AroundCampus Group Advertisement Proofing
Context
​
My job as an Operations Specialist was to edit and proof all advertisements for quality control standards before they were sent to clients for approval. These standards included things such as the format of phone numbers and abbreviations of addresses. I also addressed issues with the copy, whether that be grammatical errors, misspellings or other issues. These were pretty straightforward things to look for and we had checklists to make sure we covered everything before sending it on to the next step.
Another thing we were trained to look for was the aesthetic of the advertisement. This was based on the graphic design principles known as the CRAP principles: contrast, repitition, alignment and proximity. These four principles are what make an advertisement effective or ineffective depending on how the designer utilizes the principles. These were much less straightforward things to look for, as suggestions for changes needed solid reasoning behind them. I also had to make rhetorical decisions Below are examples of advertisements and the changes they went through and the reasons for my suggestions.
Graphic Design and Rhetorical Decisions
The problem in this advertisement was that the logo seemed to get lost in the background photo. The simple fix for this was to create more contrast between the two. Usually the designers are not allowed to alter the logo in any way because it is possible to take away from the brand that the company created for itself. However, in this case, the company had sent us multiple versions of the logo, so we were able to use one that was more prominently seen on the ad. There were also some problems with formatting of the copy of the line with the address and phone number, so a few changes were made there. The divider in that line was also changed to create repetition of shapes and angles from the logo.
This advertisement is an example of one that went through multiple versions before it got sent on to the next stage of production. The final version, the last slide in the gallery, contains elements of repetition that the first version, the first slide, does not have. For example, I suggested that the designer use a font more similar to the one in the logo so that the ad would flow more. I also suggested that the background color used be changed to the same red as the border and the red in the logo for even more flow. And to top it all off, I suggested that the background picture be changed to a glass of wine being poured because the name of the company has the word "pour" in it.
​
The repetition of colors in this advertisement is done well. However, I found that the alignment of the copy could have been situated differently. The first version has two separate sections, one that you read horizontally across, and another that you have to turn your head to the side to read. This makes the ad choppy and needs something to tie the two sides together. My suggestion was to put some of the copy in the white section on the diagonal and some of the copy in the green section on the horizontal. The resulting product, pictured on the last slide, made the two sides flow together better and look like one advertisement instead of two.
​
This ad was very busy when I first received it, so my mission was to make it look less cluttered. One way to do this is to make sure that like copy is placed in closer proximity to each other or placed in a way that shows likeness. The original ad repeated some copy and had things floating all over the place. My suggestion was to group the products and services they offer closer together to create proximity between them. This resulted in a complete rearrangement of the information on the advertisement as seen in the final version on the last slide.
​
​
​
This advertisement was done very well based on quality control standards; there were no problems with the copy, grammatically or otherwise. In fact, this advertisement was done pretty well overall. The designer utilized the CRAP principles and tried to create repetition with colors from the sprinkles in the border and color bar. However, my suggestion was to use this repetition somewhere else because the prominence of the yellow made the ad seem more playful than the brand called for. This doughnut shop is branded on the "cop" theme, so I suggested that a silver or gray border and color bar would fit better with the brand. Then I suggested that the use of the colors from the sprinkles be incorporated in the text. The second and last slide was the final result.
While this ad was well thought out, when I first glanced at it I had some confusion over what it actually was an advertisement for. This is because the designer chose to include a picture of a coffee mug with an already established brand on an ad for a completely different company. My suggestion was to remove that photo to eliminate any confusion and to instead include a photo that portrayed what this company did: graphic design on products for other companies. I also asked that since the blue in the remaining photo is so bright that the new photo bring in this color in some way as well. The resulting final product is pictured below and is, I believe, a better representation of this company.

I might be particularly biased about this advertisement because my nickname is Mickey and I am a huge fan of hamburgers, but I really liked this as a start for an advertisement. I liked the use of repetition with the colors (the yellow and red in the logo and the food truck and the pictures of the hamburgers, as well as the gray scale of the background and the food truck picture). However, there is this huge blank space in the middle where the faded picture is. My suggestion for this designer was to research more information about this company and place it in the empty space, or to move the address and phone number into that empty space. The designer combined both of my suggestions to create the final product, pictured on the last slide.
Reflection
Editing and proofing these advertisements showed me how important it is to make sure every element speaks to the company's brand and message they are trying to get across. This is important because the audience doesn't want to be misled when making a decision about visiting a location they see advertised. While advertisements are supposed to entice viewers to visit, they are also supposed to be a representation of the company itself so that viewers have a predisposed notion of what they are getting themselves into. It is important to know how to speak for these companies so their advertisements are both satisfactory and effective.
