J U L Y
F I R S T
T W E N T Y - T W E N T Y
THE ART OF DECK MAKING
A R T
“
Simplicity, clarity, complexity, and ambiguity
are not mutually exclusive states in language;
the sensitive typographer is one who can
manifest these states in the right mix by
controlling the elements at his or her disposal
-
TIMOTHY
SAMAR A
author of Making and Breaking the Grid
“
T H E
T W O
T H E
A R T
GOOD DECKS SELL IDEAS.
T H R E E
T H E
A R T
WHAT MAKES A GREAT DECK?
F O U R
T H E
A R T
THE DECK COMMANDMENTS
F I V E
T H E
A R T
OPEN STRONG
S I X
SUPER BOWL 2020
J U L Y
F I R S T
T W E N T Y - T W E N T Y
T H E
A R T
VS.
E I G H T
SUPER BOWL
July 1, 2020
T H E
A R T
USE VISUAL HIERARCHY
T E N
T H E
A R T
PAG E NAME
*
O N E VISUAL FO CAL PO IN T
2.
ONLY INC LUDE THE NE C E SSARY
SUPPORTING COPY OR INFO THAT
CANNOT B E VOIC E D OVE R.
*CITATION OR SOURCES SHOULD BE TREATED AS LEGAL COPY. IT SHOULDN’T BE DISTR ACTING.
E L E V E N
T H E
A R T
BE PICKY WITH KEYFRAMES
T W E L V E
T H E
A R T
VS.
F O U R T E E N
T H E
A R T
FIND HIGH-RES IMAGERY
S I X T E E N
T H E
A R T
VISUAL EMOTION >
VISUAL PRESCRIPTION
E I G H T E E N
“
open on a girl and her dog watching TV
”
T H E
A R T
VS.
T W E N T Y
“
open on a girl and her dog watching TV
”
T H E
A R T
LABEL CLEARLY
T W E N T Y - T W O
T H E
A R T
SC RI PT NAME : 3 0
CAMPAIG N NAME/SE CTION
AG E NCY/C LIE NT LOGO S + DE C K NAME
2.
T W E N T Y - T H R E E
T H E
A R T
SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
T W E N T Y - F O U R
DRIVERLESS : 60
Open on a wealthy, older man standing at the curb outside a very modern
glass and steel downtown office building. A futuristic vehicle glides to the
curb to meet him. A door slides open and the man hops in.
HERO:
Evening Clarice, home please.
As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot Espresso is already waiting
for him. The car is driverless. The voice we hear is an AI assistant.
CLARICE:
You seem melancholy David. May I help?
As our hero stares wistfully out the window. We see hundreds of driverless
cars all moving on the same computer grid. Traveling the exact same
speed, perfectly spaced apart.
HERO:
Just thinking of a different time is all.
Here we flash back to him as a 16-year-old kid, his father giving him his first
driving lesson. Maybe we see him lying on the hood with friends, or leaning
for a kiss in the front seat, or taking a trip along a sun-soaked coastal road.
Then cut back to him in the back of his driverless vehicle.
HERO:
There was a time when I was sat up there,
you know? When I had to rely on my
own two hands, my own eyes.
We cut back again to him as a younger man. Brief moments of how
glorious it was to have control of your own vehicle. Him pushing backs
into their seats. Accelerating onto a freeway. Roaring through a turn on a
twisting rural road.
HERO: SUP E R
When it wasn’t about getting taken from
place to place. But going somewhere,
and feeling something along the way.
BOW L
2020
The final flashback is to 2018. A beautiful Audi RS5 in action, blasting along
a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. We cut inside the car to reveal
his younger self in the present day, hands planted firmly on the wheel. He
smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife next to him, then punches the
gas.
We cut back to the driverless vehicle to see it pull into a futuristic parking
pod attached to a home. The conversation with his AI assistant continues
seamlessly inside.
CLARICE:
Maybe I can help you relax?
He lets out a dissatisfied sigh.
HERO:
No see, that’s just... the... problem.
He stares glumly around the perfectly clean, perfectly ordered space.
Then we see a look of resolve in his eyes. He strides away and we cut
to him pulling open a door, opening up a large, dark space – some kind
of sub-basement. In the far corner, a car shrouded in a dust sheet sits.
A twinkle in his eyes appears as he approaches. He whips off the sheet
dramatically, to reveal a vintage, mint condition, 2018 Audi RS5.
CLARICE:
David, NO!
We cut to a beautiful three quarter shot of the RS5 in action, blasting along
a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. At this point the audience isn’t
sure whether he’s gone rogue in the future, or if this is another flashback.
CARD:
Drive like there’s no tomorrow.
We cut inside the car to reveal his younger self in the present day, hands
planted firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife
next to him, then punches the gas.
V E N A B LE S
B E LL
&
PA RT NE R S
|
AUD I
25
T H E
A R T
VS.
T W E N T Y - S I X
Driverless :60
Open on a wealthy, older man standing at the curb outside a very
the car to reveal his younger self in the present day, hands planted
modern glass and steel downtown office building. A futuristic vehicle firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife
glides to the curb to meet him. A door slides open and the man hops next to him, then punches the gas.
in.
We cut back to the driverless vehicle to see it pull into a futuristic
HERO:
Evening Clarice, home please.
parking pod attached to a home. The conversation with his AI assistant continues seamlessly inside.
As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot Espresso is already
waiting for him. The car is driverless. The voice we hear is an AI
CLARICE:
Maybe I can help you relax?
assistant.
He lets out a dissatisfied sigh.
CLARICE:
You seem melancholy David. May I help?
HERO:
No see, that’s just... the... problem.
As our hero stares wistfully out the window. We see hundreds of
driverless cars all moving on the same computer grid. Traveling the He stares glumly around the perfectly clean, perfectly ordered
exact same speed, perfectly spaced apart.
space.
Then we see a look of resolve in his eyes. He strides away and we
HERO:
Just thinking of a different time is all.
cut to him pulling open a door, opening up a large, dark space –
some kind of sub-basement. In the far corner, a car shrouded in a
Here we flash back to him as a 16-year-old kid, his father giving him dust sheet sits. A twinkle in his eyes appears as he approaches. He
his first driving lesson. Maybe we see him lying on the hood with
whips off the sheet dramatically, to reveal a vintage, mint condition,
friends, or leaning for a kiss in the front seat, or taking a trip along
2018 Audi RS5.
a sun-soaked coastal road. Then cut back to him in the back of his
driverless vehicle.
CLARICE:
David, NO!
HERO:
There was a time when I was sat up there,
you know? When I had to rely on my
own two hands, my own eyes.
We cut back again to him as a younger man. Brief moments of how
glorious it was to have control of your own vehicle. Him pushing
backs into their seats. Accelerating onto a freeway. Roaring through
a turn on a twisting rural road.
HERO: When it wasn’t about getting taken from
place to place. But going somewhere,
and feeling something along the way.
The final flashback is to 2018. A beautiful Audi RS5 in action, blasting along a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. We cut inside
SUPER BOWL 2020
We cut to a beautiful three quarter shot of the RS5 in action, blasting along a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. At this point the
audience isn’t sure whether he’s gone rogue in the future, or if this
is another flashback.
CARD:
Drive like there’s no tomorrow.
We cut inside the car to reveal his younger self in the present day,
hands planted firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks
over at his wife next to him, then punches the gas.
VENABLES BELL & PARTNERS | AUDI
27
T H E
A R T
BREAK YOUR OWN RULES
T W E N T Y - E I G H T
T H E
A R T
YO U R D E C K T E M P L AT E I S M E A N T TO B E A D E S I G N G U I D E L I N E , N OT A H I N D R A N C E .
T W E N T Y - N I N E
T H E
A R T
I F A N E L E M E N T WO R K S O N O N E PAG E B U T N OT A N OT H E R ? C H A N G E I T.
T H I R T Y
T H E
A R T
YO U WO N ’ T B E J U D G E D BY H OW C L O S E LY YO U S T I C K TO YO U R T E M P L AT E ( W I T H I N R E A S O N ) .
T H I R T Y - O N E
T H E
A R T
A LWAYS C H O O S E V I S UA L E N H A N C E M E N T OV E R T E M P L AT E D E D I C AT I O N .
T H I R T Y - T W O
T H E
A R T
A L L T H AT M AT T E R S I S H OW G O O D O F A S TO RY YO U T E L L .
T H I R T Y - T H R E E
T H E
A R T
EVERY DECK MATTERS
T H I R T Y - F O U R
T H E
A R T
A great deck is a love letter to your clients.
Hell, it’s a love letter to your ideas.
It shows you take pride in them.
It shows your dedication to detail.
Art directors (and everyone!) should put effort into each deck.
No matter how seemingly insignificant the information.
T H I R T Y - F I V E
T H E
A R T
KERN YOUR ART CARDS
T H I R T Y - S I X
T H E
A R T
KERN YOUR ART CARDS
T H I R T Y - S E V E N
T H E
A R T
KERN YOUR ART CARDS
T H I R T Y - E I G H T
T H E
A R T
RECAP
T H I R T Y - N I N E
T H E
A R T
OPEN WITH A STRONG VISUAL.
PAY ATTENTION TO HIERARCHY.
USE KEYFRAMES
TO ENHANCE YOUR STORY.
FIND HIGH RES IMAGERY.
VISUAL EMOTION >
VISUALLY PRESCRIPTIVE.
LABEL CLEARLY.
SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO
BREAK YOUR OWN RULES.
EVERY DECK MATTERS.
KERN YOUR ART CARDS.
F O R T Y
T H E
A R T
THANK YOU.
F O R T Y - O N E