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All Advertising Looks the Same These Days. Blame the Moodboard

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Summary

This article discusses the phenomenon of visual homogeneity in art direction and branding, which has arisen due to the use of moodboards and collective inspiration websites like Pinterest and Are.na. It argues that art directors' reliance on these sites to source imagery can lead to a lack of discovery and iteration in the creative process. The article also looks at the shelfie trend as an example of semiotic degeneration due to the overuse of certain photo trends. It suggests that designers look to other creative fields such as architecture and fine art for inspiration, and trust their own intuition to avoid repetition.

Q&As

What is the “moodboard effect” and how does it lead to visual homogeneity in art direction?
The “moodboard effect” is the pressure on art directors to provide a variety of boards that break down every aspect of a shoot (from lighting to propping) as well as a shot list that will be strictly followed by a photographer. This pressure to provide final results in advance of production encourages art directors to only propose ideas that they can find existing photographic examples of, and to ultimately recreate these ideas on set, leading to visual homogeneity in art direction.

What is the “shelfie” trend and how has it been used by different brands and publications?
The “shelfie” trend began with a 1982 Clinique campaign by Irving Penn, and since then dozens of brands and publications have adopted the style, transforming it from a brilliant composition to a personal care trope. It is an isolated medicine cabinet, filled with a range of beautifully packaged products, photographed head-on in front of a flat backdrop.

How can designers avoid repetition when sourcing reference imagery?
Designers can avoid repetition when sourcing reference imagery by looking outside of the world of contemporary graphic design and art direction for inspiration, and certainly outside the client industry they’re working in, whether that be by referencing the past, or other creative fields like architecture or fine art. They can also trust their intuition and let what they’ve seen filter through the lens of their own memory, rather than working directly from a reference on a page.

How has the rise of the internet and the use of collective inspiration websites impacted visual ideation?
The rise of the internet and the use of collective inspiration websites has led to narrower thinking and shallower visual ideation. On these sites, by design, creatives are encouraged to bucket out imagery into thematically consistent folders to be shared and mined by other visitors. But by stripping imagery from its in-situ context, it becomes difficult to grasp the conceptual rationale behind their formal appearance.

What is the difference between graphic design and art direction when it comes to client approval?
In graphic design, client approval typically happens after work has been created, whereas in art direction the order is flipped, with client sign-off required before any imagery has been made.

AI Comments

👍 This article is a great insight into the current state of art direction and visual homogeneity in advertising. It is interesting to see how the shelfie trend has evolved over time and what can be done to create something unique.

👎 This article is too long-winded and could have been more concisely written. The article also does not provide enough practical solutions to the issue of visual homogeneity in advertising.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about how the use of moodboards in art direction has led to a lot of visual homogeneity among advertising. It talks about how art directors are increasingly turning to collective inspiration websites like Pinterest to find reference images, which can lead to ideas being copied without much originality.

Friend: That's really interesting. It makes me think about how the internet has made information more readily available, but that can also lead to less creativity. It's like we're stuck in a cycle of recycling the same ideas and images.

Me: Yeah, exactly. It can be hard to come up with something new when you have so much inspiration right at your fingertips. The article suggests looking outside of the client industry you're working in, and even outside of design, for inspiration. This way, you can still reference the visual climate without having to copy it.

Action items

Research other creative fields, such as architecture or fine art, for inspiration when creating art direction.
Intentionally source reference images from a variety of sources, rather than relying on collective inspiration websites.
Trust your intuition and allow what you’ve seen to filter through the lens of your own memory, rather than working directly from a reference on a page.

Technical terms

Moodboard: A collection of images, text, and other design elements used to convey a particular concept or idea.
Shelfie: A style of art direction that involves photographing a range of products on a shelf in front of a flat backdrop.
Refraction: The bending of light as it passes through a medium, such as water droplets.
Curation: The process of selecting, organizing, and presenting content.
Mimicked: To imitate or copy.
Zeitgeist: The spirit of the times; the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, and spiritual climate of an era.
Semiotic Degeneration: The process of a sign or symbol losing its meaning over time.
Intuition: The ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.
Reference Images: Images used as a source of inspiration or comparison.
Moodboarding: The process of creating a moodboard.