AD 203 — Advertising Design and Layout
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
For Photography students. Application of design principles to photographic layout problems, in black and white and color, utilizing the student's own photographs.
AD 216 — Foundation in Advertising Design
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
This course introduces students to the field of advertising design. Students are presented with advertising problems and develop appropriate solutions that are original, unexpected, and memorable.
Co-requisite(s): (for one-year Communication Design Foundation students) PK 216.
AD 315 — Art Direction and Design
3 credits; 6 lab hours
Students explore the relationship of art direction and design in conceiving and communicating a message for an integrated advertising and branding campaign. They use art direction skills such as critical thinking, conceiving, and problem solving to communicate a brand message and use design to convey that message.
Prerequisite(s): AD 381.
AD 364 — Digital Media Advertising
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
This course focuses on the new creative partnership in the field of advertising -- the interdisciplinary creative team. Students participate in a client pitch competition for a brand that is aimed toward an audience that was raised in a digital world and reached through the internet, and that utilizes various social media and other entertainment and communications options.
Prerequisite(s): AD 216.
AD 381 — Creative Principles
3 credits; 6 lab hours
This course provides an introduction to the principles of creative advertising with an emphasis on conceptual thinking. It explores the legacy of advertising from the creative revolution of the 1960's to today's digital revolution, which heralds the empowerment of the creative technologist and a new advertising partnership that calls for a "bigger idea".
Prerequisite(s): CD 217 or CD 216
Corequisite(s): AD 383.
AD 382 — Art and Copy
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
Students create outstanding and provocative advertising and refine their strategic thinking, art direction, copywriting, and execution abilities. With an emphasis on visual and verbal ideas, students work as a creative team to fully integrate art and copy.
Prerequisite(s): AD 381.
AD 383 — Strategy Planning and Brand Campaigns
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
Students develop a strategy plan through research on target audience, customer satisfaction, competition, brand, marketplace, and the perception of prospects. Working from their creative brief, they develop an integrated brand campaign. (G6: Arts)
Prerequisite(s): CD 216 or CD 217
Corequisite(s): AD 381.
AD 402 — Idea Writing
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
This course will prepare students to come up with strong verbal ideas and master the art of storytelling. Students work on crafting compelling narratives and brand voices, using a range of media. They will refine their writing and execution abilities for both long and short copy.
Prerequisite(s): AD 382.
AD 403 — Brand Identity in Advertising Design
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
This course will examine the principles of branding as well as the process and methodology of developing and designing a multi-channel brand identity program to effectively communicate a brand message and engage with the consumer. This course is created specifically for aspiring designers for the purpose of guiding students through the sophisticated process of creating and establishing a brand identity beyond visual communication. Through reading, research, lectures, and case studies, students will learn the concepts of dynamic branding, taking into consideration the entire brand experience and customer journey. Emphasis will be placed on the steps needed for a consistent brand, such as identifying a brand’s purpose and personality; designing a logo; creating the visual elements that support the new brand; and developing and designing its tone of voice for all communication channels, including, but not limited to, print, digital/motion, radio, TV, and social media.
Prerequisite(s): CD 217.
AD 404 — Creative Content for Social Media
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
With the advent of social media, advertising has gone from a disruptive to an engagement model. Our work now needs to be utilitarian, shareable and interactive. This course provides insights into how new technologies inform and shape not only the creative process but the creative product. Platforms are appraised from the creative perspective. Creative content that inspires sharing forms the basis of all ideation.
Prerequisite(s): AD 364.
AD 415 — Advertising Art Direction and Design II
1.5 credits; 3 lab hours
Students further develop their art direction skills by deepening their understanding of creative advertising principles and strategies to communicate a brand message with a sound idea. They execute that idea with a more disciplined understanding of how each design decision makes that message more vivid.
Prerequisite(s): AD 315.
AD 442 — TV Studio/TV Ad Concepts
3.5 credits; 1 lecture and 5 lab hours
From concept to broadcast, this course offers students the hands-on experience of making a 30-second television spot.
Prerequisite(s): AD 382.
AD 464 — Senior Portfolio Design
1.5 credits; 3 lab hours
Students prepare cohesive portfolios, reflecting their own individual design aesthetic, in preparation for careers in graphic and/or advertising design.
Prerequisite(s): AD 494 and (for Graphic Design students) GD 411.
AD 466 — Senior Portfolio
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
Students prepare cohesive portfolios for their advertising internships. Preparation for interviews, including how to present yourself comfortably and confidently, how to stand out, and what to leave behind, along with networking and establishing contacts in the industry will be covered in this course.
Prerequisite(s): AD 315.
AD 467 — Advertising Professional Preparation
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
This course prepares Advertising Design students for entry into the Advertising profession. Students prepare for interviews by developing resumes, cover letters, personal presentations and portfolios. Students will further develop their skills for employment at an advertising agency and will learn how to prepare agreement letters, invoices, estimates and other business forms required for working on staff or as a freelancer.
Prerequisite(s): AD 466
Corequisite(s): AD 491.
AD 481 — Art Direction
1.5 credits; 3 lab hours
Development from concept to design of highly finished comprehensives. The role of the art director is considered, including time management, production procedures, and working with photographers, illustrators, and other industry suppliers.
Prerequisite(s): AD 383 and CD 372.
AD 482 — TV and Viral Videos
3 credits; 6 lab hours
Simulating the actual stages in developing advertising for TV and the web, students participate in the process of concept development, storyboard creation, completion of pre-production books, production, and post-production with professional editing software.
Prerequisite(s): AD 382.
AD 491 — Internship
3 credits; 3 lecture hours
An internship in the ad industry for 10 weeks, 12 hours per week on-site for a total of 120 hours, and 5 weeks, 3 hours per week in the classroom for a total of 15 hours. Includes ongoing, individual interviews and assessments between the student and instructor: pre-, during, and post-internship.
Prerequisite(s): AD 466.
AD 494 — Senior Thesis & Project Planning
2 credits; 1 lecture and 2 lab hours
A hands-on survey of research methodology and thesis-writing to facilitate each student’s planning, researching, drafting, editing, and finalizing a creative, information-based, persuasive, ten-to fifteen-page thesis paper written in carefully constructed stages over the span of the semester. The focus of the paper will be an individually selected design, cultural, or socially relevant theme closely linked to each student’s personal and professional interests. In addition to the thesis, students will do planning for their senior project.
Prerequisite(s): AD 383.
AD 495 — Senior Design Project
3 credits; 6 lab hours
In an independent study format, analyze, organize, and execute a senior design project resulting from the senior design project research paper completed in the prior semester. Format provides further opportunity to develop personal voice and communicate original visual messages.
Prerequisite(s): AD 494 and (for Graphic Design students) GD 411.
AD 496 — Advanced Advertising Design Workshop
3 credits; 6 lab hours
Entries for national and international student design competitions are produced, resulting in exposure to the design and advertising industries. In addition, actual advertising design projects presented by clients are introduced, affording the opportunity for client contact and creation of professionally produced material for a portfolio.
Prerequisite(s): CD 372.
AD 497 — Student Competition
3 credits; 6 lab hours
This course will involve students with assignments from international advertising competitions Entering student work into these advertising creative competitions offers exposure to the individual student and the FIT Advertising Design Program to the top national and international advertising agencies.
Prerequisite(s): AD 482
Corequisite(s): AD 498.
AD 498 — Senior Project
3 credits; 6 lab hours
In an independent study format the students analyze, organize, and execute a senior advertising design project resulting from their thesis on an individually selected cultural, or socially relevant theme closely linked to each student’s personal or professional interests. Advertising Design students use their thesis as background research on the category, psychographics or consumer attitudes for the brand that they have chosen to execute for their Senior Project.
Prerequisite(s): AD 494.
AD 499 — INDEPENDENT STUDY ADV DESIGN
1-4 credit