Fit the niche
Selecting a niche that seems custom made for you is not just a matter of thinking that this area sounds great or that it is right for you because of your education and training. Instead, if the niche is right for you, it has to fit who you are, hold your interest, and keep you feeling passionate about the work you have chosen to do.
To help you with the decision making process of exploring your options and evaluating them we will take an even closer look at each of the specialized areas or niches presented in Step Two and examine:
- The nature of the job
- The kind of individual who performs well in this particular niche
- The talent, education, and training each niche demands in the advertising marketplace.
In workshop 7 you were asked to check off those positions that you found interesting or attractive. You were also instructed to highlight or underline any aspects of those jobs you related to. I would like you to do the same in this chapter with any of the qualifications, job descriptions, or personality traits that seem to apply to you. You will need to refer back to this personal inventory in the Area of Specialization Evaluation exercise at the end of Step Three.
Art direction
Art directors often begin their careers as paste up artists and then become graphic designers. From there, with increased experience, they will take on more management and supervisory responsibilities. Depending on the agency's needs, a graphic designer will move up in the agency echelon to the positions of junior and senior art director. The time this upward movement may take depends entirely on the individual's capabilities, the agency's size, and its internal structure. In general, promotions come sooner in smaller agencies.
Almost without exception, art directors will need at least two years of college preparation as design, graphics, or fine arts majors. Many art directors, however, do have either four year or even graduate degrees.
Some agencies involve the art directors, copywriters, and creative directors in the initial client meetings to hear firsthand what the client wants. Later they are included in the formal presentation meeting to assist the account executive in explaining to the client why a particular creative strategy was chosen and how the words and graphic images reflect that strategy. Once the client has approved the final concept for a campaign project, the art director oversees the production of all mechanicals for print materials as well as other support mediums such as television commercials, training tapes, or slide presentations. The art director's main objective is to be sure that all visual elements of the campaign have a consistent image.
In many agencies, especially the smaller ones, art directors are also in charge of scheduling and pricing out the projects that go through their department. For example, if an agency is producing an annual report for a client, once the concept has been developed and a budget established (usually by the client), the art director then determines the printing specifications (finished size, paper stock, number of pages, colors, photos and/or illustrations to be used) and passes this information or to several printing companies for price quotes. At the same time, quotes are gathered from photographers, illustrators, typesetters, and any other outside sources whose services may be needed to complete the project. Once the quotes are in and compared, the art director will then decide which companies will be selected to handle the final execution of the various jobs.
It is important to note that the art director's decision is not always based on the least expensive quote. It is based on a fair market price plus the company's ability to complete the job on time, stay within the quote, and do the best quality work. This delicate combination of requirements makes the final selection a difficult decision, especially if the company or freelancer is unfamiliar. That is why a good reputation is so essential in business. When prices and time frames are equal, reputation is the next deciding factor. And quite often a good reputation will justify higher prices.
When the outside sources have been selected and final prices established, the art director meets with the copy department, layout and mechanical artists, as well as outside source people to determine a workable production schedule. As the project evolves, the art director is ultimately responsible for monitoring costs on aspects of the project generated in the art department such as type, printing, photography, mechanicals, and illustrations. The copy department oversees copy writing, research, and interview costs.
