campaign / 6 minute read

The power of art direction

Written by Sarah Watts

15 May 2023

If your project needs a clear, consistent style (and let’s be honest, what successful project doesn’t?), you need an art director. 

 



Here at DRPG, we’ve been creating unforgettable creative experiences for over 40 years. For clients big and small, we make it our mission to really deliver on visuals. That’s because we know just how important they are when it comes to getting your audience to feel (and ultimately do) something. 



For us, art direction is all about creating that perfect scene without making it look like you’re breaking a sweat. It transforms a visual encounter into a visual experience. And it makes sure that experience isn’t quickly forgotten either. But there’s more to art direction than you might think. It’s not just making sure scenes look good on screen or in print. 



Art directors are our brand guardians. They ensure everything we produce is on point for our clients and tells the stories we’re trying to share in every detail of all the content we produce. Years of creative experience and exceptional talent run throughout our Design, Campaign, Digital, Film, Motion Graphics and Photography solutions and all our specialists are supported by a brand guardian (read, art director) ready to set the scene.   



Art direction is also about intent. Our masterminds take a dash of innovation and a dollop of forward-thinking as they look at the bigger picture with a keen eye, making sure every little detail plays into the story a brand is trying to tell. Art direction isn’t something that only happens on set, they’re in the room from day one. Experts at working with the right people to deliver the right concept in the right way, they’re absolutely central to concept creation and a winning delivery. So, whether you’re after a film, animation, brand work or a combination of services, your art director will be at the centre of it all, steering the ship.  



Your art director is your best friend when it comes to consistency, and they’ll spot things you wouldn’t even have thought of. But it’s not just that, they think about how all those visual bits can subtly evoke the required response from viewers and create connections between the brand and colours, objects and even lighting. It’s pretty cool stuff, right!?  



There are near endless benefits to having an experienced art director on your team, but here are just a few of the big ones…

  1. Consistent visual style 

    With a visual style that’s specific to your brand, and consistent across all your content, you’ll become instantly recognisable to your audience. Even better, you’ll create a visual standard that makes interacting with your brand feel more positive for consumers and so much simpler for the people inside your organisation. 

     

  2. Enhanced storytelling 

    All marketing efforts tell stories. Often, we focus on the message at the centre of those stories, but visuals have huge impact with audiences. It’s with visual cues we connect the emotive dots of any campaign, so keeping an art director at the centre of your project means your message, and your story, will stay consistent too. 

     

  3. Clear brand identity 

    Clarity couldn’t be more important when it comes to brand. The very best brands stand for something, and their audiences feel such strong connections because they stand for the very same thing. Conveying that identity accurately is vital to creating communities that really care about your brand, and an art director is the key to doing just that. 

     

  4. Genuine visual interest 

    We all think we can see what looks good and what doesn’t, but as soon as you bring an art director on board you’ll see the difference between someone who has a hunch when it comes to visuals and someone who really knows their stuff. Art directors live and breathe visuals, and they know all the best tricks to draw viewers’ eyes to just what you want them to see. 

     

  5. Increased production value  

    Making your content look top notch is down to a whole raft of specialists, but art directors are the people that link a whole project together. They’ll make sure production values are where they need to be every step of the way and be on hand to ensure every detail is working towards your goal. Ultimately, that means less time wasted and even more effective content.

 

 

With us, your brand is certainly in good hands. We pride ourselves on working as an extension of your team, so we’ll always take the time to build that trust and understanding of who you are. Then, we can provide art direction that takes your project to the next level and always nails the brief.   



Sound like something you could benefit from? Let’s create something unforgettable together.   



Reach out to our incredible team of art directors at anythingspossible@drpgroup.com