Art direction

Member lesson

Choosing a single idea and holding it

Lesson 4 of 12 in Art direction.

Lesson

Work that has one idea beats work that has three, and it is not close. Three ideas share the attention a viewer was going to give you anyway, so each gets a third, and none of them lands.

An ink drawing of a poster showing one red umbrella, with several hands reaching in holding cut-out extras and an art director blocking them with her arm.
Guarding a one-idea poster from a crowd of small extra requests.
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  1. Question 1, locked

    Which of these words means this? “One idea, expressed completely. The oldest rule in advertising and still correct.”

    • Praise
    • Production designer
    • Coherence
    • Single-mindedness
  2. Question 2, locked

    Which of these words means this? “Two ideas averaged. Reliably worse than either.”

    • Compromise version
    • Creative director
    • Trust
    • Coverage check
  3. Question 3, locked

    Which of these words means this? “An idea weakened by additions nobody individually objected to.”

    • Dilution
    • Intent over method
    • Selects
    • Intent

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