Print art and advertising

Print Art and Advertising

Advertising and Art History

Advertising, the print media, and art have always had a mutual relationship. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, advertising as a whole underwent a revolution of style. Up until these decades, advertising was basically focused upon selling mass-produced products to a mass audience without any distinction or differentiation in either product or audience. Differentiation began to occur during the 1950s, where specific products were targeted towards specific audience segments. Advertising was then designed to appeal to specific audiences, such as those who would buy a specific car or type of bread.

During the 1960s and 1970s, art continued to be a prominent part of this sort of advertising. Up to this time, art used in advertising generally fell into the "commercial art." Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker for example created art to sell specific goods. Currently being respected as artists, these works have become serious art, but at the time they were seen as a means to an advertising end. At the time, the majority of artists selling their services in this way were employed full time by advertising agencies. Only during the late 1980s did more serious artists begin to be approached for advertising purposes.

In 1985, Andy Warhol was approved for painting the Absolut Vodka Bottle. This was the turning point for the marriage of serious art, commissioning, and advertising. After the success of the Absolut ad, new doors opened for artists to gain merit in their work. This trend is also the latest in the evolution of advertising and the creative art that makes such a large part of it.

2) Artistic trends

As mentioned above, one of the major advertising trends today is the increasing use of art to enhance the messages of the media. As such, art and advertising has become so intertwined that advertising itself has become an art form. In turn, the general trends in advertising is influencing the art world as well, which has repercussions not only for artists and advertisers, but also for consumerism and the general cultural trend.

Art in advertising is used with increasing success. A notable example is Xerox, who approached the Louisiana artists George Rodrigue for the use of his Blue Dog for the purpose of advertising. According to reports, this has increased the company's sales and exposure with nearly 100%. It is interesting that established artists are now agreeing to use their work in selling goods and products. Coca-Cola and Stolichnaya are also companies that have begun to invest in serious art in this way. The above-mentioned example of Andy Warhol and Absolut is furthermore significant in this regard.

Interestingly, Rodrigue was commissioned by Michel Roux for the same purpose during the early 1990s. The artist was asked to paint the bottle for the purpose of the Absolut Statehood campaign. After Andy Warhol's commission, the trend of art in advertising has become increasingly popular. Indeed, Rodrigue was very pleased to be commissioned in this way. Another artist who followed this trend was Yuri Gorbachev, painting the bottle during the early 1990s. After this, the artist created a "Christmas present" for Stolichnaya. This proved so successful that the company retained this artistic service on a yearly basis. Many of these ads have found their way into collectors' homes, where they are framed and displayed. In this way, the boundaries between art and advertising have blurred even further.

The success of such advertisements, along with the associated respect for the artists involved, is indicative of consumer reaction to such advertising. The reason for this is ascribed to the qualities of fine art: the quality, strength and emotion associated with art is communicated to the product being advertised, which finds its way into the consumer heart and mind on a multiplicity of levels. Using art in this way helps advertisers to appeal to the emotions of their potential customers. Emotional appeal occurs firstly on the strength of vision, and hence art urges the consumer towards a desire to spend.

3) Positive and Negative Effects.

I believe that the most significant effect of art in advertising is positive. Artists are provided with the opportunity to become both well-known and make a living from their products. In addition, advertising becomes a source not only of attempting to sell products, but also of entertainment for the viewer. In this way, prints such as the Absolut bottle and other advertisements where fine art is used, provide both creators and consumers with a basis for connection. Products are provided with an extra edge, and consumers feel that they are investing in quality when they shop.

A possible negative effect is that unestablished artists tend to be wary of the advertising field on the strength of the assumption that they would not be taken seriously as artists. If however an increasing number of established artists are engaged in this way, new artists can use advertising as a springboard for their later success.