Design an Ad for a Newspaper

Project Description:  You have been hired by a local business to create an advertisement for that business.  The advertisement will be printed in the local newspaper.

Project Directions:  You will choose a local business to create an advertisement for.  I prefer you to choose a business in Baxter, but one from Newton or the Des Moines area would be okay too.  The key is that you are choosing a business that is real and not one that is made up.  You need to research your business as much as you can.  Use the recommendations and guidelines below for help with this. 

Suggested Timeline

Day 1 - Tuesday, April 26

• Select a company/project.
• Research the product or service your ad will be promoting.

Day 2 - Wednesday, April 27

• Draw preliminary sketches.
• Begin digital draft of ad.
  

Day 3 - Thursday, April 28

• Complete first draft of ad.
• Get feedback on draft.
  

Day 4 - Friday, April 29

• Make revisions to draft and complete the final ad.
  
• Turn it into your group folder by the end of Day 4.

Ad Sizes

You may choose either of the following sizes for you ad.  You may also choose if the ad will be in color or in black and white.  Use the following exact sizes.

Quarter Page Ad

5 inches wide x 9.5 inches tall
300 pixels per inch

Half Page Ad

10 inches wide x 9.5 inches tall
300 pixels per inch

Recommendations and Guidelines (read carefully please!!)

• Design Principles
  Remember the importance of the design principles in your ad:
  1. Proximity - put similar things next to each other
  2. Alignment - each thing aligned to something else
  3. Repetition - repeat some aspect of the design
  4. Contrast - strong differences draw the eyes to a focal point
• Research Newpaper Ads
  Find and study several newspaper ads.
  1. How is a newpaper ad arranged?
  2. What is the hierarchy of information (what you look at first, middle, and last)?
  3. Where are the headline, the images, and the copy (text)?
  4. What is the "call to action" (where the ad tells you what you should do in response to it)?
• Research Your Client
  Find out about your client. Research the product or service your ad will be promoting. But, please, do not call your assigned client (in real life you would, but not for this contest).
1. Use the Internet or visit your library to search for possible news articles regarding their products or services.
2. If possible, visit one of their retail outlets to get a firsthand view of the company’s products and see who its customers are.
3. Then ask yourself, “What benefits does the client’s product/service give their customers?”
• Message
  Convey your client’s “message.” Your ad should have a message for the readers your advertiser is trying to reach.
1. Is there a logo, or symbol that the client regularly uses?
2. If a theme has been suggested, be sure to include it.
• Practice
  Practice first. Experiment on scratch paper first for an idea and use your best idea on your final ad sheet. Layout your idea as neatly as possible.
• Completeness
  Don’t leave anything out. Ads should include a main “headline” (a catchy slogan or message), illustration and the client’s name, address, phone number and web site (please be sure to spell all words and names correctly!).

• Originality
  The concept of the ad, the written message and the graphic image must be the student’s own work. This means that you cannot use an image you find online as-is. You may use it for reference, however.

Some Helpful Sites to Check Out 

Design Process for creating a creative newspaper ad. Shows great visuals of the entire design process, from beginning to end.

Pictures of great advertising design.

How to design a print advertisement. This page has a good visual for a before and after ad.