The role of the advertising art director is to communicate to consumers about the products, services, or ideas of their clients. The art director must impact this target audience through visual images appearing in magazines, newspapers, television commercials, billboards, the internet, and related marketing materials. To accomplish this, advertising art directors must be sensitive to both copy and visuals when carrying out creative concepts. They must have an understanding of marketing–its trends, changing consumer attitudes and social change–and these must be reflected in the finished visuals. In Chicago there are more than 500 advertising agencies employing over 15,000 people. A large number of international agencies are headquartered here, including Leo Burnett, J. Walter Thompson, and DDB, along with numerous medium sized agencies and specialty boutique firms.

Through the classroom experience students learn multiple roles: creative director, market researcher, photographer, illustrator, copywriter, and television director. They are trained in visual problem solving, creative strategic planning, copy writing, marketing analysis, advertising theory, and advertising photography. Students verbally and visually express their ideas to their colleagues and instructors. Just as in the industry, students often work in teams to complete projects. Projects include advertising campaigns that cover: television commercials, collateral marketing, point-of-purchase advertising, out of home advertising, guerilla marketing, and related ancillary print materials. Professional art directors and creative directors from Chicago’s agencies teach many of the classes. Our well-integrated arts core curriculum, combined with liberal arts courses, further develops our students’ education. Students also have the benefit of the Student Ad Club, access to Chicagoland advertising community events, and our professional internship program.

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