What Do You Mean by Advertising Design? Examples Inside

You're scrolling through your feed when you spot an ad with lyrics from a song you loved back in high school. It's not just any ad - it's Spotify reaching out to the older millennial who grew up making mixtapes and burning CDs.

This is the power of advertising designs – where marketing strategy meets creative flair, resulting in visuals that don't just catch your viewer's attention but also tug at your wallet. 

Advertising design isn't just about making things look pretty – its sole purpose is to sell products and services. It's the art of crafting visual elements with a strong message that speaks directly to consumers, compelling them to take action.

In the Spotify example, there's no pushy sales pitch. Instead, it creates a feeling: "Hey, we've got all the music you love, and we're here for you." Spotify is saying, "You can have the best of both worlds—your favorite old tunes and the convenience of streaming."

Simply put, ad designs weave together colors, images, typography, and layouts to create a narrative that resonates with your target audience. Whether scrolling through your email or social media feed, great ad design grabs your attention.

What is the method of designing advertisements?

Whether you're a business owner looking to create your first ad campaign or a marketing professional aiming to refine your skills, understanding the method and best practices behind ad design can make all the difference. 

Here is a step-by-step process that turns a simple idea into a successful advertisement, but first…

What do you need to design ads?

Before you start sketching ideas or playing with color palettes, let's look at the essentials you need in your toolkit. Think of these as your foundation—get these right, and you're already halfway to creating an ad that looks great and gets results.

So, what do you need for your creative production? Let's break it down:

• Brand identity: Your brand identity is the soul of your business - it's what makes you… well, you. Before you think about creating an ad, make sure you've got the answers to the following questions: What's your brand's personality? What are your values? What makes you different from the competition? Once you have this sorted, the rest will flow much more smoothly.

• Customer persona: You need to know what excites your customers. The more specific you can be, the better. Are they millennials who can't start their day without coffee or busy parents looking for quick, healthy meal options? 

• Product value: Remember, people don't just buy products - they buy solutions, experiences, and feelings. What problem does it solve? How does it make life better, easier, or more fun for your customers? 

Now that you have what you need, here’s your step-by-step guide to crafting ads to drive customer engagement:

Step 1: Conduct market research

Before you even think about putting pen to paper (or cursor to screen), you need to know what's going on in your industry. So, start by diving into secondary research. This means exploring what's already out there:

• Check out your competitors' social media accounts. What kind of content are they posting, and how are people reacting to it?
• Get your hands on industry reports. They're often packed with valuable insights and trends.
• Browse popular marketing blogs to stay up-to-date with the latest strategies and success stories.

But don't stop there. Primary research is where you can really uncover game-changing insights. Consider running surveys or focus groups with your target audience. Ask them about their preferences, pain points, and what drives their purchasing decisions. This firsthand information is gold when it comes to crafting your ad message.

Step 2: Set your budget

Let's talk about money. Setting a budget isn't the most exciting part of ad design, but it's critical. Your budget will influence every decision you make moving forward, from the platforms you use to the type of ad creative you can produce.

You need to determine what you can realistically afford to spend on this campaign. Consider all the costs involved—not just media buying but also design work, copywriting, and any other resources you'll need.

But don't just pick a number out of thin air. Look at your business goals and consider what kind of return on investment you aim for. This will help you determine a budget that makes sense for your business.

Step 3: Choose your platform

When deciding where to place your ad, consider where your target audience spends their time and what aligns with your budget. For instance, platforms like TikTok or Facebook offer precise targeting if you're targeting Gen Z. Meanwhile, business professionals may respond better to LinkedIn's professional network.

Each platform offers unique advantages to reach your audience effectively, whether it's Facebook's diverse ad formats, Google's intent-based search ads, or TikTok's trend-setting environment. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, either. Sometimes, an unexpected platform choice can help your ad stand out from the crowd.

Step 4: Choose an ad format

Now that you know where your ad will appear, you need to decide what form it will take. Will it be a static image, a video, an interactive display ad, or something else entirely?

Your choice of format should align with your platform, message, and audience's preferences. For example, if you're advertising on Instagram, you might consider using Stories or Reels to capture attention in a more dynamic way.

Remember, different formats have different strengths. A video ad might be great for telling an emotional story, while a simple text ad could be perfect for conveying key information quickly.

Step 5: Decide on ad goal

This might seem obvious, but it's surprising how many ads are created without a specific goal. For example, your ad might aim to:

• Boost brand awareness
• Drive traffic to your website
• Generate leads
• Increase sales of a specific product

Tip: Make sure your goal is SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your creative strategy should also directly support your broader business objectives. 

If your company's aim is to increase market share, your ad goal might be to achieve a specific return on ad spend (ROAS) within a designated time frame. For instance, you might set a goal to achieve a ROAS of 5, meaning for every dollar spent on advertising, you aim to generate five dollars in revenue. 

Alternatively, you could focus on a cost-per-acquisition (CPA) goal, such as reducing the CPA to $20 per new customer. This would make your marketing efforts more cost-effective while maintaining profitability.

Step 6: Craft an effective ad copy

Your ad's copy is what will linger in your audience's mind long after they've scrolled past. This means the message must be clear and compelling.

The goal here is to pique your audience’s curiosity.

Keep it simple. Highlight benefits by clearly stating what the audience gains from your product or service. Emphasize benefits over features to make your ad more relatable and appealing. 

Here’s a quick ad copy framework that you can use: 

PAS (Problem, Agitate, and Solution): 

• Problem: State the problem
• Agitate: Emphasize how big the problem is by focusing on the aftermath
• Solution: Position your product as the solution to the problem

Step 7: Gather creative assets

With your message nailed down, it's time to visually bring your ad to life. This is where you'll collect all the elements that will make up your ad - photos, graphics, videos, music, or whatever else you need. From founder-style ads to short videos with value props, there's a wide array of options to explore and implement for optimal results. 

Both listicle-style UGC and how-to content have proven to be highly effective for brands. Incorporating engaging narratives or case studies to demonstrate impact in real-world scenarios can be enlightening.

If you're advertising a beauty or skincare product, for example, you can create how-to tutorial content that can yield substantial results in brand marketing. 

Don't overwhelm your audience, though. Stick to two or three main creative elements to keep your ad clean and focused. Remember, sometimes less is more.

Step 8: Include a call to action

Including a strong call to action (CTA) encourages your audience to take the next step- turning them from viewers into customers. Therefore, it needs to be clear and specific. A few common and effective CTAs are:

• Buy now
• Learn more
• Sign up today

You can add the CTA throughout the ad video itself, in the ad copy, or even in your static ads.

Step 9: A/B test all your ad elements

You have created your final ad design, and it looks good to go. But how do you know it's going to resonate with your audience? This is where A/B testing comes in.

Create two or more versions of your ad with slight variations - maybe different headlines, images, or CTAs. Then, show these versions to small groups within your target audience and see which performs better. This isn't about personal preference - it's about data. Let the numbers guide you to the most effective version of your ad.

Types of paid advertising design with examples

When it comes to advertising design, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. From eye-catching billboards to subtle social media posts, the types of advertising design are constantly evolving to capture your customer’s attention in new and innovative ways. To help you understand better, here are five advertising design examples:

Example 1: Social media ads

Designing social media ads is a great way to tell new customers about your brand. It's important to choose the right platform for your market and create eye-catching pictures and words that fit your audience. Moreover, being clear and smart about who you're targeting is the key to making your ads work well.

Take, for example, Imperfect Foods, an American grocery delivery company. It delivers groceries through a subscription service. They repurpose produce and packaged goods with small imperfections that would otherwise be wasted. The company uses paid ads on Instagram to share their story.

Their Instagram ad works really well because it perfectly matches their fun brand style. The picture catches your eye, and the offer is interesting. After grabbing your attention, the caption explains their mission and shows how much food waste their customers have helped them save.

Example 2: Display ads

Display ads are the eye-catching visual advertisements you see scattered across websites and mobile apps. They're like digital billboards, designed to grab your attention as you browse online. However, the best display ads do more than just show a product - they tell a story or evoke a feeling.

Take the example of Merrell's clever hiking boot ad – an outdoor footwear and apparel company. They've taken a different trail instead of following the crowd with a stark product shot on a plain background. They've made their audience picture an "adventure."

What's brilliant about this display ad is that the hiking boots aren’t the focus of the ad – the experience as a whole is.

Example 3: Email marketing

Email marketing is a big part of digital marketing, but crafting a good email can be tricky. Good design is key to catching your readers' attention and making your emails easy to read. It’s not just about the content—you also need to think about the overall look of your emails.

Consumers love personalized interactions with the brands they buy from, and they expect it. This goes beyond just recommending products they might like.

For instance, you can use customer data and segmentation to send them product ideas at important times in their lives, like birthdays. This makes customers feel special, which boosts their loyalty and increases the chances they’ll buy from you again. 

For example, PUMA—a German sportswear manufacturer—occasionally sends vibrant emails to its customers, offering a 20% discount on their next purchase. 

Personalized direct mail strengthens their connection with customers and drives more sales.

Example 4: Google ads

Google Ads is incredibly effective for eCommerce brands, no matter their size or budget. It's a powerful way to reach potential customers online and drive sales. With an effective Google ad, you can get clicks, build brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales. 

MVMT, an American watchmaker, uses Google ads strategically to highlight special events and discounts. For instance, during their anniversary celebrations, they often promote exclusive discounts to entice customers.

These ads create a sense of urgency, encouraging shoppers to take advantage of limited-time offers.

Example 5: Website ads

Over the past decade, digital advertising has become essential for businesses. With over 5 billion people online, it's a prime space for high-traffic marketing campaigns.

Banner ads are one of the oldest and most effective forms of digital display advertising. These ads come in various sizes—like large or medium rectangles, video ads, or GIFs—and are placed at the top, bottom, or sides of websites and social media pages.

So, why are banner ads so effective? They take the familiar rectangular ads we see in magazines and newspapers and bring them to the dynamic world of online advertising. Unlike static newspaper ads, banner ads can feature content carousels or clickable links that lead directly to a landing page. A good click-through rate indicates successful ad placement and performance. 

H&M—a popular clothing brand—is known for blending luxury design with off-the-rack clothing, and its banner ads perfectly reflect this. They use just two primary colors—red and white—to create a sleek, premium look. The ad's design features a mix of these colors, giving it a unique, urban feel.

A tinted color block adds to the urban, designer vibe, showcasing H&M’s high-fashion offerings. At the same time, a large CTA promotes a discount, appealing to fast-fashion shoppers with familiar phrases like "Sale" and "X% off." This clever mix of elements captures H&M’s blend of high fashion and fast fashion in one stylish banner ad.

Advertising design pro tips

While these ad examples give you a nice perspective on what you want, let’s further simplify ad designing for you. These aren't just basic pointers – they're tried-and-tested strategies used by top professionals in the field. So, let’s get right into it.

Tip 1: Stand out from the crowd

There’s no doubt that countless brands have been fighting for attention, and the best way for your advertisement to stand out is by being original. As a marketer, it's tempting to jump on the latest trends that everyone else is using. Because if everyone's doing it, it must be working. However, to truly captivate your audience, you must resist that urge. 

Clichés don’t just blend in—they turn people off. They drain your ad's creativity and fail to engage the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for emotions. So, keep it fresh and unique to really connect with your audience. 

Tip 2: Prioritize benefits instead of features

A unique feature of your business sets you apart from others. While features help consumers compare options and make decisions, advertising them can sometimes fall flat. 

When you're reaching a broad audience, many people might not know about your business or even realize they need what you offer. That's why focusing on product benefits in your ads is much more effective. Benefits are more persuasive and memorable, making a stronger impression on a wide range of people.

Here is a famous advertisement by Apple, where they highlighted their iPod’s benefits rather than features. 

Instead of saying that the iPod had 125GB of storage, they translated that into something more tangible – 1,000 songs in their customers’ pockets.

Tip 3: Be consistent (both with branding and message)

We often identify a brand by its logo, colors, tagline, and packaging—these are the elements that make it recognizable. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain consistency in backgrounds, displays, fonts, and visuals.

Alongside brand consistency, a clear message is just as important. While including multiple things in your ad design might be tempting, it’s best to stick to one message. This helps avoid distractions and ensures your message gets through loud and clear.

Tip 4: Use humor and pop culture references

Humor is key to making your ads unforgettable. In fact, 55% of Americans find humorous ads most appealing. So, don’t hesitate to add some humor to your ads. Moreover, if your brand or product has a distinctive shape, you can find creative ways to highlight your unique identity.

By doing this, you make your ads more relatable. Consider using popular references like characters, phrases, or situations from current pop culture. This approach can make your products feel current and appealing to your audience, capturing their interest and sparking engagement.

Tip 5: Leverage hyperbole

Exaggerating your product is one of the best ways to grab attention. As a viewer, you know it's not entirely literal, but it directs your focus to a specific aspect of the product. Plus, using humor with hyperbole or exaggeration can really make your message stand out.

Tip 6: Show, don’t tell

It’s extremely engaging for your audience to see your product in action, especially if there’s an immediate “before and after” effect. 

Here’s an example from IL Makiage, a DTC makeup brand:

Most of their social media ads on Facebook and Instagram show different women applying the foundation to their skin.

Advertising design FAQs

Still have questions? We've got you covered. Here are the most frequently asked questions (with answers) about advertising design:

In marketing and advertising, what is graphic design?

In marketing and advertising, graphic design involves creating visual content to communicate messages effectively. It combines images, text, and layout to engage and inform the target audience, often with the goal of promoting products, services, or ideas.

Is advertising design the same as graphic design?

Advertising design and graphic design are related but not the same. Advertising design specifically focuses on creating visuals for advertisements, emphasizing persuasion and engagement to drive sales, whereas graphic design encompasses a broader range of visual communication, including branding, web design, and print media.

What are the elements of a creative ad design?

The elements of a creative ad design include a strong visual focal point, compelling and concise copy, a clear call to action, and brand consistency. These components work together to capture attention, convey the message quickly, and motivate the audience to take the desired action.

Conclusion

So, you've learned about different types of ads, seen inspiring examples, and picked up some pro tips along the way. But let's face it – you need more than just knowledge when creating ads for your brand. You need efficiency.

You could spend hours scouring Facebook's Ad Library for inspiration, but you'll only see currently active ads. What about when you're planning for future campaigns or trying to get ahead of seasonal trends? That's where you might hit a wall.

This is where a powerful tool like Madgicx's Creative Workflow comes into the picture! With us, you'll have access to a vast library of ads—both current and past—from various brands across different industries. 

You'll also be able to organize your favorite ideas, send design briefs to our team, get high-quality ad creatives in just 48 hours, and launch your ads all from one platform. This tool is made for advertisers to constantly create winning Meta ads!

But it doesn't stop there. By comparing performance across platforms like Meta, X (Twitter), and TikTok, you can make data-driven decisions about where to allocate your ad spend. Plus, you get detailed insights into which elements of your ads drive results, allowing you to refine and improve your strategy continually. 

So, let's take the guesswork out of your strategy and save you time and resources with our Creative Workflow. Sign up for a free trial today!