Tag, N: Ad Critique

PART 1: The Language of CritiqueChapter 1: The Case for Critique: Why We Need Constructive Criticism to Make Great Ads Befriending the Beast What Exactly Is Critique? Critique Is a Skill, Not a Talent . . . . . . So Let's Teach It Print: The Ground Zero of Critique The Critique Paradox Critique Basics Further Reading ExercisesChapter 2: AdSpeak: The Vocabulary of Avertising Every Language Needs a Vocabulary The Basic Terms of AdSpeak The Creative Strategy: AKA "The WHAT" The Target Audience: AKA "The WHO" The Concept: AKA "The HOW" Execution The Layout Campaign Tagline The More Advanced Terms of AdSpeak Brand Identity and Equity "Ownability" Brand Personality Page Personality Demo: AKA "The Proof" The Terms : A Cheat Sheet Critique Exercises Suggested Viewing Suggested ReadingChapter 3: AdErrors: When Good Ads Go Bad AdError One: The Headline and the Visual Are Redundant or Disconnected AdError Two: Meaningless Gimmicks and Borrowed Interest AdError Three: Using Spokespeople Who Are Irrelevant to the Product or Message AdError Four: Lack of Focus AdError Five: The Page Is Overdeveloped and/or Poorly Planned AdError Six: Sacrificing Clarity for Cleverness AdError Seven: Overacknowledging Your Competition AdError Eight: Letting Your Strategy Show AdError Nine: Being Edgy for Its Own Sake AdError Ten: Huh? Using Pretzel Logic, Being Too Subtle or Obtuse AdError Eleven: Forgetting About the Product AdError Twelve: Being Boring or Too Obvious AdError Thirteen: The Tonality and/or Visual Style Is Inconsistent With the Product or Message Critique ExercisesChapter 4: AdAnalogy: How Art and Copy Play Together Why Are Single-Panel Cartoons Funny? Funny? Unfunny? How Cartoons Work Headline Swap: How Print Ads Work Critique Exercises Suggested Reading Great Collections of Single Panel Cartoons Chapter 5: The 360-Degree Critique: Being Digital, Going Viral and Beyond Defining Our Media Channels Timeline and Traits of Media

Nancy R. Tag (M.A., The New School; B.A., University of Pennsylvania) is an Assistant Professor of Advertising and PR and Deputy Chair of the Media & Communication Arts Department at The City College of New York. She has been a Creative Director at various advertising agencies throughout New York City where she's overseen a distinguished roster of clients which include ING Financial Services, Procter & Gamble, The Waldorf-Astoria, Shiseido Cosmetics, Seiko, Canon, and Aruba Tourism. In addition to winning numerous industry awards, two of her television commercials have been inducted into the permanent collection on advertising at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Before coming to City College, Tag taught advertising to potential copywriters, art directors, and design managers at Parsons School of Design where she twice received the Henry Wolf Award for Teaching Excellence. She's also taught in the Baker School of Business and Technology College at Fashion Institute of Technology. In 2007, she was the recipient of a City College of New York Presidential Junior Faculty Leadership & Service Award as well as a Colin Powell Fellowship.