A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.
~ Paul Cezanne
Just the other day, I was watching a holiday ad that made me chuckle. It got me thinking … is advertising a form of art? Does the commercial aspect of advertising negate its artistic value? I suppose the emotional benefit gained from viewing an advertisement (despite following through with a purchase) may still allow us to categorize advertising as art. Artistic pursuits have often been sustained by patrons throughout the ages.
“Advertising is an art, made up of ideas that can move and persuade people” – noted Hank Wasiak, a communications industry leader and author of a Mashable.com article relating social media’s effect on advertising. So the next time you see an ad that moves you, ask yourself this question, is this art?
Share your thoughts. Share your favorite holiday ad.
Vanaja R.
Mashable article: How Social Media Has Radically Altered Advertising
Copyright © 2011 My Marketing Nirvana. All rights reserved in all media.
My "Marketing Nirvana" 
Hank Wasiak (@hankwasiak)
/ Monday, November 21, 2011Enjoyed reading your thoughts and thanks for mentioning my Mashable article. Making emotional connections through all forms of marketing communications is especially critical today in light of the importance of social engagement. Look forward to reading more of your posts.
Hank
nrvana
/ Monday, November 21, 2011Hank,
I also linked your article to a LinkedIn – Small Business Lives group discussion regarding taking advantage of social media opportunities. I likened “people strategy” to customer network optimization.
Vanaja
elbrigaking
/ Sunday, November 20, 2011Well… anything that interprets reality through a personal sensibility is supposed to be art… So I guess most of the adds you can see for cars or stuff are Art as well as movies. And so are graphic pictures. But advertising is a little limited Art to me ^^ (too unpersonal and biaised)
nrvana
/ Sunday, November 20, 2011Gabriel,
Thank you for your insightful comment. Your view that art can include interpretation through personal sensibility matches Amy Lowell’s sentiment that I showcased in my post “Philosophy of Art in the Digital Age.”