launch of the campaign and sometimes the follow-up communications of the main campaign are made with video-supported shares. Nowadays, people turn to videos rather than visuals and texts to get information. This increases brands’ preference for video content in their communications. The increase in content on the internet has also affected video durations. The first seconds of a video have become very critical in terms of attracting attention. Content that cannot capture the viewer in the first seconds of the video cannot achieve conversion.

Determining the target audience: Who is the target audience of your video? It is important to understand the demographic and behavioral characteristics of your audience, such as age, gender, and interests, and adapt the content accordingly.

Video duration: Since the attention span is short, videos should be kept very short. There should be a striking opening that can attract the audience in the first few seconds.

Clarity of message: The purpose and message of the video should be clear. The viewer should understand the desired action by the end of the video.

Use of sound and music: The use of quality sound and music can help your video make a more effective impression on the viewer. Care should be taken to choose music in the spirit of the content.

Visual quality: High-resolution images and professional image quality should be used. The visual style within the video should be consistent; a Brand-specific color palette and design elements should be used.

Impressiveness: An emotional connection should be established with the audience. Making the audience laugh, make them think, or impress them can cause them to form a stronger bond with the brand.

Mobile-friendly design: It is necessary to ensure that videos can be easily watched on mobile devices.

Internet users’ intense interest in video content has increased the share of video in marketing communications. It is possible to encounter brands that cannot communicate with video content alone. Videos are the most common content format that brands use today to explain their products and services. Videos offer a more impressive narrative alongside words. This is because videos are versatile. Videos have the power to tell about a brand’s products, the day its employees are in the office, the highlights of its campaigns, or what the after-sales services are. It can also make use of real images, graphic shapes, music, and sound effects while doing this.

Video types, the number of which increases day by day, are shared by brands on all platforms, especially websites and social media channels. These types of videos positively affect customers’ purchasing decisions. Brands gain traffic to their websites and increase their interactions through videos. In addition, liked videos are shared by customers, opening up ways to reach potential customers organically. Thus, conversions increase, and product sales increase. Brands strengthen their brand identity with the brand images they integrate into their videos.

Video production is a discipline that requires a specific plan. For a video to emerge, multiple steps must be met meticulously. If these stages are not carried out with proper planning, unprofessional video work will be produced. First of all, it is necessary to start by determining the target audience. Who is the viewer of this video? However, a video work in which the target audience is correctly defined will achieve the desired conversion. Correctly defining the audience that will watch the video makes it possible to write the video text with the correct formulas. Being original and creative will increase the number of views and memorability of the video. At this point, doing keyword research related to the subject and style of the video makes it more possible to produce videos on popular topics. Only in this way can a correct screenplay text be written. Video production for marketing should not be left to personal tastes and decisions.

Video Production Glossary: It is a dictionary containing terms related to video production.

Video Production Strategy: Defining the target audience and brand message.

Video Production Briefing: Determining elements such as goals, tone, and style.

Script Planning: Designing the story, characters, and dialogues.

Scripting: It is the preparation of a scenario by detailing the story, characters, and dialogues.

Storyboarding: Visualization of scenes.

Location Scouting: Selecting the locations where shooting will take place.

Casting: Selection of actors and determination of characters.

Production Scheduling: Determining the timeline of shooting.

Equipment: These are the equipment to be used in shooting.

Camera Operator: The person who manages the camera during shooting.

Producer: The person who takes overall responsibility for the project.

Director: The person responsible for the creative management of the project.

Lighting: It is the lighting process of the shooting location.

Sound Recordist: The team responsible for sound recording.

Hair and Makeup Artists: These are the people responsible for the appearance of the actors.

Live Streaming: It is the process of instant online broadcasting.

Stock Footage: These are ready-made video recordings that can be licensed and used.

Green Screen: It is a technique that allows adding different backgrounds to the video.

Motion Graphics: It is the use of animated graphic elements.

VFX: CGI is the process of adding special effects or animations to a video.

Color Grading: It is the process of adjusting the color tones of the video.

Voiceover Recording: Adding a voice over the video.

Music and SFX: It is the selection of sound elements suitable for the atmosphere of the video.

Sound Mixing: It is the process of combining and arranging different sound sources.

Video Distribution: It is the process of sending the video to the platforms to be published.

TVC Submission: It is the delivery of the commercial film to the TV channels where it will be broadcast.

Sound production in marketing communications is a multifaceted process and discipline that attempts to use sound art for specific purposes. In other words, audio production for marketing is the process of producing, editing, and broadcasting audio elements based on certain reasons. The critical issue here is that all operations performed on voice serve marketing goals. Sometimes the jingle played in an advertisement or the background music used behind a product promotion is chosen to evoke certain emotions in the target audience. This is also preferred to reinforce some catchy messages about the brand. Sound has the ability to evoke emotions quickly. The emotional bond desired to be established between the brand and the target audience is brought to the desired level with the audio files used. The right combination of music, voice, and sound effects in a YouTube video and Spotify podcast can strengthen this bond.

It is a fact that just as visual elements create brand identity in the perception of customers, sound elements also present a certain image. Certain sounds can reinforce the perception the brand wants to project. The jingles they use in their advertisements, the signature sounds used with logos, and the sound effects used in transition animations are identified with the brands. After a while, when customers hear brand sounds without looking at the screen, only that brand appears in their minds. Podcasts are increasing in popularity. Brands not only advertise on podcasts but also sponsor podcasts that are associated with their brand. Customers who listen to podcasts sponsored by brands describe these brands as thought leaders and representatives of the subject.

Radio advertisements are audio advertisements created to attract the attention of the audience with interesting scenarios and suitable voice actors.

Podcasts are recordings of interesting and informative audio scripts covering specific topics.

Marketing videos feature plenty of audio files, with professional voice-overs and sound effects used to enhance the storytelling and overall impact of the visual content.

Jingles are short, catchy songs associated with a brand. They are often used in radio commercials and TV commercials to strengthen brand awareness.

IVR systems use recorded voice prompts to guide callers through menu options during telephone interactions.

Audio Logos are short audio elements that represent a brand. They are used strategically in marketing materials to improve brand recall and identity.

Creating educational videos and e-learning materials can be made more instructive with audio production. Clear narration and sound effects increase the effectiveness of educational marketing materials.

Live events involve creating announcements, introductions, and background music to enhance the overall atmosphere.

Retailers are using audio production to create in-store audio elements that add to the overall branding and shopping experience.

Front-end Development:

It refers to the visible side of websites, programs, or software. It is the design and development of layout, graphics, and other visual elements within a project. The aim is to ensure that the user navigates the website or application with the best experience. User experience is relevant to this area. Web development can be considered the starting point of the field. The most common front-end development languages used today are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. HTML is the first language that comes to mind. It defines elements of a website, such as headings, paragraphs, images, and links. It is the backbone of a website. CSS is responsible for the visual appearance of the website. It is the area where the colors, fonts, layout, and design elements of the website or applications are arranged. The compatibility of web pages on desktop and mobile screens falls within the scope of CSS. JavaScript, a dynamic programming language, is where interactive elements of websites such as drop-down menus, forms, and animations are designed. With Java Script, websites have a more dynamic structure. To program with JavaScript, JavaScript libraries such as React or jQuery can be used.

Back-end Development:

The front-end constitutes the visible side of websites. The back-end deals with the invisible part. The back end is responsible for keeping everything running smoothly on the website or in a program. Servers, operating systems, APIs, and databases are the work area of Back-end developers. Python is an entry-level programming language. There are search engines such as Django and Flask that handle database management and HTTP processing tasks. Its library is open source and quite extensive. PHP is a very common server-side coding language. It works seamlessly with HTML. It serves to manage databases, create dynamic content, and interact with web servers. Versatile and widely used, Java is a programming language used to build websites that require high performance and security. C# is a programming language developed by Microsoft. It is used to create Windows desktop applications and web services.

Full Stack Development:

It refers to working with both the front-end and back-end of a website. It means building a website, application, or program from start to finish and running it smoothly. A developer who has served on both sides can detect problems faster and make the necessary improvements. Comprehensive information makes it easy to optimize the performance of the project.

Website Development:

It is the concentration of programming knowledge only on websites. Mobile applications and desktop software are not included in this area.

Desktop Development:

Programs don’t have to work only online. Some programs are locally running applications and some are used in offline services. Desktop developers develop software applications that run natively on devices.

Mobile Development:

Some applications are developed only for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile developers focus only on applications that run on mobile devices. Mobile applications have a different programming language than normal website software.

Game Development:

Console games, PC games, and mobile games each consist of certain codes. These codes are coded by game developers and offered to game lovers.

Embedded Development:

Some non-computer hardware, such as electronic interfaces, consumer devices, and IoT devices, consists of codes and software. Embedded developers are in high demand these days with the increase in smart devices.

Security Development:

Websites or programs face the threat of malware or hackers. Security developers are responsible for creating more secure software by eliminating vulnerabilities in websites or applications. For this purpose, they identify security risks and establish secure systems.

Developing a website varies depending on the size of the project, programming language, and resources. First of all, it is necessary to state the purpose of the website.

by Mertcan Atik

MARKETING COMPONENTS

Brand identity can be thought of as a whole that reflects a brand’s unique characteristics, personality, and values. This identity is formed by the integration of marketing components. First of all, branding and corporate identity determine the basic character of the brand and create visual and verbal elements. Logo design, color palette, typography, and corporate communication standards shape the visual identity of the brand. These elements contribute to the formation of corporate identity by leaving an impression that reminds customers of the values and quality of the brand.

How the brand will appear from the outside is determined and secured by the brand identity. The logo, slogan, color, font, advertising samples, web design, and social media concepts of the institution are specified in the brand identity guide. Brand identity can be expanded depending on the scope of the company. The brand identity process is a branding exercise. Building a brand from scratch is a very critical and professional task. Strategy should take an active role in the entire branding process. The insights gained from the strategy should be applied to the website, advertising efforts, color scheme, or font selection.

Typography is the typefaces that will appear in the visuals that the brand will use in its marketing activities. Each font has a specific character. Choosing fonts suitable for the brand will reinforce the character of the brand.

Shapes are as important as the logo, font, and colors. Figures are supporting drawings for the brand to take its place in customers’ perceptions faster. The important thing is that the shapes to be used are designed to be close to the basic identity of the brand and to explain its function.

Icons are visual elements that are included in various design works of Brands and strengthen the narrative. Their icons strengthen the written expression. Although the shapes used by brands are similar to each other, their styles differ for each brand.

Texture and pattern are supporting elements. Each brand has certain visual elements and textures in its photographs. Patterns, on the other hand, make it easier for customers to perceive the brand in visual areas such as icons and shapes.

Photographs are visuals that brands have to use in many areas. These images must be used in accordance with the basic visual structure of the brand. The usage styles, tones, and angles of the photographs should be determined.

Determining what the brand’s design elements will be only gives it a character. Corporate identity design is an identity booklet that also includes the visual elements of the brand. It is the most valid way to make a business individual and preserve individuality. The brand’s communication, values, culture, visual elements, corporate behavior, forms of advertising, printed materials, and employee uniforms are included in the corporate identity. In this form, the brand achieves a unique structure by distinguishing itself from other brands. Thus, the brand gains a unique place in the minds of its target audience. In addition, the correct use of the brand by different media companies, collaboration companies, agencies, or 3rd party employees is ensured.

All elements within the corporate identity should be processed in coordination with each other. Together creates the corporate image.

Brand identity consists of the brand’s purpose, values, vision, mission, positioning, and architecture. The brand’s purpose is the company’s internal motivation for its purpose. What is the main purpose of the brand other than making a profit? Brand values refer to the values that the brand has acquired throughout its life. Vision is about what the company wants to achieve. It is forward-looking and inspiring. The mission is about what you do. It explains what added value is. Brand positioning expresses the position of the brand in the market. Positioning is the differentiator of the brand in the market. Brand architecture is the determination of the positions and areas of activity of other sub-brands belonging to the brand within the main brand.

Corporate Communications is based on a company’s communication strategy. What kind of image does the institution create in its communication activities? What are the distinguishing elements in internal and external communication? What are the company’s tone and language rules? Every brand has its own tone of voice. The important thing is for brands to achieve a tone of voice that will be most accurately understood by their target audience. A brand story is a narrative within corporate communication.

Corporate design is created by including the visual elements created for branding in the corporate identity guide. In addition to the branding work, the printed products to be used for the institution are also included in the guide. In addition to logo, font, and color preferences, letterhead, envelope design, business cards, file holders, vehicle and office dressings and employee uniforms are some of the corporate design elements.

Users log in to websites to perform an action or get information on a few topics. The more importance is given to usability and user experience when designing a website, the more interaction rate will increase. Any intervention that hinders simplicity will cause users to leave the website within seconds. Simplicity is the most critical feature to look for in a website. The simple use of colors as well as design elements will take the website design to a good point. Making fonts readable will increase the user experience. Graphics should not only be added visually but should be kept functional.

Just like magazine or newspaper designs, it is necessary to create a design that complies with the visual hierarchy in website designs. The size and positioning of images, titles, and texts should be designed to make it easy to navigate and read the website. The most critical feature of a website is that users can easily find what they are looking for. With the navigability feature, users should be able to navigate the website pleasantly and perform their transactions in a simple way. To do this, a site map must be added to certain points of the website. Additionally, a search bar should be added to the top of the site so that users can find what they are looking for with keywords. All pages of a website should be designed in the same format and manner. Consistency will allow users to understand which page they are on within the website. Websites have specific templates for certain pages, if not for every page.

Websites are viewed by many different devices today. It is not possible to access websites designed only for computer screens and make quick transactions from tablets or smartphones. That’s why websites should be designed considering each device separately. Optimized websites receive more traffic and engagement. It is necessary to design websites that can work not only on different devices but also on different website browsers. Today, users have formed certain website experience habits. Acting in accordance with these habits will increase the website experience. The website slider area should always be at the top. Contact information is usually at the bottom of the website. Buttons must be clickable. A website that complies with each of these recommendations is deemed trustworthy by visitors. Users only spend time, get information, and shop on websites they find reliable. We can say that the user experience is high for a website that meets reliability and expectations. There are specific online tests for this. It is necessary to get feedback by running user experience tests on the website.

Content is the most space-consuming element of a website. Texts placed in harmony with visual elements will increase the readability rate.

Header and menu form the top parts of websites. It allows visitors to quickly find what they are looking for. The logo is located in the header area.

The footer is the bottom part of a site. This is the section where basic contact information is located. Additionally, icons that direct you to social media pages are located in this area.

Blogs are pages containing articles and writings on various topics related to the brand. Blogs, where the brand can show how knowledgeable it is in its field, are also important in terms of SEO.

Visuals are important because they make the information that needs to be conveyed supportive and interesting. It is necessary to select visuals that are appropriate to the corporate identity and appropriate to the nature of the communication that needs to be conveyed.

Navigations are indicators of what websites have to offer for visitors. Navigations are necessary to ensure easy access between pages and to maximize the site experience.

C2A are actionable items. It is very useful for the website to achieve the desired conversion and for visitors to take action towards the desired pages.

Display advertising is the most common type of advertising published in the digital world. Appears on websites, blogs, landing pages, and pop-ups. They are not included in search results. Display ads that can be designed in different sizes can be placed on any website. The relevance of such ads for target audiences is quite low. They are published without any targeting thought. However, since they are low cost, the number of people who see the advertisement is high. Display ads can be scheduled through different channels. Digital PR companies, programmatic advertising, and display ads through Google Ads can be published on planned sites.

Native ads differ from display ads in terms of audience targeting. Native ads do not look like any other advertising image. They appear as content of the website or blog pages on which they are located. Since they are placed on certain pages with a strategic decision, their interaction rates are quite high. Since the advertisements are directly related to the subject discussed on the visited page, the rate of visitors clicking on such advertisements is quite high. Some native ads contain the word “sponsored” in certain places.

Social media ads are paid advertisements that social media platforms display to registered audiences. The structure of these ad types can be display, native, and video. Advertisements published in line with advertisers’ targeting appear before the masses depending on the price paid. The word “sponsored” appears in certain parts of the advertisements. They can be of different sizes and structures depending on the content types of social media. Advertisements are published only within the social media platform for which they are placed.

Search engine marketing is sponsored advertising that users encounter based on the keywords they search in search engines. They look just like the results we see in organic search. Their only difference is the word “sponsored” at certain points. They have no visual structure. Textual expressions are designed to get users to click on the ad. Search engine marketing designed with the right strategy provides a very high rate of conversion. Pricing models vary. The critical thing here is to choose a pricing policy that suits the strategy.

Video advertisements are the way brands appear before their target audiences on certain video platforms with promotional videos. Viewers click to watch a video. Video ads appear before the video you want to watch. Additionally, video ads can be integrated into certain websites and blogs like native advertising. Videos can also be preferred as an ad type in social media ads. Although video is a very effective type of advertising, its production requires effort and time. However, video advertisements are very useful for promoting products and services.

Mobile advertising is a type of advertising planned for mobile users as mobile usage increases. SMS can be sent via mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. Additionally, display banner ads can be shown within applications. Push notification is a widely used type of mobile advertising. Information about campaigns is provided by sending notifications to permitted data.

Brands use social media channels to communicate one-on-one with their target audiences, send instant messages, publish paid advertisements, and celebrate important days for their customers. The important thing is to correctly perceive the structure of social media channels and establish the social media strategy correctly. Determining a brand voice and tone that fits the strategy is one of them. All content should be created as if it originates from the same source. The jargon to be used, the scope of the language, the structure of the sentences, the way Emojis are used, and expressions containing C2A should be specified beforehand.

Short videos are one of the most engaging social media content formats. Can share information with followers very quickly. Since they are small in size, they can be easily shared. Many social media channels support the short video-sharing format. It is an ideal format for preparing fast and entertaining content. Nowadays, short videos are the most preferred format type. TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts are ideal for such formats. Social media has made it easier for users to create content with their own templates.

Long videos are shared from online video platforms. It is the ideal sharing type for educational and informative videos. In-depth topics are shared with customers through long videos. YouTube and Facebook are the first video platforms that come to mind.

Images are one of the most frequently published content formats on social media. It is very useful for branding. With static images, brands can present their logos, colors, typography, and slogans to their customers in the easiest way. Images are more memorable than words. As mobile devices upgrade their camera features, the rate of content created with photographs has increased. Instagram and Pinterest are the most frequently used visual-sharing platforms. Content can be personalized by adding filters, effects, and emojis.

Text-based posts are ideal for messages that are better conveyed through textual expressions rather than visual content. For some customers, text-based content is still their most consumed content category. Brand tone and voice are very important here. Starting a conversation for feedback and suggestions from customers is more effective than text-based posts. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Reddit are ideal social media channels for text-based sharing.

Live videos are a type of event where businesses and their customers come together in real-time. Nowadays, live videos have become very popular. Brands can organize webinars with their customers and make presentations at virtual events. Real-time responses can be used by brands to gather customers’ opinions. Live broadcasts can be recorded and turned into ready-to-share videos. Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live and LinkedIn Live are platforms where live broadcasts can be organized.

Brands contact their customers with contact information via e-mail. Apart from different digital marketing methods, email marketing is one of the oldest types of marketing. An effective e-mail title and design increase customers’ interest in the e-mail. In this regard, brands need to resort to very creative ways. A standard email sent by the brand will remain unopened in customers’ mailboxes. At this point, it is necessary to apply innovative techniques and new strategies.

Segmentation is critical for email marketing. Choosing the right audience to send emails to is the primary way to reach audiences relevant to the subject. Issues such as location, age, purchasing preference and time, and membership history can be used to create segmentation. After segmentation, it will be necessary to work on separate texts and visuals for each group. Thus, a more precise marketing communication will be made.

Personalization creates the perception that customers are being contacted directly. Mentioning the customer’s name in the email is the first thing that comes to mind for personalization. The important thing here is to carefully select the topic to be personalized. It is debatable to what extent customers want brands to have an opinion about them.

Automation has become one of the important features of email marketing in recent years. The increase in the number of data has made it difficult to control and track the customers to whom e-mails will be sent. Emails created using automation are more practical than those created manually.

Conversions are the most critical issue in email marketing. Did the mail reach customers? Did customers click on the email and read it? Were the links placed in the email clicked? Did customers arriving via e-mail show purchasing behavior?

Interactive elements increase the time spent on e-mail. Images and GIFs placed in the e-mail make the e-mail more interesting. With AMP, mailers can be transformed from designs into mini websites. For this, email service providers must allow this. Apple and Outlook do not display AMP content.

The user interface is an interface design designed to enable customers who experience the mobile application to carry out their transactions more easily. The layout of the buttons, the harmony of color schemes, and the flawless appearance of images and animations bring the user interface to a good point. A good user interface allows users to navigate mobile applications flawlessly.

Navigation has gained a new style with mobile applications. With smartphones, scrolling down was in common use. With the innovative design, downward scrolling combined with sideward scrolling broke the monotony. Thus, a more entertaining user experience emerged.

Easy login makes mobile applications more useful than websites. Logging into a website is not as easy as mobile applications. Websites require authentication at every login. Mobile applications have eliminated this obligation.

Artificial intelligence has started to be integrated into mobile applications. Artificial intelligence chat robots enable faster transactions by answering customers’ questions instantly.

Animations make mobile applications even more interesting. 3D animations explain the features of products and services better.

Smooth movement is a feature that mobile applications enhance the user experience. Physical buttons have started to be removed from smartphones. The designs that mobile applications include in their interfaces enable users to navigate within the application as they wish.

Computer, mobile or web games are one of the activities that people enjoy while spending time. Brands have started to take part in this enjoyable activity. Branded games, advertising, and promotional games are a new type of digital marketing. The products and messages placed in games are marketing content that users encounter during the game. Branded games are today the most effective and entertaining way for brands to spread their marketing communications. Brands must understand the form and mechanics of the games well.

Mini-games are quick and easy games where brands give promotions to their customers at the end of the game. It is the most common of branded games. It can be developed for many different platforms.

Instant games are web-based games. Facebook, WeChat, and Google are among the instant game developers. Brands can promote their campaign launches through Facebook Games.

Educational games are a type of game in which brands share some information about their products and services with their customers through educational games. Simulations are very effective in learning some subjects. A training simulation that is visually and auditorily constructed correctly may not provide an experience that will be remembered for a long time.

Augmented realism games are realized by positioning brand-related graphics in the real world. Augmented realism, which is quite new in terms of technology, has a high memorability. Brands are increasingly using augmented reality games to raise awareness.

Virtual reality games are games that brands integrate into VR systems. Branded products or brand messages included in virtual reality simulations surround users.

Web games are among the types of games that brands have frequently used since the early days of the internet. The accessibility rates of the games are quite high. All web portals support web games.

Print designs are physical materials created using printing machines rather than digital designs. Brands still use printing extensively for marketing communications today. Although their purposes are different at some points, they are similar to digital designs in terms of both branding and marketing benefits. Today, print designs are encountered almost everywhere. Printing work is a graphic design process. Works designed in digital environments are printed on paper, cardboard, plastic, or metal materials. Someone who deals with print designs must have high material knowledge.

Printing works are very critical for the identity of brands. There are guidelines in the corporate identities of the brands about how the printing work will be done, what measurements will be adhered to, and what the rules will be. Printworks are required to create brand awareness or develop promotional products. In addition, the packaging of the products is also a print design. Branch and vehicle wrapping works are made possible with print designs.

by Mertcan Atik

FORMAT

Creativity encompasses a variety of ideas that can be expressed in several different formats. Various formats such as text, visual arts, video, animation, audio, and 3D design are used to express creative thinking tangibly and engage the audience. The text format offers the chance to put thoughts into words with word games, stories, or informative content. Visual formats aim to impress the audience with designs and images that can be understood at a glance. Video and animation enable an emotional connection with moving images and dynamically tell the story. The audio format delivers a sensory experience to the viewer through music, sound effects, or audio narration. 3D design presents works of art or products in a three-dimensional perspective, providing a realistic and impressive visual.

The most basic and most effective way to communicate is through text. Most of the things we see on the Internet are made up of text. In many areas of marketing, texts meet the masses as headlines, slogans, or keywords. Sometimes texts used for information purposes can be used in storytelling. Sometimes it is used to reinforce existing knowledge.

The texts can be used as plain text in the form of blog content, or they can be designed visually as a graphic element. It can be transformed into a shape by the concept and expressed with color. Logos are names. Slogans are textual expressions that will strengthen brands. Texts are the most basic way to convey brand messages.

Images are the most effective way to tell a story. A correctly chosen visual is the tool that conveys the desired emotion to the other party in the fastest way. Today’s marketing requires very fast communication. Websites have turned into places visited in seconds. Images are what make the message or advertisement interesting. Images used in social media, blogs, and display advertising increase conversion rates.

Images, which can be preferred in the form of photographs, graphics, or drawings, are frequently used in marketing. Preparing images requires a certain amount of time and effort. Production support is required for more comprehensive studies. In addition, an archive consisting of images of the product or service should be made. The visual types to be selected by the marketing strategy should meet the needs of the target audience. Image types can be brand images and graphics. It should be a reminder of the brand to the target audience. GIFs are frequently used on social media platforms today. Stock photos are the most commonly used type in marketing. Images used from paid or free sites are often preferred. The interaction rate of the images produced by the users is quite high.

It is very common today to describe a brand, product, or service using video techniques. Using all the features of communication in a fast and impressive way is possible with video. Video marketing is highly developed by incorporating strategy and planning in it. Video consumption on social media is increasing day by day. The interest level of the video is quite high. It increases the time customers spend with the brand.

Video can be considered an investment tool. A compelling video can influence buying behavior. It can increase conversion rates in display advertising. Video is used in every step of marketing strategies. Search engines show video content in rankings. Video content is one of the most preferred content types today. Video is the most effective way to educate and inform customers. This is also to build a sense of trust in customers. A trusted customer engages in purchasing behavior.

Listened digital media is expressed as sound. It listens live in online broadcasts. It can be shared and listened to in different audio formats offline. Audio is critical for videos. Music is included in the videos as background or voiceover. In addition, music produced for campaigns contains brand messages. Podcasts are widely used as a content type today. Online music platforms are increasing the number of users day by day.

User experience can be increased by using audio files on websites. A more effective presentation of information to the audience can be made in infographic videos. With the right background music, the theme and concept of the communication work are transferred to the target audience faster. As an alternative to microphones, the sound recording technologies of mobile devices are quite advanced. Audio interviews can be prepared for blog pages. Small in size and easy to share, audio files are very important in the marketing world with their impressive use.

Animation has created brand-new opportunities in marketing. Animated visuals are the easiest way to convey brand messages. It makes it possible to present the message impressively by appealing to emotions. It can be consumed more easily than images and text. Animations stay in memory more than other formats. Animation can simplify complex matters. Thus, it is the most preferred method for describing services that are difficult to show. An abstract concept can be more easily explained.

Animation production is a field that requires as much time and effort as video production. However, it does not cover the costs of animation, filming, hiring actors, and setting up a studio. Desktop animated movies are cheaper to produce. Animations keep the brand image and style at the maximum level. The colors and font of the brand can be integrated throughout the animation film. Sales presentations consist of animations. Pages with specific topics are linked to each other with animations and presented to customers.

The conversion rates of 3D works in marketing are increasing. It is more memorable than 2D animations. Watch time is higher than other video types. Technical products can be mirrored exactly with 3D drawings or videos. 3D provides a more complete purchasing experience for customers. Virtual tours have influenced today’s online activities with their 360 experiences. International meetings take place online, where employees and customers meet in 3D environments. Immersive experiences can be created in 3D. 3D commerce sites are environments where customers can view products and services with computer or VR tools. There are purchasing options on websites with high infrastructure.

The inclusion of 3D models of products on websites allows customers to examine more detailed products. With the use of effects, products are made more impressive. Brand images created with a high degree of art create a reputation. This pulls the brand perception in the desired direction. Simulations prepared in 3D environments can be easily changed by the brand image. This protects customers from serious costs. With online personalization, customers can create the product model they want in seconds.

by Mertcan Atik

SOFTWARE

Using software for creative production in marketing is of critical importance to optimize business processes and increase efficiency. Software used in the design, video editing, copy creation, and other creative processes enables teams to produce faster, more effective, and diverse content. For example, graphic design software offers designers flexibility and originality, while video editing tools enable the rapid creation of marketing videos. These software support collaboration and collaboration by providing design templates and asset libraries to increase creativity as well as ensure brand consistency.

by Mertcan Atik

CREATIVE PROCESS

Combining a creative idea with a specific art form creates a new concept. To create this concept, it is necessary to go through a certain creative process. This is a comprehensive collaboration involving many departments and disciplines in the creative process. The entire process after determining the brand strategy and digital marketing plan is the creative process. Each creative process varies depending on the customer’s demand and specific goal. In general, a creative process consists of research and planning, concept development, design and implementation, testing, and improvement stages. After all these processes, the output is shared with the customer and shared through mass media with approval.

During the creative process, skills such as creative problem-solving, idea development, text writing, and design are used. There should be members in this team who can adapt to each other and can transition to new projects according to the needs of the customer. Before the creative production process, creative operations must be carried out completely. Creative operations are the top management that organizes the entire creative process, handling project management, resource allocation, and quality control issues. Ensuring that the creative team produces correctly is possible with the support of the creative operation. Creativity is an open-ended concept. The framework of what needs to be thought and revealed in creative production must be determined correctly.

by Mertcan Atik

IDEA

Every communication work has a clear, effective, and differentiated idea. Creative thinking is the most critical feature that makes an advertising campaign strong. That’s why a big idea is needed in every campaign. Before starting marketing activities, it is necessary to spend a lot of time finding creative ideas. Creativity is the most effective way to distinguish brands from other brands. Creativity is the discovery of the new. Influencing the masses is only possible with ideas to be remembered and shared. Every communication work has a main idea. The main idea is the overarching message that will be integrated into all marketing efforts. 360 marketing activities are realized by designing the main idea to be integrated into all channels.

The big idea is the creative main idea for campaigns. It is an inclusive summary for everyone involved in marketing work. The idea should be such that it will meet the goals that the brand wants to achieve. Before brainstorming, the target audience of the brand, product, and service, and the market should be analyzed well. Insight should be presented in a way that understands the consumer’s problem. The big idea should make an impact and resonate with the target audience.

Creative ideas attract and affect customers, employees, and investors on an emotional level. Brands need ideas with which customers will spend more time on their websites. Interactive content ideas will increase brand awareness. Immersive brand experience ideas will create unforgettable memories for customers. That’s why creative ideas are so important in marketing.

Creative ideas are needed to connect brands with their customers. Creative ideas are realized with strong concepts. Distinctive and remarkable messages depend on their presentation of concepts that support the big idea. Communications presented as concepts allow target audiences to perceive the message quickly. The presence of the concept will keep the main image constant, even if the images and texts change to attract the attention and attention of the target audience. Common images will connect the messages.

Applying creativity in marketing involves integrating creative concepts and strategies into your marketing efforts to promote a product or service. While the general goals of creative marketing are consistent with traditional methods, the approaches and tactics used can differ significantly. Using creativity in marketing efforts aims to provide audiences with experiences that attract, inspire, and resonate with them, ultimately improving brand awareness and understanding.

Incorporating creativity into marketing is crucial for several reasons. While traditional strategies remain prevalent, encouraging innovative approaches can provide numerous benefits:

Creating Brand Identity:

Creative marketing efforts provide ample opportunities to strengthen brand identity. Delivering creative campaigns that cleverly integrate the brand’s essence can leave a lasting impact on target audiences, distinguishing the brand from competitors and increasing brand recall.

Enabling Target Audience Collaboration:

Creative marketing facilitates deeper engagement by tapping into the audience’s emotions and perspectives. By adopting creative strategies, one can develop a collaborative relationship with target audiences, gain valuable information about their preferences, emotions, and needs, and thus improve marketing strategies.

Encouraging Idea Generation:

Integrating creativity into marketing strategy encourages idea generation in the team. By encouraging innovative thinking and inspiring the development of new promotional concepts and campaigns, success, interaction, and sales can be increased.

Optimizing Resource Allocation:

Effective application of creativity in marketing can lead to significant resource savings, especially in advertising expenditures. Well-executed creative campaigns often drive significant organic engagement, reduce the need for extensive promotional investment, and make marketing efforts more cost-effective.

Improving Performance:

Combining creativity with data-driven insights can significantly improve the performance of marketing efforts. By analyzing the success of creative campaigns, you can gain valuable insight into audience preferences and engagement patterns, enabling iterative improvements and increasing performance levels.

Businesses often need fresh ideas to compete in the marketing world. The six steps to adding new and creative ideas to marketing strategies can be explained step by step as follows. By following these steps, a business can breathe new life into its marketing strategy and increase its competitive advantage.

It is necessary to note new concepts that come to mind while wandering around or taking a relaxing shower. Surrounding the environment with creativity-enhancing colors always helps. It is necessary to document all new ideas, no matter how disconnected they may initially seem from the marketing plan.

Do any of the new ideas resonate? Can these be included in the business’s marketing strategy? Although new and creative approaches may seem eccentric, they often require exploration.

Which ideas should be tried first? It is preferable to choose a new approach every time. Rather than rushing into multiple ideas for which one does not have the necessary energy and resources, it would be right to focus the effort on implementing it effectively and thoroughly evaluating its effectiveness.

What results are expected to be achieved with the newfound idea? It is necessary to make sure that the goals you define meet the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely).

How will the innovative idea be transformed into actionable steps in the marketing strategy? The tactics to be applied during implementation need to be determined.

After a reasonable period, it is necessary to evaluate the performance of the new tactic. Is there room for improvement or should an alternative approach be considered?

Design Thinking has emerged as an approach that can adapt to the changing business environment and is widely adopted by companies to develop strategies, marketing plans, innovation efforts, and organizational design. Indeed, design thinking has powered leading brands such as Apple, and Google to develop intentional, human-centered products.

Design Thinking is one of the many tools you can use to solve complex problems. Design thinking is an iterative approach that aims to understand users, redefine problems, and question assumptions; This allows exploring alternative solutions and strategies. It is a way of thinking and working that involves a diverse collection of applied methods.

Design thinking focuses on developing a deep concern for the people being designed for when designing products and services. It allows questioning problems, assumptions, and conclusions. Using this approach, by reframing ambiguous or unknown problems in human-centered ways, brainstorming sessions can generate many ideas and a hands-on approach can be taken in the prototyping and testing stages. Design thinking also involves constant iteration and experimentation – sketching, prototyping, testing, and trying out new concepts and ideas.

Marketing today is more about connecting with people and less about money. Successful marketing campaigns create an emotional connection with audiences and touch their hearts. Beyond providing quantitative market research data, qualitative data from design research allows for empathy with potential customers. One can empathize with customers to understand why they buy something.

How Can You Use Design Thinking in Marketing?

Marketers often forget how to acquire and retain customers by focusing on customer characteristics and forget what kind of problem they want to solve with products. Empathy is the key to getting to real customer problems. It is important not to think of customers just as numbers, but to analyze their hopes, fears, emotions, and the unique stories they will share. Once you get to know and empathize with customers, there will be an opportunity to think about products and marketing methods from a completely different perspective.

It is necessary to utilize design thinking tools such as empathy mapping, buyer personas, and roadmaps to uncover customer pain points and opportunities. Resources and budgets can then be systematically prioritized to transform the customer experience. In design thinking, flare methods or decomposition thinking are used to gather a wide range of user stories to explore ideas find opportunities, and increase the quantity without judgment while brainstorming. From a set of concepts or themes, fewer concepts and themes can be created using focusing or integrative thinking methods.

Traditional marketing processes are not fast. Once time and money are invested in an idea, it can be difficult to let go of it. Design sprints can be helpful here because they save time spent creating ideas by quickly progressing to the test, learn, and iteration phases. This will help gather more insights and create new opportunities to enable growth and scale.

As a result, Design Thinking can help marketers keep in step with increasingly savvy customer expectations and take marketing to the next level. The design thinking framework systematically addresses problems and ruthlessly measures results, from dollars earned to customer satisfaction levels. This is a methodology that encourages innovation, encourages new thinking, and develops groundbreaking ideas, but remains realistic. It combines customers’ wishes with what is technically possible and economically feasible for the business.

by Mertcan Atik

ART

Art as a form of communication is visual, textual, and auditory codes. It gives form to the transmission and effect of knowledge. Art is what words cannot say. Storytelling is a form of expression that everyone can perceive and be inspired by. Art is calming, exciting, and surprising. A creative work of art is different. Anything different attracts people’s attention. Art is effective in influencing the masses. A piece of music can be heard all over the world with the same enthusiasm. It is a universal form of communication. Art makes people more empathetic and provides a better emotional transition.

As a marketing tool, art is a way of establishing an emotional connection with the customer. Art is necessary to create the overall visual identities of brands. The formation of a standard style of brand is possible with many branches of art. Art is used for an engagingly designed ad image, captivating videos, or ad soundtrack. Marketing is the result of the collaboration of art and technology. Both logical data and artistic aesthetics are in balance in marketing communication.

Art and marketing professionals can present different perspectives when preparing an advertising work. For the marketing professional, a video is an interaction and transformation, while for an art director, it is aesthetic and emotional content. However, the resulting work must be in direct proportion to the brand’s strategy. Art elements make it possible to appeal more effectively to the desires, fears, or other abstract emotions of the target audience. Art builds bridges between customers and ideas. And it manages to do this on a global scale.

It is only possible for a brand to tell its story in the best way with photographs, drawings, videos, or texts. At this point, brand and art are intertwined. When the best advertisements are examined, it is seen that they consist of masterfully created art. Marketing exists when many branches of art it contains meet on a common ground for a specific goal.

The use of a strong concept in advertising campaigns enriches all communication activities. This is the creative formula to differentiate and differentiate from other campaigns. A strong concept allows an ad that lasts 30 seconds to turn into a social media post that can be perceived in 5 seconds. Because at the concept stage, color, font, typography, picture, and other visual and auditory elements were determined. Wherever the campaign messages within this framework appear, it will be understood which brand they belong to. The concept is a guide to the style of communication work. It is a framework for the entire creative process.

In today’s societies, the aim is to sell products through various channels, relying on the consumer power of the population. However, the traditional role of art in society has been portrayed as distancing itself from commerce, aligning with literature and music for higher purposes. Yet, the claim that art has remained far from the sales-focused nature of commerce can be questioned.

Sir John Everett Millais’ painting “Bubbles” is one of the earliest examples of a renowned artist’s work overtly used for commercial purposes. Created in the late 19th century by Millais, a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the painting was utilized by the British soap company Pears for advertising.

The Art Nouveau movement can be considered a period when art and commerce converged. Alphonse Mucha, a key figure in Art Nouveau, designed his art as a form that could be consumed for advertising purposes. Using his works, particularly portraits of the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt, for commercial posters marked an early instance of art being open to consumption.

The emergence of the Pop Art movement marked a reversal of power roles between art and advertising. Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” depicted popular consumer products as art objects, symbolizing a shift in the relationship between art, advertising, and popular culture.

Logos, designed for companies to ensure recognition and memorability in a competitive market, are a product of using artistic iconography. In 1969, the Spanish lollipop brand Chupa Chups hired the surrealist painter Salvador Dalí to design its commercial logo, showcasing how art evolved to be more integrated with brand identity.

While advertising aims to sell a product, it can also be considered a form of visual art. Graphic artists working in advertising and marketing agencies utilize various artistic techniques to create aesthetics. The primary goal of commercial art is to establish an image for the product and the manufacturing company. This image intends to evoke emotional connections between the consumer and the product. The artistic methods employed in advertising mainly focus on shaping this image.

Art direction begins with creating an overall visual concept that turns brands into a memorable identity. This creative vision is translated into a set of brand guidelines that any designer producing content for various platforms can adopt. Art directors manage the creative process to ensure different artistic elements work together to create a unified message. This often involves overseeing design teams consisting of graphic designers, photographers, filmmakers, and copywriters. Whether for brand design, content marketing, or advertising, the goal is to ensure that different media formats, including images, videos, graphics, and print, work together harmoniously.

Art directors oversee design projects to ensure they meet the design brief and align with the brand identity. This involves determining the project’s tone and visual objectives, directing creative staff by setting the creative direction. From brand design to marketing campaigns, content marketing to advertisements, art direction plays a role in all marketing areas. It’s important to note that the absence of someone with the title of art director in your organization doesn’t mean the work isn’t being done. Depending on the size and structure of the organization, responsibilities may be divided differently.

Art direction is concerned with creating the overall concept to visually communicate the campaign message effectively and interpreting the marketing brief. While creating this vision is often the responsibility of the creative or art director, doing it correctly requires experience, insight, imagination, and intuition.

Additionally, understanding the target audience to resonate with the campaign’s style, tone, and mood may involve market research. Another crucial responsibility of an art director is overseeing the design process to ensure that artistic elements align with the desired core message or idea. This means the art director must convey the brief to graphic designers and other creative team members and supervise the team’s work throughout the project’s development. This ensures that all visual assets align with the visual design brief, brand guidelines, and design principles.

Art directors need to regularly review and provide feedback on the work of the creative team. This involves identifying and developing inspiring ideas. In practice, project management can change multiple times throughout the project lifecycle. The creative process always evolves in response to new ideas, perspectives, or situations. This can be due to client input, new research or information, or inspiration from the creative team.

In today’s highly competitive market, brands are compelled to seek differentiation through innovative management strategies due to a new breed of consumers who are more demanding, informed, active, and skeptical of conventional advertising. The uniformity in product features has led brands to explore relevant and emotionally engaging communication. In this context, incorporating references to art in commercial brand communication is proposed as a valid means of creating a connection with consumers. The evolving relationship between art and advertising supports an integrative vision, where both mutually benefit from each other. Empirically demonstrating the positive impact of visual art on consumer product perception in advertising, brands increasingly adopt this strategy. The various formulas for using visual art as an advertising resource can be classified into eleven types based on the form of expression and content, opening avenues for future research in this evolving field.