In studying great advertising, we see visions of brightness: lightness, darkness, and the colored shapes of textures among the silences. We hear sounds and detect impulses awakening our inclinations to touch, engaging with our moods, our hearts, and our minds. Those surprise juxtapositions create meaning and tell stories that touch us. It is what makes us humans. They are our connections with what is good, what is wonderful in our world.

And great advertising can bring us to that wonderful place.

Humor, beauty, irony and spontaneity are all qualities that enhance life. The best forms of advertising exhibit these qualities. Melodious ironies engage the wit; the mind of the receiver gaily grasps the intent (content being king of course). Design designates form, and function comes clear with meticulous ease, enabling immediate recognition. Color emanates from a robust animation, delivering happiness and leaving behind cheery dispositions.

Using all of these tools to tell compelling stories and create powerful products captures attentions — a substantial feat in our consumer-driven culture.

Branding, advertising, and visual messaging surrounds us so much that it has become harder to get people’s attention. Advertising has for far too long preyed on our basic human desires and fears, causing a negative, rather than a positive reaction (selling guilt instead of hope).

This in turn creates a false reality and an artificial humanity, by creating ideals of unattainable beauty and leaving people wholly unsatisfied; but, advertising can add to beauty, it could add to life. When advertisers use and enjoy these qualities in a way that creates harmonies of beauty, they not only bring to the fore hope, they lessen the harmful and reactionary affects on the consumer. Good advertising should embrace our humanity rather than preying on our fears.

We don’t just capture people’s attention; we capture their hearts and minds.

Good advertising respects the consumer. Companies should know it is important to be honest about what products and services they offer to the consumer — and who they are as a company.

The great thing is that companies who take these concepts to heart and are true to their brand can help their products stand out from the crowd.

We are drawn to the Sony Bravia commercials; seeing them brings the product to life with their commercials truly exhibiting “color like no other.”

Likewise, Dove is taking full responsibility (not to mention market space) of the impact that they’re having on the consumer with its “Campaign for Real Beauty.”

Vaseline-Sea uses their campaigns to connect us to our humanity and all that entails from our frailties to strengths.

All of these brands have taken a lead to capitalize on an honest and natural approach about who they are as well as what they truly bring to the consumer.

As a designer, it is an honor to provide captivating work for great clients and their products, who embrace our humanity rather than take us farther away.